Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-23

daughter, pale and beautiful, by his side.
They stopped close under the burning
walls.
us there no way to get the boy down.
Mr.. Mortimer cried hoarsely. "Great
God!" why haven't some of you been up
the ladder9 Here, stand aside!p
And he would have gone up himself;
but nimbler and younger man was be-
fore him. Yet what use could there be
in that4 The man reached the window OF
the room next the lumber room, and
broke in the sash; but the smoke came
rushing out, and nearly overpowered him.
There he was, within few feet of the
child, and yet powerless to reach or help
him. He came slowly down the ladder
again, and the poor father groaned aloud.
He looked up, and called out to the boy;
but BERTHE did not hear him.
The smoke was all about him now, and
it was plain that he would soon be smoth.
cred where he was if he did not jump.
The old man turned to the crowd about
him.
you all know me-" he said: II do as
say, do not2 l will give you, any of
you, verything,-yes, all have, if you
will bring me down my boy"
But they looked ut him, and said not a
word. They loved him in their way, and
pitied him as t ey had never pitied them
selves in their hardest trials,-but they
could not do what was impossible. Only
God could give back the boy"
Suddenly the crowd parted again to let
new conner pass through.
un a a NpNflifoPu
and he walked swiftly and straight. He
saw it all at a glance too saw the boy
get out OF the window silently, at last,
and hang by his two weak arms. There
was fire as we'll as smoke behind him
now. .#.M .
Elsie Mortimer recognized the young
man at once; and something in his stern,
resolute look gave her hope.
80 Mr.. Smith can't you do something
for hims" she asked eagerly and beseech-
ingly.
He looked down into her face--a face
which, even at that moment, he declared
to himself to be wonderfully beautiful.
Do anything9 az everything for her.
He made her no answer whatever, bnt
called out for light strong rope. Some
how as if even inanimate things came at
his determined call,--it was in his hands
at once, pliable and soft and strong; just
what he wanted tor his purpose. Hegave
it dextrous twist, and formed the end
into loop like lasso. His life on the
plains--half military, half Indian had
we'll fitted him for an occasion like this.
| Then he coiled the rope over his left arm,
and went rapidly up the ladder.
There was great husn now upon the
crowd below. Every eye was fixed on
the brave young fellow who was far up
the ladder very heart was beating for
| him.
He was 1.-THE upper story at last, paus
ing just below the window where the
flames were bursting angrily forth. They
saw that he was saying something to the
child, and then they beheld Pertie sud-
denly change his position. They had
thought for an instant that he was fall.
ing.
The young stranger sliced firmly hold
of the ladder with his lett arm, and swung
himself far out, with the rope in his 9th
er hand Then suddenly. with swift
skillful motion he flung it. 1t spun
through the air, ana, true to its aim, set
tied over Bert's shoulder. Then, one af
ter another, the brave little fellow put his
arms through it, it was drawn tightly
about his body, and all in an instant he
was sean to drop almost straight down
for little way, then in a curling line
through nearly dozen feet of air, and
then,-then he was swinging close to the
ladder by the rope and by the arm of the
young soldier. Before this, men had
gone up the ladder to render what assis-
lance they might; and with the help of
these the two were now coming down
again. Presently the boy was in his IA
theirs arms.
As for the hero of the occasion, he had
obstinateiy refused all assistance in CON-
ing down the ladder; and no sooner did
he reach the bottom than he sank down
to the ground and tainted dead away.
Poor fellow! his left arm hardly sound
again after its frac >ure, two menths be-
fore, had not been able to sustain the ter
rible strain; it was broken again in the
old place.
And so am obliged to end this story
here, where, by good rights, perhaps, ii
ought to begin. Lieutenant Smith did
not steal off before breakfast the next
morning. At that time, indeed, he did
not know whether he was Lieutenant
Smith or somebody else. He was in q
raging fever; and Miss Elise Mortimer
sitting beside him, heard him, again and
again, in his delirium, implore her for
giveness for some great wrong he seemed
to fancy he had done her. She did not
exactly understand what this wrong was
until at ten o'clock Fred came, and witt
him the other Lieutenant Smith, gay
handsome young fellow whom her broth
er brought down with q special intention
Of having him and Elsie fall in love with
} each other. Elsie had fallen in love with
another man; aud she never got over it
Of course she forgave Lieutenant Smith
number one his base imposture when i
came to be -onestly explained; and of
course, when he asked her, a month later
to marry him, she consented out and out
Indeed, all this is so much q matter, o
course, that I forbear to say anythin.
more about it.
TIE Quantity of Bread Am Barrel o
FlOur.
! correspondence Prairie Farmer.
Until quite recently fall wheat has al
ways been preferred for grinding int
} flour for bread. It grows the Stoves
and is longest on the ground, ant
the proportion of gluten is much create
than in wheat sown in tn
; spring. 1t is altogether preferable il
!; southern climates, and the -four from
! brings much higher price, while it i
said to keep sweet and free from weavi
+: much the longest.