Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1881-04-23

after all, he is man, AMI must be ab
10 care Tor you somehow. THIS life IS kill
ing yod.'
And, as | sp ke, Meta cried, Il smell
smoke -
There 1t was, coming in at the cracks O
me worn-out door, little threads at first
but nliing the room rapidly
we caught UP some clothing and rushed
10 The ooor. As we opened it, the flames
burst out On the landing and staircase. fore
ing us TO retreat
Mother and Freddie slept in rooms be
yond ours On the other side, and we rushed
across to them. 1t took but a moment r.
rouse them, and we all four scrambled half
dre 1sed. from Frecdie's window to shed.
and 80 to the yard
by this time the neighbors were awak
ened, and the houses about US were glow
ing Ia the flames shooting up from our old
| house to the sky.
rancy, II you can, the group we formed
as we huddlea together in the yard and
watched everything we owned upon earth
beng licked up by greedy tongues OF flame
swallowed in clouds of smoke Meta and
coud see our bedroom closet and the
scanty stock of clothing there, and count
the dearly purchased articles as they were
consumed.
My poor black alpaca Meta said.
"a'ching the lurid trimming creeping up
the skirt. I'VE might have snatched that.
1t hangs on the door,
see my bandbox topping over F" said.
| "lhe bonnet will have flame colored teath.
ers In two minutes"
Mother was too much excited to share in
our grim jest ng, and Freddie was tremb
ling with excitement and terror
The fremen did their duty bravely, but
were too fate to save anything, and dawn
found us homeless, with nothing lett of our
house but blackened walls and tall CHM
| ney, clearly defined against the rosy SKY of
u June sunrise.
Then / shall love him all my life for
that-as we stood utterly desolate and
destitute Brent Ellis, who had worked like
giant at the tire engines, came, all black
ened and streaming with sweat, and SAID,
Marry me. Meta, this hour, so that NAV
have right to shelter all of you. have
little fortune of my own my father cannot
touch, and 1t VIII keep US from Want If not
more"
But Meta only thanked hun gently. and
clung more closely TO our mother. We
began to realize the scantlness of our raj
ment in the daylight, and we were glad to
accept the offer OF neighbor for temporary
shelter. Others came forward, and we had
soon an lncongruOus assortment of cast-off
clothes at our disposal, aud arrayed our
selves as we best could, presenting a ludi-
cfous appearance enough, if any 0. us could
nave raised spirits enough to laugh.
and entire dehil:ution seemed to have fallen
upon US at last, after our long fight with
that traditional wolf VINO had prowied so
near our doors for the last five years., We
salted our cups of charity offered coffee
with our tears and were blind to the
charms of hot cakes Hospitality pressed up
on us.
Nelghbors tlockcd IN to offer advice and
consolation, and we were touched by most
generous offers of home and food from Sc
veral, until we could Il look around"
Where1 What could we look for? Our
only home lay in ashes, our sole possessions
were entirely consumed.
For three days we were numbed by de-
spairing sorrow. ''We" meant the three
women, for Freddie seemed to look upon
the whole business as pleasurable change
In the monotony Of his existence. He had
not been SO we'll fed-lndeed, | may We'll
say stu1fed-ln five years for all the neigh
bors called him IN, whenever he passed, to
offer tidblts. He had all entire suit of
clothes that were outg1oWn by one of the
richer boys, and, fitting Freddie, clothed
hlm better than he had been clothed since
his father died and, best of all, he took
holiday, nobody having sufficiently recov-
cred their wits to send him 10 school.
AS soon as the ruins of our home were
cold enough TO admit of visiting. parties of
bows began to dig in the ashes for half
burned property, and Freddie narrowed our
sensitive feelings ttty times day 10y rush
Ing in with buttons, scraps of metal, and
| ruined treasures Of every description.
Meta and summoned up sufficient en-
ergy on the third day to visit my employer,
who agreed to take my sister for short
tine a saieswoman. We came ack to our
temporary home, somewhat encouraged, to
| find Brent had been there, and fully enlist
Ell mamma on his side.
| " hse she was repeating his arguments,
and Meta lis sentd with q smile CT quiet
| happlness at hex lover cons ancy, Freddie
/ burst II.
Come quick. quick. he cried. We've
| found big iron box under the chimney
place; | can't llit 1t, it is So heavy. Oh,
| come
lie was fairly dragging mamma from her
| seat, and hastily throwing shawl around
her. she followed him, Meta and myself
bringing up the rear.
Truly enough, there was large box un-
der the chimney p,ece, IN hollow, br.cked
| all around, VIII. h had evidently had an
opening we had never seen. 1t was large
aud heavy. requiring the united forces OF
III. family 10 pull il from its resting place,
and carry i, 10 the barn, where We put i,
down upon the floor.
Thele Was no Key, but a strong lock. and
after long ceIioeralion We sent Tor naicnet
and by dlnt Of much perseverance and
I.>,ren3th burst it open. Within as by
tat time we half expec,ed-we found u
Gle Goruon's boarded treasures. Binds 10
The amount OF ten thousand pounds, one
hundred aad twenty younds III gold a case
Vi uncut gems, not very val4laole pack
a2e ut private letters al osd-.asllsoneu