The Hickman courier., 1878-07-26

presence Oh UllUu 0du DtGn IGfJ.
Oh, missus, we shall be burned to |
death, we shall, all of us The fire has |
caught the staircase !"
These and similar exclamations and |
cries for help filed the air aud distracted |
her attention.
Meantime the confagration became |
more serious every minute. Had that |
terrified group listened they could have
heard the roar of the flames in the hall
outside and the cracking sound that
the approach of the fire to
the woodwork near the staircase, warning
them that, if they would save their lives,
their fight must be that instant. But
they.Only hnddled closer together, sob
bing, mpaning, and embracing one an
other frantically.
All st once a man dashed into the
room with agitated face and dress dis
Thrusting aside the terrified
maids, he hastily approached his mis-
tress.
/" Flyl" he cried, breathlessly; "fy
this moment, or you'll be too late
Then, glancing rapidly around the
room, he snatched the cover from a centre
table, which stood in the middle of the
apartment, covered with books, pretty
trifes, and flowers in vases. This he
g 1t will keep the fire from catching.
Come!"
The sight of his face had reassured his
mistress. Juba was about her own age,
had been born in her fathers family, and
had always exhibited the most devoted
attachment to herself personally. Above
all the servants on the plantation he was
distinguished for q strict, religious per
formance of his duties, for Juba WAS con-
sistently pious. He was also shrewd and
ready in every emergency, and Mrs.
Stewart felt hat he would save her,
even at the peril of his life.
Juba, even while speaking, had seized
her hand and dragged her towards the
staircase. But now gust of wind threw
such volumes of thick, black smoke to-
ward them that she was almost suffocat-
ed, and she paused, unable to proceed.
! 1t was not time to hesitate, 50 Juba,
snatching her in his arms as he would a
child, dashed into the rolling volumes
of smoke and down the great staircase,
He was not a moment too soon
Scarcely had he reached the bottom, fol-
lowed by the affrighted maids, before
| the passage WAS closed entirely by dense
wall of flame Neither he nor the fe-
male servants, indeed, escaped entirely
unhurt. But the table-cover effectually
| protected Mrs Stewart.
| Juba had scarcely, however, placed
/ his mistress safely on the lawn before she
started up crying:
Where is the baby? Who has seen
| the child2 Oh it is in the house yet ~
And she would have rushed toward
the blazing doorway if she had not been
| instantly and forcibly detained.
] - Al
dismay. In the suddenness with which
the confagration had spread, and in the
excitement of their mistress danger, no
| body had thought of the child 1t was
an only one, boy about two years old,
! who slept with his nurse, or nanny"
as she was called in the household, in a
back room in the upper story. Mrs
| Stewards first thought, on her escape
had been to look for her darling; and
but for this, the absence of the child
might have been longer overlooked.
The hall of the house was now all in 8
fame, the fire pouring out through the
doorway as from the mouth of furnace
50 that ingress by that way was impossi
/ be. Most OF the second story was alsC
burning. and the entire first floor, for the
| fire had broken out there originally. TC
reach the apartment where the nurse
probably paralyzed by terror, was still
with the child, seemed entirely out o
the question.
But there was one present who deter
mined to make the attempt. The sigh
of the mothers face and the sound of he
broken moaps, as she sunk into the arm
of those who restrained her, exhausted
by her struggles to escape, determined
Juba to try at least to rescue his younl
master.
"I will go, Missus," he said dom
cry no more"
He looked around as he spoke for some
means of scaling the second story. There
was no ladder and only one staircase, bu
the bough of "a tree that overshadowed thu
house fortunate held out the means o
access to bold heart and strong arm
Not stopping even to hear his mistress
thanks, he clambered up the tree. raj
out on the limb, and, dropping on the
roof, disappeared within the building.
How breathless were the moments
that ensuedl The flames were spreading
with frightful rapidity. The caves o
the building began to smoke, showing
that the fire had reached the roof
Millions of sparks, accompanied by
volumes of smoke, sailed down the sky
before the breeze, completely obscurins
the heavens at intervals, though
occasionally this thick canopy, partially
blowing aside, the calm moon was seer
peacefully shining through the rent, il
strange contrast to the otherwise terrific
scene. The roar of the confagrsticn had
now become intensely loud, and, to ado
to the horror, there began to be heard
the awful sound of timbers falling within
the house.
Mrs Stewart had watched the fire il
silence, her hands clasped and lip
parted, ever since Juba had disappeared
within the house. Every moment ap
peared an age to her. At last the sus
peDse, thus lengthening out interminably
as it seemed, became intolerable.
Oh, it is in vain 70 she cried, making
fresh effort to rush into the flames
he cannot find my boy. Let me &C
myselft"
At that instant, through the smoke
that almost hid the window that was not
already on fire, appeared the faithful
Juba, holding aloft the infant. The
flames were all around, and in a mo-
ment more would overtake him. He
made a rapid gesture for some one te
approach.
Four of the males, comprehending his
! wish, suatched a blanket and rushed
promptly forward. Inc neat was lntOl-
erable, but they disregarded it, and
standing beneath the window with the
blanket outstretched, they shouted to
Juba TO throw the child toward them.
The infant fell while they were speaking,
was caught safely in the blanket, and
was taken Immediately to Mrs. Stewart,
who clasped it to her bosom with frantic
delight. The WHOLE was the work OF
less time than we have taken to describe
it.
But simultaneously terrific crash was
heard that made the very earth tremble
beneath the spectators a huge column
of smoke shot up toward the sky from
where the roof had been, and gush of
intense fame followed, leaping far up
into the highest clouds.
The crewd, one and all, gasped for
breath. Then came a deep, long-drawn
sigh, for the roof and floors had evidently
fallen in, and the faithful Juba, alas !
was nowhere to be seen.
A dozen PERSONS rushed toward the
building, and until driven back by the
heat, stood close to the window where he
had been last seen. They hoped to find
him there. They had fattered them
selves that there had been time enough
for him to leap.