St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-05-13

| ptEtu 10 me ds Sllt pdSstu- bub L SuS-
pect it was to prevent the bursting of
the thunder-clOud she saw gathering on
my brow.
| saw that the insolent fellows made
no attempt to follow my dear one, so
gave myself up to my own happy
thoughts, and looking out on the far
distant, peaceful shores of the great
river, over whose placid bosom we were
moving so swiftly, there rose from my
heart glad, silent hymn of rejoicing.
But suddenly cry broke from the
cabin behind me that etfectually
changed the current of my thoughts
Fire fire ! fire - A horrible cry
at all times, but most horrible of all
when it rings forth in the midst of gay,
unsuspicious hundreds floating i'll fan
cied security in the midst of the wa
terS.
An instant's awe-struck silence sue
ceedcd that awful cry, and then BOO
voices of men, women and children
united in fearful, heartrending shrieks
for help.
Fire fire fire -
Aye ! there was no mistake about it,
nor false alarm. No one could tell how
it had commenced, but there it was
creeping along the roof of the cabin,
with the deadly flames greedily tapping
up every scrap of awning and curtain
they could find in their way, ever and
anon darting long tongues of flame
down TO the floor to clasp the light
chairs and tables and settees in their
fiery embrace.
As well seek with a sieve to scoop
up the waters of the great river on
which the Mobilia hoated, as to try to
subdue the roaring, devOuring enemy
that had seized upon the ill-fated
steamer.
The people darted down from the
blazing upper cabin to the forward
deck below where as yet the foe had
made but little hcadway, and there our
brave captain-whO was that rGrG GUis,
''the right man in the right place" sue
ceeded i'll partially quelling the panic.
"Keep quiet !" he ordered -''keep
quiet, and stay just where you are, or
| will not answer for the lives of any
of you The steward will provide
every one of you with life preservers {;
but there is no reason for any person
to go overheard yet while, at
any rate, unless such is desired. Keep
quiet, say ! Pilot, head her straight
for the land, half IL mile ahead" We
were at least twice that distance from
the main land on either shore. EN-
ginccr, put on all steam-crOwd her
on We will run race with the foul
fiend who has boarded the Mobilia."
There was an instant's pause, and
then, with Il groan and surge, with
the timbcrs creaking and straining and
the windows rattling, and as though i'll
mortal terror, the Mobilia gathered
herself up to run her last race.
Each passing moment the flames
crept on and on, never pausing i'll then
terrible march Fortunately, they
= lcaped upward and downward, 50 there
was but yet little danger to the panic
stricken crowd on the lower deck.
But the pilot-house was directly III
r the track of the flames, and already
their advance guard was beginning ia
surround me, singeing my hair and eye
brOwS.
Suddenly there was Il murmur among
the people below, and the next instant
il light form flew up the ladder leading
to the little deck by the pilot-house,
and before | could say word, my pre-
. cious Mollie had thrown open the door,
and closing it again, stood at my side.
"Mollie. Mollier' | cried. "'FoI
Heavens sake, 90 back, go back! Don't
You see how the flames are creeping
towards us here ? Go, go, my dearest,
my own true wife! Don't umman me
by making me fear for you. Go down
where | can feel that YOU have il chance
for safety"
Bob Thorne - she exclaimed, will
, her ewes looking straight into mine
, cam | your wife ?"
t ''Surely, surely, thank God " | NUT
| tered. but go, gor'
''My post is here, Just as much as
, yours is she answered firmly. Il will
: stay here, Bob, and if you die, | will
die, too. We will make our wedding
/ trip together, my dear husband, even
r if it he into the next world. Keep tC
: your duty, and never mind me, Bob
+ There is hope for us yet, and if il comes
: to the worst, why"-and a grave, sweet
: smile crept around her lips-''we are
still together, dear love"
q saw it was no use to urge her any
= more, and besides something swelleC
u in my throat, so that | could not uttel
= Il word, SO | just gripped the whee
4 hard and looked right ahead, thOugl
Il everything looked very dim just then
= and my devoted darling stood calmly
It at my side, watching the flames tina
g were creeping closer and closer upon
Il It's, leaping around the pilot-house lik,
). hungry demons for their prey.
+ "Thorne," shouted the captain
a 'come down. Lower her and yoursel
d over the rail. Wen catch You. Yol
Y cannot stay there any longer. We ar,
very near the shore now, and the res
p well take our chances on"
1t was an awful temptation. | knew
that did | follow the captains advice
If both Mollie and would be safe, for
= was good swimmer. and should til
il boat not reach the shore, | could sav,
i her and myself: but then if did this
III would | not deliberately expose ev
,e cry one of the three hundred souls ol
board to destruction True, the boa
10 might keep in her course during tn
T. short space remaining to he passe
merely from the impetus of her az
+ proach, but again she might not-an
then?
II looked at my dear wife inquirine
ne ly.
N "Stick to your post, Bob - she said
"No, SIR | shouted back II sha
80 stick to my post shall stay till | I'll
her clear Oh shore or die first -
he ''My brave Bob-my noble Bob
n murmured Mollie.
But alas for my devoted MOllie ! al;
Il, for me- Not the pilot-house only, bl
"a the entire deck around it was surroun,
e ed by flames. 1t was too late to low,
To- ourselves to the deck below. The raj
tb ing was all ablaze.