The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-08-28

WASH Il missed by anyone. Couldn't some
thing / have whispered, to the loving
mother as she sat there in her low rock
ing.chair- kept at home herself from
Uncle Johns by sick little baby Oracle,
grooming soft melodies into the fretful
little ears of the danger and lonliness
that threatened her little Thusie
Tho old church door shut with a bang.
This It was probably, that fairly reused
Thusie from the swoon out of which she
was slowly coming. i.
In those first dreadful moments Thusie
never knew what she did. She CROPPED
her way ont at last to the main passage.
There was Il window up to which she
managed to climb and press her fright
Iened little face piteously to the pane.
From time to time, as she had CROPPED
her way along, she had called and shout
ed and then paused to listen. She soon
began to realize this was OF no use.
ooh, dear!" I don't believe I ever
could have hated Uncle Johns,' she
sobbed, "It's just the loveliest place"
And then the bitter tears dropped down
and rolled all over the soiled little cock
AIDE that had been 50 gay and patriotic
in the early morning. Thusie was a
child of great common sense. She knew
nothing could actually harm her in the
old church, and darkness had never tor
her any of those keen terrors that invest
it with such horrible dread for other
children; but remorse reproached her
sorely.
She said over all her prayers, even
those of her babyhood. And then she
watched and waited. 1T seemed to her
hours, but, in reality, it was only late
bedtime through the village; and lights,
one after another, went out, and all were
peacefully setting for the night.
What was that! Surely nothing but
mouse nibbling at the old woodwork.
Again. That was no mouse Thusle
would have said she smelt something
burning, only she must have been dream
ing. She pinched herself to keep awake.
But no! there certainly was little flame
of fire shooting up it's determined tongue
right there on the very roof of the porch.
Locked up in an old church, with the fire
that had somehow caught from the fire.
works and been smouldering, until now
it had broken out! All the people at
home and IN bed!
Thusie knew enough to realize that the
old weather. beaten structure could never
withstand the test. IF she could only
ring the old bell But Joe always put up
the ladder and secured it by hook when
he finished ringing. She ratified the win
dow; she screamed; she crawled to the
door and tried with all her might-Which
was quite considerable now-to shake it.;
anything to make noise.
She could see the fire slowly, growing
bigger. What was one flame had now
become two, with a swift increasing
velocity that threatened the whole build
ing.
"Oh, dear! wanted fireworks, and now
I.have got them" moaned Thus1e.
Still the awful cracking as the dry
timbers took fire, and the smoke began
to come in through the big cracks. She
flung herself down on the floor; she could
not look up any more.
what seemed to Thusie the voice of an
angel, ring through the stiffness.
It was farmer Brown going home late
in his wagon. The old church porch was
wreathed in flames when his first wild
cry rang over the startled village.
Thusie rushed back to the window.
She felt the hot lush OF the flames push
ing in at the cracks end the rickety win
dow. The ightof the bright fire fell
upon her white dress, whittier face, and
disordered hair; making a strange pic
ture; but she was not discovered yet by
the excited crowd. At last Job Sawyer,
stalwart rough blacksmith, but with a
heart tender as child's, cried out:
"Why! there's little gal up there!''
All eyes were turned then up to the
window. and a seconds pause fell upon
them all. Then Job sprang upon anota-
er mans shoulder, swung himself up to
the railing. and with one blow from his
powerful fist shattered the window to
fragments. He grasped Thusie, passed
her to the trembling crowd below.
Thusie heard the voices about her in a
dream. .....
"Why, it's little Thusie Bassett!'
I, "Sakes alive! how did it happen?'
What if it had been my Jane !''
"Where's her mother?'
She only knew she was in her fathers
arms safe now! And she knew no
more until in her own dear home she
came to herself with a great gasp; and
there she was looking into the blessed
face Of her mother. And six simple lit
tie words were on her lips, nnuttered, in
voluntary, but never forgotten, never an
nulled: II e:W a1aoays mind 4ny mother %
Wide Aa0nke.
Dunning a Printer.