The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-03-12
A MEMORABLE RIDE.
BY A FARMERS WIFE.

fast ned, Ell "a ?" said my husband, as /
turned the key in the door, and droJ ped
1t in my pocket.
9 don't know" 1 said doubfully;
then after moments hesitation, 'sno,
think it had better be fastened. The
children might get Oat ard run down to
the gate at the foot Of the meadow, and
1T is but step from there to the creek,
you know"
He made no reply, but stopped down
and looked at some part IF the harness
with a slightly perplexed air.
What Is the matter now ?" said.
with some asPerity.
The truth is, my husband belonged TO
that numerous class If individuals
whose motto is, never to d to day what
they can do to morrow, while I, on the
contrary, was prompt and decided
With N e to Uill and to do were synor-
ymOus, and L had little mercy for such
failing.
al fancy this little piece of Irvine will
bring us through this time, but I will
certainly mend it tO-moTr w, " be replied,
as | climbed into the old-fashioned phH-
on.
The harness being adjusted to his sat
iHfactlOu, if not to mine, he seated him
self b. sid, me, and noddiDg last good
by to the little faces pressed against the
windOw-paIe, We drove off
Oar cottage vas situated in the little
valley lying to the southwest of what
was at that time the village of Lauoy,
Ca Isda. A bull of considerable height
stood between us and the village on
one side a verGure crowned, gently
rising slope on the other a more abrupt
descent with a rather cIrcuitOus road
winding past little cottages and farm
houses of more or less pre- tension.
Oar present errand was to the shop,
to which We carried our produce SIS it
accumulated from time to time, and re-
ceiyed in exchaI &c groceries, clothes,
etc. Our load C insisted in part of q
basket OF eggs {; consequently we were
obliged TO drive rather more slowly than
usual.
1 left, "a l bad often done before, the
younger children in the care of Grace,
who, though but eight years of age,
WAS never more pleased than when en-
trusted with some similar duty or re-
spOnsibilrty. l charged her net to take
the baby fIom the cradle, but to rock
him gently to sleep if he awakened. or
If he would not sleep to amuse him
1t was a lovely day IN the latter part
of S-pt mber-cCplOus showers of rain
lad alternated with midsummer's suns,
and the freshness of the verdure was
undimmed. 1t was scarcely vet time
for the "sere and yellow leaf" though
the naples had hung out their contrast
with The living green of the other forest
trees. The birds sang cheerily as they
tluttered to ana fro In the hedgerows,
and numerous ground squirrels skim
med slong the fence rails aud dropped
ard disappeared mysteriously.
Old Whitley ambled along in his usual
mOnOtOnOus fa shiOD, and we soon reach
ed our destination. | had number of
'rticies to purchase and examine, as
well as the merits of a new churn to
discuss, and just as We bad settled all
TO our satisfaction, a neighbOr whom We
hsd not se-u or some time came 10,
which de aimed us longer, so that when
We TUNED our horses head homeward,
saw with some surprise, as we'll as a
slight feeling of alarm, that the sun
had already set, and the soft gray
twilight was stealing up the valley
Our load was q heavy one. my bus
band having purchased several agricul-
al implements of great weight individ
ually, but collectively making no small
weight for one horse, SO that though we
were necessarily an1i )us to get home,
We were obliged to drive moderately,
per Icularly as the road was not oulv
hilly, but rough.
Chatting upon the various little items
of gossip which we had heard, we drove
on until we had nearly reached the top
of the bill, when turning to make some
remark to my husband, | saw a change
come over his face, which struck me
with a sudden terror. He was as pale
as a corpse.
Look ! he said in a voice boarse
with emotion, pointing in the direction
of our home.
Nv heart gave a sudden bound, then
fell like lump of lead in my bosom.
a cl al OF thick, dense smoke, dis
tIuctly defined against tn clear SKY
beyond, rcfe above the tree tops. !
tired to speak but could rot utter a
word.
At last ] said, stesdyirg my voice
think 1t must be the Morrson's.
Isn't 1t to the left of onr house ?"
mo, " he said quickly, as lie seiz al the
whip, and urged old Witty 10 lis ut
most speed. Don't you rcmembtr that
when We are at the top Of the hill the
smoke from cur chimney ri. es lust over
the center OF that little group of CO.
dars ?"
Alas I did remember; and as he
spoke we reached the summit ard saw
enough to change our fears to certainty.
Neither spoke, but eGch turned aud
looked a. the other with qnivering lips
and drtating eyes.
- Nv
them in :"
l vas fairly beside myself with terror.
felt as If ] must losp ftom the vehic'c
and fly 20 their resCle. Old Whitley
seemed 10 understand that life or death
'leperded on his eGJrts, aud &c ext rted
himself molly.
On we flew, down the hill, dashiug
through the little tony brock that
crossed the read, over the tumbled-
down bridge, whose r,tjen boards rat
tied aud started up from their places,
past tie led gerows, that looked like
one = 1ntInuOus mass az flying green
past little cottages with the children
staring from the doors thiukiug of
nothing, curing for nothing but to res
cue our darlings. buried nv facs in
my hands, aud rocked to and fro in nv
seat, almost bereft of reason, as 1
thought of the scene that might be
awaiting Us. Imaoination coniured up
sill the dreadful tales 1 had heard or
read TO add to my horror. Once only
raised my head. and saw, or fancied !
ssw, slender tongues of flame cleaving
tie mass of smoke, which had by this
time inc,easel fearfully in volume and
density.
4 last, after what seemed an age,
l. u wGs in reality OILY few minutes,
VIC reached the bottom of the lane
which led to our co:tsge. The angle
was a sharp O1e, AID we turned with
such speed as TO sent the hind wheel of
the old pbaton high in the air.
How 1 got ont never knew. l am
sure did not wait for the horse to be
stopped. Rushing to the door, threw
myself against l. with such force as to
break it IN. The room was full of