The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-02-22
CHRISTINE, AWAKE!

point OF safety, but the nre was now Dt
coming SO broad in its sweep that to
this was difficult The awful event b
had witnessed seemed to partially paralyz
him; for he knew that the oath, hot as tn
scorching flames, was scarcely uttered bt
fore Mr.. Ludolph's lips were closed forever
He and his ambitious dream persisted in
moment, and he was summoned to tn
other world to learn what his proud reaso
scoffed at in this.
For block or more Dennis was passive
ly borne along by the rushing mob. Sud
denly loud voice seemed to shout almos
in bis ear:
"The north side is burning'' and h
started as from dream. The thought 0
Christine flashed upon him, perishing pei
haps in the flames. He remembered thai
now she had no protector, and that he TO
the moment had forgotten her; though il
truth he never imagined that the nortl
side would burn.
In an agony of fear and anxiety he pu
forth every effort of which he was capable
and tore through the crowd as if mad
There was no way of getting across tn
river now save by the La Sale Street tun
mel. Into this dark passage he plunged
with multitudes of others. 1t was indeed
as near Pandemonium as any earthly con
| dition could be. Driven forward by thu
swiftly pursuing flames, hemmed in OF
every side, shrieking, frenzied, terror
stricken throng rushed into the black cav
ern. Every moral difference was repre-
sented there. Those who led abandoned
lives were plainly recognizable, their guilty
consciences finding expression in their livid
faces. These jostled the refined and deli.
cate lady, who, in the awful democracy oil
the hour, brushed against thief and harlot.
Little children walled for their lost parents.
and many were trampled under foot. Pa
rents cried for their children, women
shrieked for their husbands, some praying,
many cursing with oaths as hot as the
flames that cracked near. Multitudes
were in no other costumes save those in
which they sprang from their beds. AL
together it was strange incongruous
writhing mass of humanity such as the
world never looked upon, pouring into
what might seem, in its horrors, the mouth
of hell.
AS Dennis entered the utter darkness a
confused roar smote his ear that might
have appalled, the stoutest heart, but he
was now oblivious to everything save
Christmas danger. With set teeth he put
his shoulder against the living mass and
pushed with the strongest till he emerged
into the glare of the north side. Here es-
Gaping from the throng somewhat, he made
his way rapidly to the Ludolph mansion,
which to his joy he found was still consid-
erably to the windward Of the fire. But
from the southwest he saw that another
line of flame was bearing down upon it.
The front door was locked, and the house
utterly dark. He rung the bell furiously,
but there was no response. He walked
around under the window and shouted, but
the place remained as dark and silent as
tomb. He pounded on the door, but its
massive thickness scarcely admitted of a
reverberation.
"They must have escaped" he said;
but, merciful heaven, there must be no I'M
certainty in this case. What shall do?"
The windows of the lower story were all
strongly guarded and hopeless, but one
opening on the balcony of Christine studio
seemed practicable if it could be reached
A half-grown elm swayed its graceful
branches over the balcony, and Dennis
knew the tough and fibrous nature of this
tree. In the New England woods of his
early home he had learned to climb for nuts
like a squirrel, and SO with no great diff
Guilty he mounted up the trunk and drop
ped from an overhanging branch to the
vantage points he sought. The window
was down from the top, but the lower sash
was fastened. He could see the catch by
the light of the fire. He broke the pane of
glass nearest it, hoping that the crash
might awaken Christine, if she were still
there. But after the chatter died away
there was no sound. He then noisily rails
the sash and stepped in.
What rush of memories came over him
as he looked around the familiar place.
There was the spot where he stood and
asked for the love that he had valued more
than life. There stood the easel where,
through Christine's gifted touch, his paint
ed face had pleaded with scarcely less
eloquence, till he blotted it out with his
own hand. In memory of it all his heart
again failed him, and he sighed:
"She will never love me-"
But there was no time for sentiment
He called loudly: Miss Ludolph, awake!
awake! for your life!''
Il
Holding his hand she ran two or three
blocks with all the speed her wild terror
prompted: then her strength began to fail,
and she pantingly cried that she could run
no longer. But this rapid rush carried
GncLl Out VI iiuHhCuioIO pCiii3 anu OiOuSut
them into the flying throng pressing their
way north and westward. Wedged into
the multitude they could only move on
with it in the desperate struggle forward
But fire was falling about them like me-
teoric shower.
Suddenly Christine uttered sharp cry
of pain. She had stepped on a burning
cinder, and then realized for the first time,
in her excitement, that her feet were bare.
ooh, what shall 1 do % she cried pite-
ously, limping and leaning heavily on
Dennis arm.
"Indeed, Miss Ludolph, from my heart
pity you"
"Can you save ME !? Oh, do you think
you can save me ?'' she moaned in an
agony of fear.
eyes, feel sure can. At any rate l
shall not leave you," and taking her little
out of the jostling crowd he knelt and
bound up the burned foot with his hand
kerchef. A little farther on they came to
a shoe-store with doors open and owners
gone. Almost carrying Christine into it,
for her other foot was cut and bleeding, he