Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-06-08
MY NIGHT I'm A BOX. "


certain movements, the magnets repeated the
words "Come home--come e!"-thC
handles moving as before could remain
AT my post no longer. Come what might,
felt that had no alternative but to obey.
ran to the house where the clerk lived, and,
ON rousing the inmates and gaining udmis-
sion, told him that he must take my place i'm
mediately, as | had been suddenly called
away. The man seemed somewhat surprised
at my excited and startled manner, but what
he said or did | cannot recollect. On enter
ing the stable where my horse was stalled /
perceiyed a saddle hanging ON the wall, and
knowing that | could get over the ground
more swiftly riding than driving, threw il
ON his back, and in minute or two was
,lashng along the road in the direction of
home. | shall never forget that ride. Al
though urged my horse with whip and voice
till he flew rather than gallopcd the pace was
far too slow for my excited mind. Woods
bridges with the mOOnlit streams whipping
beneath them, farmhouses where the deep
voiced watch-dogs were wakened bv the loud
beat of hoofs, shot by me like things in a
dream; and at last, breathless and painting,
We catered 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 yacantly In the white
lllUOullBnts puuutlli1 u uDISb anu IlutF AD-
prared at the other end of the street, and
noarse voice uttered loud ery-"Fire!" !" Al
the same instant the church bell was rlmg
violently; and at once, and if by common
impulse, the whole village started into life
Lights appeared in the houses, and hundred
windows were dashed quickly up | saw
white figures standing at them, and heard
voices crying "Where p Checking my horse
with u jerk which threw him ON his launches.
listened for the reply, ''Craigside House!"
Great heaven my worst fears were real
lied. 1t was my own home. | choked down
the agony, which almost forced cry, and,
pressing onward with redoubled speed, soon
arrived at the scene of the fire. The house
WAS Il large old one, and when | reached II,
smoke was issuing In thick, murky volumes
from the windows of the second HAT, while
fierce tongues of flame were already leaping
along the roof. A crowd of men were hur
rying confusedly about with buckets and
pals of water. In the centre of group of
women found our maid, Mary, stretched on
the grass in swoon. "My wife" | ex-
claimed, as rushed forward, "where is she?"
tod knows, sir, said one of the men ''we
have twice tried to reach the second Hat but
were each time driven back by the smoke and
tire, Without uttering word | entered the
house, and ran along the lobby. The stair.
fortunately, was built of stone, but the wood
work on each side was one mass of blazing
and cracking flame. Before | had taken
three steps iell back, blinded, tainting, and
hall sutfocated with the smoke Two men
Who had followed me caught me in their
arms, and tried to restrain me by force from
endcavoring to ascend again. ''Don't at
tempt it, they said, 'yOu will only lose your
own life, and cant save hers "Let 20, you
cowards!' - | 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
hedchtnber led off of small parlor which
was situated on this Hat Cropping my way
through the smoke | found the door but, to
my horror, il was locked! dashed myself
against it again and again, but ii resisted all
my efforts. To return as | had come was
now impossible, and | knew that the only
hope OF saving even my own life was to 20
forward. Despair gave me strength, and,
lifting my foot, | struck ii violently against
one of the lower paneh of the door. Ii yiel-
ded little. Another blow, and it was driven
n crrpt through the opening, but so thick
was the smoke in the parlor that could dis
tlngush nothing. Maggie! Maggie." |
Slillehed, where are your But no answer
was returned Crossing the paror | gained
lhc bedroom door To my Joy il was open
and stretched on the floor found the appar-
entity liteless form of my wife. | bent over
her, and ON placing my hand on her heart |
found that it was still beating. | lifted her
very tenderly and gently, and carried her in
my arms to the window, which broke open,
W what followed am only dimly conscious
! nave confused remembrance of men
bringing ladder, and strong arms helping
and nnpTNla pl, I,,t st
all very vague and indistinct. NV next re-
collection is that of finding myself in nv
lalhers house all bruised and weak, but with
my wlie bending over me, and tending me
with loving hands. We had been burn
rl out OF house and home For
luhatcly, everything was insured; but even
had it not been so, had been content so long
rs She was spared to me.
On the evening of the next day, when the
snort winter twilight was fast closing round,
and The first snowtlakes were falling, Maggie
Irrw little stool close to the couch on Which
lay thinking over the strange events which
l have related. | had said nothing TO any
Uody regarding the warning which had SO
mys'e10usly received and when questioned
a' 10 what caused me to return so oppor-
l0ncly, had always made some evasive an
s"er, for l feared that the reality would
never have obtained belief.
Willie, said the soft, low voice of nv
"lte' IF you had not come home"
Hush, my darling. Don't talk like that,
I"f cant bear even to think of it,.
but i might have been And do you
Know, Willie, had such strange dream ON
that awful night"
"A dream, Maggie? Tell mt what it
You remember, said She drawing closer
" me- the evening you took Mary and me
n''o 'le telegraph office, and told us all about
ulc batteries, and magnets, aud electricity,
anu great many things which we couldn't
,u"ersland at all, though we pretended to do
N'' leSl you should think us stupid ?"
Perfectly"
ana you remember, too, how, when |
,a'a mat should like to send a message with
u9 own hands, you made me take hold of
"r hahdle, and then you guided it, while |
n'nt message to your brother Robert, who
Nos IN the office at Lowestoft2 Andthe end
~ 1t was, Come home-come home !" which
'tlclled over and over again, until could
''lI quite well without your help"
! turned quickly round, but she was gazing
"uclliy at the fire, and did not perceive the
startled look gave her.
l., wei, she continued, ''the night before
nsl' when you were away, could not sleep
"r long time after l went to bed and
Nl'eh did sleep | dreamed-such horrible
"a,elh L thought that | was in your office
again; and | had fled thpre hpcansa ,yas