The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-05-10


through the trees.
Still she could not Sleep As she lay
the striking Of the distant clocks came
to her on the wind. Three o'clock drew
near. The murmuring of the leaves and
fatigue began to dull her hearing. She
was growing drowsy at last. 4
81 shall be asleep before three" she
mused, dreamily, "and when I awake it
will be day, and he will come in the
evening""
At half past three she awoke with q
violent start, She had had fearful
dream which she was unable to recall
But there had been great noises in it,
great noises of bells and shoutings OF
despair. - z =
/ She.sat up. The easement was now
quite dark. She brushed back her hal,
and listened, All the clocks Of the city
were striking together. What q noise
they made in the client night! And
how long they continued strikingl She
had been listening several minutes and
they were all striking still .,.
She pressed her hand over her face,
and rose and, went to the window and
looked down at the city in the plain.
The air. was cool and clear. The
sounds came fuller and deeper. Nc
clocks now, but bells. The bells of the
city ringing an alarm, and in the core
of the city a red patch like the hectic
spot ona dull cheek. &g
Something IN the sound of the bells
and sight of the fire stimulated hel
strangely. She drew back, dressed her
self hastily, and stepped with great eau
tion out Of the house, and stood awhile
at the low garden wall Watching the
throbbing spot.in the plsin. She turned
her eyes inquiringlyr from right to left
No foot of man or beast passed over the
grass. Drawing her shawl tightly
around her she descended TO the path
and moved rapidly in the direction o'
the bridge. When she gained it she
leaned over the parapet.
The clamor of the bells could now be
more. distinctly heard, and she could
see, that. a great fire was raging in the
most popular district Of the city. a
vague terror took possession OF her. Hls
words were still wandering through he,
mind. His talk of death now seemed
pertinent preface to great catastrophe,
Driven by the breeze the fire crept ir
the direction of the glen. His house Lay
straight in the way of the flames: Where
was he now3 Had those awful bellf
aroused him? = Was he, like her, look
ing at the conhagration a-or WAS he
sleeping in the path of the destroyera
She turned her white face to the calm
stars and then glanced round, the glen.
She felt half conscious that her alarm
was exaggerated; that the risk was
slight but as often as she quieted hel
heart some silent specter seemed ts
point to the city, and some mysterious
voice cried out she knewnot what. Tear
less and terrified, she grasped the para.
pet and watched. Her nerves tingled
and her breath came quick and short
At length last volume of. smoke, and
sparks, and flame shot into the air
Then for q, while the fire abated. Pres
emily bitter, eager tongues few up to-
wards heaven nearer to his house, closer
to where he, perhaps, lay sleeping and
dreaming of her. The effect was cleo
tricaly She had no consciousness of hav'
ing moved until she found herself at the
end of the glen beginning to cross the
plain. For one brief moment ahs threw
herself on her knees and lifted up hel
hands and heart. Then she. rose and
ran onward. without looking right o.
left. t;.
=, s*{SF
Luke had heard the first alarm :: HI
had risen and gone out. The fire origi
mated in a large carriage mandatory
Full of inaammable substances, th'
place burnedswith amazing fury; moth
ing could save that building. Allsefort
were directedto arresting the spread o
the element. But, aided by the wind
it soon extended its lines until one whole
side of the street was blazing IL,
Luke had been among the earlies
volunteers. The brigade was entirel.
insufficient to deal with SO colossal al
enemy. Therefore the rank and file o
the brigale became captains Of amateur
bands. .~, =, -
When ruin had reached the end o
the street people thoughtit would trave
no further. The flames were not lonl
enopghito, bridge tho roadway. "A barre
of varnish, saved from the carriag
manufactory, bad, with, other salvage
been thrust into an archway under I
house on the opposite side. Suddenly
when all had begun to hope the wors
was past, came a dull explosion from tn
archway, and, "a roaring mass Of dam
broke out Of it into the street and u
the front Of The house, like an ihVerte'
cataract. A wild cry Of terror burs
from the people as they dashed back Il
dismay. ! ~. ..' .. ~.
"My daughter I" shouted an old gra
bearded man, breaking from the genera
mass of the crowd and standing in from
of the doomed house.
"Any one in there's" demanded
fireman, standing BY, u...,
eyes; my daughter! My daughte
Jane Help, for Heavens sake !! Look
She is at the window" % ''' .''. : &!
All eyes were turned upward, and a
9 window Of a top floor the figure of
young girl could be seen through tn
smoke and glow.
'ts Break in the doorw shouted tn
fireman, seizing pole that lay near by
She must be saved through the door
The escape would be burned before
could touch the WALL" 5,..i ,.:..,,,u, ..,
In an instant the door flew open. Blu
the insidious faniug liquid had foun'
its way into the hall, and pool o. fir
barred the way. Through the wavinI
banners of flame the staircase could b
seen. Already the bslustrsde had begul
to writhe and twist. nI.a or1." %.
;,"The roof +" roared the fireman
"The roof is the only hope. To tn
roof |" He gesticulated wildly at tn
girl, but she stood still as one frozen.
.HWill no one save my daughter
My little Jane r., walled the old man.
"It would be certain death to try th
hall. Here. policeman, let no one g
this way" ~ > = : - =. .
Two policemen placed themselves i
front Of the door. Then, crying "Ih
roof the roof!" the fireman burst i
the door of an adjoining house and dis
appeared, followed bya dozen volur
teers.
"Itis no use: There is no trap doc,
My daughter Ny darling little Jane
good. bye 7" .;
The old man waved his hand, bent hi
head, and broke into sobs. !.
Groom |" shouted voice from tn
heart of tho crowd Groom Wa