Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1872-10-09

for my excited mind. Woods, bridges,
with the moonlit streams whipping be-
meath them, farm-houses where the deep
voiced dogs were awakened by the loud
beat of hoofs, shot by me like things in a
dream, and at last, ,breathless and painting,
we clattered up the long causewayed
street OF the village where | lived. All
was dark and silent in the houses, and the
windows seemed to stare blank and
vacahtlyin the white moonlight. Suddenly
horse and rider appeared at The other
end OF the street, md hoarse voice utter
ed a loud cry, Fire p AT the same
instant the church bell was rung violently,
and at once as by common impulse, the
whole village started into life, Lights
appeared in the houses, and hundred
windows were dashed quickly up. I saw
white figures standing at them, and heard
voices crying 'Where?n Checking nv
horse with d jerk which threw him on his
launches, listened for the reply, Craig
side housew
Great heavens, my worst fears were
realized. 1t was my own home. | choaked
down the agony which almost forced a
cry, and pressing onward with redoubled
speed, soon arrived at the scene of the
fire The house was large one, and
when L reached it smoke was issuing in
thick, murky volumes from the windows
OF the second fat while fierce tongues of
flame were already leaping along the
root. A crowd of men were hurrying
| contusedly with buckets and pals of
water. In the centre of a group Of women
found our maid, Mary, stretched on the
grass in swoon. "My wife p' I exclaim.
ed, and rushed forward, "where is she?,
God knows, sir,p said one of the men
ave have tried twice to reach the second
fiat, but were each time driven back by
the smoke and fire." Without uttering q
word, entered the house, and ran along
the lobby. The stair, fortunately, was
built of stone, but the woodwork on each
side was one mass of blazing and crack
ling flame. Before | had taken three
steps I fell back, blinded, fainting and
half suffocated with the smoke. Two men
who had followed me caught me in their
arms, and tried to restrain me by force
from endeayoring to ascend again. DON'T
attempt it," they said. "Let go, you
cowardsW p l cried as soon as could
speak, and, with the strength of madness,
dashed them aside. | rushed up the
stairs, and this time succeeded in reaching
the first landing in safety. The room which
we used as our bed-chamber led off
small parlor, which was situated on this
fiat. Cropping my way through the smoke
found the door, but, to my horror it was
locked dashed myself against it again
and again, but it resisted all my efforts.
To return as | had come was impossible,
and | knew that the only hope of saving
even my own life was to go forward.
Despair gave me strength, and, lifting my
foot, struck it violently against one of
the lower panels of the door. 1t yielded a
little Another blow and it was driven
in. lcrept through the opening, but so
thick was the smoke in the parlor that |
could distinguish nothing. Maggie,
Maggie p | shrieked, "where ARE you ?u
but no answer was returned Crossing
the room | gained the bedroom door. To
my great joy it was open, and, stretched
onthe floor, | found the apparently Iifeless
form of my wife. / bent over her, and ON
placing my hand ON her heart, found that
1t was still beating. | lifted her very
gently, and carried her in my arms to the
window, which | broke open. OF what
followed | am only dimly conscious [
have a confused remembrance of men
bringing ladder, and strong arms help.
ing us down, and the people cheering;
but 1t is all very vague and indistinct.
My next recollection was that of finding
myself In my fathers house, all bruised
and W eak, but with my own wife bendiug
over me, and tending me with loving
hands. We have been burned out Of
house and home Fortunately everything
was insured, but even had it not been so,
| had been content so long as she was
spared to me.
On the evening of the next day, when
the short winter twilight was fast closing
around, and the first snow-fakes were
ia Alling, Maggie drew little stool close to
couch on which | lay, thinking over the
strange events which [ have related I
had said nothing to anybody regarding
the warning which had so mysteriously
received and, when questioned as to
what caused me to return so opportunely,
had always made some evasiye answer,
Tor | feared that che reality would have
obtained belief.
Willie" said the soft, low voice of my
wife, "ifyou had not come home"
"Hush, my darling Don't talk like
that, for | can't bear to think of it,"
"But it might have been And do you
know, Willie, [ had strange dream on
that awful night ?"
" A dream, Maggie? Tell me what it
was.n
you remember" said she drawing
closer to me, the evening you took Mary
and me into the telegraph office, and told
us all about the batteries, and magnets,
and electricity, aud great many things
which we couldn't understand at all,
though we pretended to do SO, lest you
should think us stupid ?
Perfectly"
" And you remember too, how when /
said that would like 20 send a message
to your brother Robert, who was in the
otlce at LoWestotf then? And the end of
1t was Come hOme-come home W And
L repeated 1t over and over again, until I
could dolt quite well without your nelp ?'
turned quickly round, but she was
gazing lntently at the fire, and did net
perceive the startled look gave her.
WE'LL" she continued, s'the night be-
fore last, when you were away. | could
not sleep for long time after l went to
bed and whenI did sleep, I dreamed
such horrld dream | thought that
was IN your Office again and [ had fed
there because | was chased by some terri
pie fhng. L did not know what it was,
but 1t was close behind me aud l thought
nobody could save me but you. But YOU
we're not there, and so l siezed the
handle, and signed the words, sCome
home-come home p as you taught me,
thinking 1t might bring you. Then when
1t d'd come, | felt its hot breath on my
neck, and | screamed so loud that 1
aWoke. The room was all dark, and
filled with smoke so think that when |
jumped up | tainted for want of air. And
oh, Willie, If you had not come just when
you did, might"
There, Maggie, don't let us think of
what might have been, but rather let us