New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-05-26

she amt BOb's wife-not bv q long shot.
Why, she's Bob's daughter, as has just
come out to see her old pap"
well, l like that. / am less than ever
inclined to fight the man who owns such
daughter. | must find a way to make
friends with him, even if l have to quarrel
with him to do it. Goodnight kentuek.
Pleasant dreams to you"
Gentleman Bill felt more than ordinari-
~ wide awake, whether it was from the
novel excitement of the brief encounter
with Matthew or not When Kentuck had
left him he stood for some time irres0lute,
with no wish for rest, and no desire to go
anywhere in particular. He looked down
the street. and his ewes, accustomed to the
darkness, could just family distinguish the
outlines of the wagons that crowded it.
Every sound was hushed, except the ocea-
sional movement of a restless animal, or the
deep signing of sleeping one. Not light
was burning anywhere along the street.
While gazing aimlessly into the gloom he
saw, all at once, as if lighted by a flash
from the sky, a sudden illumination
spring up and column of flame stand
erect over the Travellers Rest.
Now Wilson's Bar did not boast fire
company. At some seasons of the year had
a fire broken out there would have been a
chance of its extinguishment, inhammable
as were the materials of which the place
was built; but just after the long, hot sum-
mer, when the river was all but dried up
and every plank in houses, fences and side
walks so much finder, q fire that should get
under Roadway would have everything its
own way. Seeing the danger, Gentleman
Bill started down the street on the run,
shouting in his clarion tones that ever thrill
ling cry of "fire! fire! firel" till it seemed to
him he must wake the dead. But it was
that hour of the night, or rather morning,
when sleep is heaviest and the watchful
senses off their guard. The transfers, who
slept in their wagons, were the first to be
aroused; but. they, seeing the peril which
might come to their teams, and then to
their property, kept by their own. The IN
habitants awOke more slowly, and came
pouring into the street only in time to see
the roof of the Travellers Rest falling in,
although the lower story was not consumed.
Nobody knew much about the details of
the scene that ensued. The current of
heated air produced the usual rush of cold
wind which spread and fed the flames, un-
til, in a half an hour, all hope of saving
any part of the principal street in the Bar
was abandoned, and people were flying for
safety to the outskirts of the town.
On a little eminence, overlooking the
burning buildings, together stood Gentle
man Bill and a young woman he had res
cued from smoke and flame just in time to
save her from suffOeatiOn. Together they
looked down upon the cOnhagratiOn, and
together listened to the horrible medley of
sounds proceeding from it.
eff / could only know that my father
is safe J" was the repeated moan of Anna
Matheny, as she gazed intently upon the
scene Of distress.
Seeing the fright and trouble in her eyes,
her companion cunningly diverted her at
tention for one moment to the wierd land
scape stretching away toward the western
mountains. IL was the same scene she had
beheld for the first time with such interest
twelve hours before but in what a diff
ferent aspect The murl1y heavens re-
hected the red glare of the flames upon
every object for miles around, tinging each
with lurid CLEAN like nothing in nature.
The dark neutrals of the far-Otf mountains,
the gray-green of the pines, the sere color
of the valley, the dark, dull green Of the
oaks, garlanded with hOary moss, and the
gay foliage of the wild grape-aH came out
distinctly in this furnace-glOw, but with
quitenew effects. In the strong and strange
fascination of the scene, both these young
people, so singularly situated, forgot for
three minutes their mutual anxiety.
Longer it would be impossible to forget it.
"Do not you think might go to look for
my father, now, Mr.. -p
Randolph that gentleman. ..
ooh, thank you Mr.. Randolph"
81 do not see how you could, really" and,
without intending it in the least, but simply
through his embarrassment, Randolph
glanced hastily at her scanty dress, which,
thereby, she blushingly understood to be
his objection.
eff l could get only a blanket from
fathers wagon Do you think it would be
possible Would you be running risk to
try for blanket, do you think, Mr.. Ran
dOlph If there is any risk, please do not
go; but l am so anxiOus-sO terribly anx-
iOusr
He knew she was, and knew the reason
she had for her apprehensiOns; SO, although
he mistrusted the result of his Grand he
answered simply, Certainly l will go, if
you are not afraid to be left alone. I shall
be in no danger"
''Oh, thank yOu-thank yOul You will
bring me a message from my father?"
Il hope so, indeed since you desire it so
much. l think you had better sit down on
this newspaper, and let me cover your
shoulders with my coat"
mo, indeed. If you are going near the
fire you will need it to protect you from
cinders."
But Randolph quickly Invested himself
of his upper garment and laid it lightly over
her shivering form; then quickly charging
her to feel no alarm, and as little anxiety
as possible, strobe rapidly away toward the
fire. Fifteen minutes afterward be returned
more slowly with a blanket, which Anne 4.
rose up to receive.
"My father9 Did you see my father?"
81 did not see him. He must have taken
his horses Off little distance for safety, and
you may not see him for several hours, Do
not indulge in apprehensiOns In the
morning we shall find him; it is almost day
light now"
He pointed to a faint light along the east
ern horizon; but her eyes were blinded with
tears.
cit is not like my father to leave me SO
lOng-at such a time, too! He would not
care for his horses, nor for anything but me-
Oh, can he have persisted y
She spoke as though the awful signif-
canoe of her loneliness had just dawhed
upon her. Randolph, from whom the
thought had never been absent from the
he saw the pillar of flame shooting
up over the Travellers Rest, was startled
by the suddenness of her anguish, and an
of profound grief came over his
face, noticeable even to her inattentive
eyes, and which cOmfOrted her by It's SYM
pathy, even in the midst of her alarm and
distress.
The day had dawned when Anne Mathe- |
ny lifted her tear-swOllen face from her
knees, and looked upon the smoking ruins
Of Wilson's Bar 1t was but blackened |
heap of rubbish; yet somewhere in its
midst, she felt assured, were buried the
remains of her father. Each mo-
ment that he came not deepened her con-
victiOn, until at last her companion ceased !
his efforts to inspire hope, and accepted her |
belief as his own. Then, with the incon-
of sorrow, she violently repudiated
the suspicion OF her fathers death and
besought him piteOusIy to seek and bring |
him to her side.
1t was while obeying this last command