The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1878-11-21

unfOlded the morning paper to glance
We the news. With all his sternness,
he loved Lucy, and her sweet face uouId
keep coming between his eyes and the
financial column which he always made
it a point to read first. After all wasn't
Horace Maitland as good a match as he
was, when, without a penny he married
Lucy's mother against the will of all
her family? True he had aimed higher
for his daughter, but then might not a
girls own choice have something to do
with making her marriage happy or
unhappy? This view of the case stag
gered him a good deal. First halfway
and then whOleway he resolved to lib
crate Lucy on reaching home, and try
once more the efficacy of persuasive
measures.
An accident to the return train de-
layed it several hours, and it was past
midnight when the carriage which
brought Mr.. Wainwright from the de-
pot entered the street of his residence.
A glare of light attracted his attention.
He looked to ascertain the cause; but
then the driver stopped, calling out:
ave can go no further, sir; there's
a fire in the next block"
"In the next block" exclaimed Mr..
Wainwright, and linging open the
door he sprang from the carriage.
The first object that met his sight
was his own house in flames!
He rushed madly forward, but a cor
don of police, stationed to keep the
street clear pushed him back.
cit is my house !" he cried wildly
"there were two persons in it; have
they been ~rescued?"
"An old woman vas carried out half
suffocated when the fire was first dis
covered" said one of the men. "She
was found in a room on the first floor,
but it was then impossible owing TO the
progress of the flames, to search the
upper apartments.
"Oh, God, my daughter ~ shrieked
Mr.. Wainwright, dashing through the
line of guards. But for the strong
arms of the firemen who restrained him
he would have plunged recklessly into
the flames, already bursting from the
doorway. Happily he sank into uncon
seriousness and was borne away.
When Mr.. Wainwright, who had been
carried to a neighboring house, recov-
cred from his swOon, a face was bend
ing we him. 1t was his daughters,
so radiant and beautiful, that for a
moment, he believed they had met In a
better world but just behind her stood
Horace Maitland, and that broughthim
back to earth.
''How did you escape, Lucy" asked
Mr.. Wainwright, family.
"He saved me-" answered Lucy
"Climbing up by a ladder, he got
through a back-window, broke open
my door and carried me down safely.
But you must forgive us, dear papa.
We went right of and got married."
"Mr. Wainwright hesitated a moment
then, placing a hand on each of the
heads bent before him, said:
"Bless you my children"
1t was some time before they let him
know that it was several hours before
the fire broke out that Horace Maitland,
having received Lucy's letter from the
hands of Pauline, came and carried off
and married his sweetheart without the
slightest idea that he was thereby sa-
wing her life. But then he had saved it
none the less; for old Madge had fallen
asleep before the fire was discovered,
and she and Lucy must have both per-
ished if Horace Maitland hadn't stolen
away the one, and the fremen found
the other. 1t was in this light Mr..
Wainwright viewed it, and so didn't
take back his blessing.