The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1880-08-20

loved ones, and grief and bitter sorrow fl
ed their hearts at the apparent ccrtaint
from their long absence, that they we
!, lost, and would be seen by them no mo
on earth. This appalling calamity fl
with great force on them all.
. But the grief of the mother was mo
pitiable. She still tried to speak cheerfu
", and to keep up that feeling il the girl
:. But it was evident that hope had died o.
of her heart. The bright, sunny air, th
had so long characterized her. was gon
and in its place succeeded a mournful, "a
+. OIL look, as if she was looking for her love
ones in that other and better land whel
she expected soon to meet them.
Mary's grief, too, for the loss Of her /;
ther and brothers, though not so clearl
shown, was not on that account less il
tense. The anxiety on her mind brougl
back againa disposition to somnambulisn
to which she had been addicted in hereal
lier years, but WHICH, it was hoped, sh
had outgrown.
/ She was now found by her mother serer
al times, ut night, wandering in thei
grounds, and was brought back by he
and put to bed without awakening her.
One evening Howard Mortimer called t
see his betrothed. He did not seem to b
in bis usual spirits, and asked her if sh
would take a short walk with him, us h
had something Of Importance to coma2tni
cate. aHe ther toid her that he was in
good deal of trouble. He said:
If havs the charge Of the cash in tht
concern in which am employed. 1hil
afternoon, when the money was taken ou
of the safe to deposit i'll the bank, as wal
usual, three fve-hundred dollar bills were
missing. lam positive that put them il
the pocketbook and placed it in the safe OF
the previous afternoon, az it was then past
banking hours. What had become of the
money cannot imagine. Mr.. Strong, the
senior partner, left that afternoon for New
York, expecting to be gone a couple OF
days; the other partner, Mr.. Rronson--a
very nervous man and withal of rather a
suspicious nature-was greatly annoyed at
the money being missing, and az had the
charge of it, threatened, II 1t was not ac-
counted for, to have me arrested. Though
| am perfectly innocent, | fear he may car
ry out his threat. and subject me to the
annoyance and disgrace Of being thrown
into prison before the senior partner can
return, and the matter be thoroughly in
vestigated. | have, therefore, determined
to walk this evening to village about
twelve miles distant, where have an un~
Gle, who will, have no doubt, readily be-
come my surety for the amount, and thus
free me from any danger Of arrest"
Mary, of course, was very indignant that
any one SHOULD dare to cast suspicion on
him, who, she knew, was the soul of hon
or. The two parted with mutual kisses
and embraces, and Mortimer set out on his
solitary journey. He was a light and rap
id walker so that in less than two hours hc
arrived at his unclc's house, and explained
the circumstances to him, who readily gave
him his bond for the required amount
Then, as the walking and excitement of
the day had much tatigucl him, hc went
to bed. But Try his best he
could not slcep--his mind was in 4 Whirl--I
and, in addition to this, there was an i'm
preston Of approaching danger, which he
'ould not shake off, not, it seemed to him,
o himself, but to her whom he loved mere
han his life.
So, after tossing about some time, he
.ose, struck Il light, and finding by his
watch that it was one O'Clock, determined
% walk back home. Then letting himself
,ut without disturbing the family, he
;tarted on his tramp.
Mr.. Johnston's house-onc Of the two
tory houses before alluded to- differed
,nIy from the others inasmuch az the /
grounds were rather more extensive, and
omcwhat more pains taken III their atlorn- |
nent. \ watcbiiian, who about three |
''c1ock that morning, was passing
y the li0usc, had his attention attracted by |
bright light that was issuing from the |
over windows of the dwelling. Exanlin- |
ng more attentiTc]y, he found the lower /
,art of the house was on fire. Knocking /
llicklv on the door he aroused the in I
mates, sounded an alarm and ran for the |
ngines. The fire in the meantime l@d /
made such headway that the family barely /
lad time to escape in their night clothes. T
By this time. too, the tiren1a, with the en- |
i'm, and the -heighbors rushing to the /
ottse, ruttntl The family, with the excep- !
ion of Mary. gathered in front of it. They |
Fere inquiring with great anxiety for her, /
s she had not been seen. "A slight wind,
which then began to blow, drove the smoke
Which had before enycloped the house.
rom the front towards the rear, and re-
called to the Mortified gaze Of the lockers
II Mary, standing on the parapet which
the top Of the house, with her
'arc feet resting OIL it; her magnificent
orm, all III white, drawn up to it, fill /
eight; her long black hair unbound and
treat,,ing to her, feet. Unconscious of /
lanes or danger, her bright black eyes |
tere raised TO Heaven, and high abovethc |
oar OF the flames, tile tumult, and the
oise of the engine, rose her sweet, pow,
rtul voice. Her disordered imagination,
robablv excited by her lovers conversa-
i the previous evening, she was singing
foore's beautiful verses:
Come rest in this bosom, my own stricken
deer.
Though the herd hath fled from thee, Thy /
homeis ssill here;
Hero still is the smile no cloud can o'er-
And heart and hand arc thy own to tho .
be girl, the song AT such q moment, SEEM
q to paralyze the spectators--not soul I
TIRED 1t was. Just Mt this moment that,
reathIess with running, Howard Mortimer
;',n a., eo''n HI ti.,i ft',a saf's sfiis
IL that to save his betrotiatd not nlo-7IE
,clat WAL 10 DC lost Still, above: nj rose
gain That me sotiious voice:
"oh! what was love made for il il II not the
same
Through JOY ana through torment throngh f
glory aud shane?
know not, j ask not, if ggat's in that
heart;
BIZ, know that I loye whatever thou .
art.t'
AZ. she concluded the 1aEs words she Vas +
aught III tht arms Of her lover, who, /
EroNine blanket over her light dress, /
ufcklv bore her through the advancing