The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1873-06-13

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the house they found the building
on fire. 59 &
The. family and servants were col
lected outside and moving about
frantically, the last having but just
left the burning house. The. flames
were bursting forth from almost
every window on the upper floors,
the lower story being comparatively
untouched by the destroying ele-
mert.
Their horror and CONSERVATION
was increased tenfold as they alight-
ed, Marcia was not there. She must
he still, within the burning housel
The others were perfectly frantic
with alarm at their own helpIessness.
Twice had the attempt been made
to enter the building to her assis-
tapce, and each time had they been
beaten back by the heat and smoke,
and now the thing seemed impossi-
bic. aa
Isaline gave o shiill scream OF
terror. and then q beseeching glance
in the direction Of Parkhnrst. It
was unnecessary; be was gone al
ready. ze8
She saw him enter the house, and
then covered her face with her
hands. and sank down helplessly.
As Edward Parkhurst crossed the
Threshold aud disappeared in the
fast consuming Luilding, nil held
their breaths in fearfdl suspense. 1t
seemed as though be had cast him
self into the jaws OF death. No one
expected ever TO see him in life
again, yet they waited in strange ex-
pectancy while the moments, that
seemed like hours, passed with their
eyes upon the open doorway where
he was last seen.
How Parkhurst ever reached the
second floor through the scorching
flames, and suffocatiug smoke that
had baflied the others when they
would have nscended the stairs. was
always a mystery. but he did; but
then new difficulty was before him.
He knew not in what room he should
find Marcia.
He opened the doors one after the
other which yielded 10 bis touch
with fearful haste, and called her
name. he peered hastily into apart
u,ents which were already open, but
it seemed in vain, while bis strength
was fast sinking beneath the heated
and oppressive atmosphere.
At last bis bands touched q door
that would not openssto his efforts.
He exerted his strength aud burst l.
in. Before him upon the center of
the floor he found the object of his
search. She had tainted.
Strange to say, this apartment was
almost untouched, though filed with
binding and suffocating smoke.
Edward Parkhurst caught the
insensible figure in his arms. and
, stopping only long enough to wrap
closely around her large blanket.
turned TO the door. The entry was
one sheet OF flame.
He paused TO draw one long in
spiration, and then plunged into the
, ABYSS Of FIRE.
The staircase was reached in safe.
r ty, though his flesh was fearfull,
. scorched in different places. He
rushed blindly down the stairway
, and had descended half the stairs
, when il broke beneath his weight
and he was precipitated into chaos
of blazing timbers and debris O
! every description from the rooms
above.
He struggled to his feet. still
|, chngiug to the inanimate form il
/ his arms, and rushed madly for th,
, place he supposed the door to be.
O 1t was reached; but ut this iustan
D his strength faileJ him, and he sani
. down insensible. Even as he fell
I his burden was caught from hi
s arms by some Of the company wht
had been Watching breathlessl,
8 since his entrance for his reappear
r ance. He was also speedily caret
: for By willing hands.
' In another moment the heavy tim
: bers of the roof fell 10 with crash
4 and crushing through the foo
= above, were buried in the cellar.
The results OF the FIRE, aside from
g the loss of property. were not of
g very serious nature. Edward Park
: hurst was incapacitated for tim
9 from attending to bis business, bu
z his recovery was speedy. ~
n Marcia was discovered to have es
IS capped quite scathlesa. The precau
i tion of Parkhurst of wrappia,
b about her the heavy wooden materia
d bad protected her entirely from th
attack Of the fiery element fror
9 which he had suffered.
d Mr.. Kirkland immediately rente,
g furnished house in the city, an
e shortly the work Of rebuilding wa
Q com menced. s.
g The story Of Parkhurst's heroi
r rescue of Miss Kirkland spread ia
and wide among the mutual &C
g quaintances of both. and thei
j, friends wove pretty romance out 6
/, 1.-The incident. sf,s Alp
g People ut once remembered tha
/ Mr.. Parkhurst had been very FRI
fquent ID his visits to the Kirkland's
% and assumed that it was to see Mis-
y Kirkland that he had gone.
n Lawrence Keith heard these Iittl
y whispered possibilities and fancies {
p certain gossip friends, and vel
foolishly accepted themias fixed fact
g Upon his first visit. to the fauhil
p after the catastrophe. he determine
st to know from Marcia's lips if the r,
~ ports he heard were true.W
r' He managed. after expressing b
sympathy for the family, to see b.
o. alone. He met her with an 9.
= ceedingly detected and downcast al