National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1872-05-31

houses, and hundred windows were
dashed quickly up. saw white figures
standing AT them, and heard voices crying
"Where2" Checking my horse with a
jerk, which threw l.Iii upon his launches,
| listened for the reply, "Craigside
lIouse!"
Great Heaven my worst fears were
realised, 1t was nv own home. ! choked
down the agony, which almost force n
cry, and pressing onward with redoubled
speed, soon arrived at the scene of the fire.
The house was a Ian re old one, and when l
reached it, smoke vas issuing in thick,
murky volumes from the windows Of the
second fiat, while fierce tongues of flame
were already leaping along the roof. A
crowd of men were hurrying coniusedly
about with buckets and pals of water. In
the centre OF group Of women found our
maid. Mary, stretched on tie grass II n
swoon. my wiie!n | exclaimed, as |
rushed forward, "where is she :" "God
knows, sir,n said one of the men," we have
twice tried to reach the second fiat, but
were each time driven back by the smoke
and fire Without uttering 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 cracking flame. Before
| had taken three steps fell back, blinded,
faintiUg, and half suil1cated with the
smoke. Two men who had followed me
caught me in their arms, and tried to re-
stlan me by force from endeayorng to
ascend again. Don't attempt IT, they
said "you will only lose your own lie,
and can't save hers" Let 90. YOU COW
ard p cried as soon a. 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
bcdehambel led of small paTlor which
was situated on this Hat. Cropping my way
through the smoke, found the door, but,
to my horror, it was locked | dasl Il
myself against it again and again. bu' Il re-
sisted all my efforts. To return as had
come was now impossible, ar knew that
the only hope of saving cen my own lie
was to go forward. Despair gave me
strength. and liiti,s my foot, | struck it
against one of the lower panels of
the door. 1t yielded little. Another
blow, and it was driven in. crept through
the opening, but So thick was the smoke in
the parlorthat could distinguish nothing.
. Maggie, Maggie " shricked, "where are
YOU ~ but no answer was returned. Cross
ing the parlor gained cur bedroom door |
TO my JOY it was open, and stretched on
he floor found the apparently lifeless form
If my wife. | bent over her, and on plac |
haul ba, hnart | c,,,,I chat a.,
was still beating. lifted her very tender |
" and gently, and carried her in my arms
to the window, which broke open. OF
what followed am only dimly conscious ;
have confused remembrance OF men |
iringing a ladder ana strong arms helping |
rs down, and the people cheering but it |
: all very vague and indistinct My next |
recollection is that Of finding myself in my |
ather's house all bruised and weak but |
with my own wife bending over me, and /
ending me with loving hands. We had |
Deen burned out OF house and home. For
.unately everything was insured; but even
lad 1t not been so, had been content so
ong as she was spared to me.
On the evening of the next day, when
he short winter twilight was fast closing
'ound, and the first snowflakes were falling,
Maggie drew little stool close to the
,ough on which | lay, thinking over the
trange events which | have related.
lad said nothing to any body regarding the
warning which had so mysteriously re-
'eived and when question: as TO what
lad caused me to return so opportuDely,
lad always made some evasive answer for
feared that the reality would never have
btained belief
" Willie said the soft low voice of my
wife, If you had not come home"
Hush, my darling, Don't talk like
hat, for | can't bear even to think Of it."
/" But it might have been. And do you
now, Willie, | had such a strange dream
n that awful night 2"
Z" A dream, Maggie Tell me what it
vas"
"You remember" said she, drawing
carer to me, the evening YOU took Mary
nd me into the telegraph Office, and told
5 all about the batteries and magnets and
lectrlcity, and great many things which
We couldn't understand at all, though we
to do so, lest you should think
5 stupid -
:" Perfectly"
And you remember too, how, when |
aid that | should like to send message ,
Il n my own hands, you made me take
old of the handle, and then you guided it,
lille | sent a message to your brother |
,obert, who was in the office at LoWcstoft $
hen? And the end of it was, Come, ,
ome-come home which repeated over {
nd over again, until could do it quite I
-ell without your help" t
| turned quickly round, but she was a
DAng intently at the fire, and did not I
erceve the startled look gave her. I
" Well" :" she continued, " the night be- t
re last, when YOU were away, could not s
eep for long time after went to bed /; C
nd wien | did sleep, dreamed-such L
Orrble dream | thought tnat | was in C
our office again; and had fled there be- a
luse was chased by some Terrible Thing r
did not know what it was, but it was a
ose behind me. and | thought nobody h
,uld save me but you. But you were not b
lere, and so | seized the handle, and "
gned the words, Come home-come Fl
as you had taught me, thinking
EADER-ld be sure to bring you. Then,
ennes Ii did not come, felt its hot breath
ii'aMis " : heck, as If it were going to clutch ls
e in its dreadful arms, and | screamed so
nd that | awoke. The room was all
lrk, and filled with smoke so thick that u
hen jumped up, tainted for want of l. l.
r. And, o Willie, if you had not come
st when you did, might" p
There, Maggie don't let us think of CT
hat might have been, but rather let US a
thankful that we ale spared to each u
her still" =