The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1882-06-16

10 see Maggie preside, his own loved
and honored wife.
At the same hour when Maggie was
for once neglecting her duties, to dream
over her Valentine, Wilfred NJ lnsfield
was returning from an errand to his own
store. He was thinking of the moment.
ous question he meant to ask few hours
later, and his cheek burned and thrilled
IS he thought of his answer. His lady
owe was no coquette. Modest and maid
enly, with no boldness of manner or
speech, she had yet all unconsciously
betrayed in her soft, blue eyes, and pref
ty bushes how pleasant the society of
Wilfred had become to her, and though
no coxcomb, he felt that his wooing
would have as fair chance of success as
he hoped for. He knew Maggie would
have but a small dowry if any, for Mr..
Clinton made no secret of the fact that
his savings were very small. Maggie
was the youngest of nine children, and
the only one living 10 gladden. her par
ents' hearts. One after another, ut diff
ferent ages, and often after long and ex-
pensive illness, her brothers and sisters
had been taken away before she had ever
known their love, for her parents had
buried the eighth child before Maggie
was born. She had been literally the
child of their old age, and Wilfred
Mansfield deeply appreciated the honor
paid to his worth in his old friends COR
dial approval OF his suit.
He was full of happy hopeful thoughts
when q sudden revulsion OF feeling was
caused by an alarm of fire and the sight
of men running in the direction OF Mr..
Clinton's store. He hastenod his own
footsteps 10 find his worst fears realized.
The store was wrapt in flames, and hor-
ror-stricken whisper was circulating that
the old gentleman was still In the build
ing. He had been active in helping TO
remove some portion of the stock, but
had imprudently gone back to seek
box in the inner office after the flames
had become so fierce as TO threaten TO
cut him of. How could the crowd know
that the box contained the bonds that
would keep his wife from beggary? They
only saw the danger. of the attempt, not
the motive that prompted it. Wilfred
no sooner realized than no endeavored
to find some means to enter the store by
the rear door. Others had also thought
of this, aud when he reached the street
in the rear, he found Mr.. Clinton had
been rescued, alive, but frightfully. il
not fatally injured. He knew too well
the loving hearts at home to venture to
send there the burned, MANNED hus-
band and father without warning; so
bidding the men who carried him follow,
he sped through the streets to carry the
tidings. What was the fire, the loss of
property, even beggary. compared to
this calamity? Even in the midst of bis
horror and pain, he was glad that the
words already spoken to Mr.. Clinton
gave him the right to offer comfort and
assistance 20 Mrs. Clinton and Maggie.
The scenes that followed might have
tried even stouter hearts than those OF
the two loving women who bore them so
brayely. They had no time to more than
realize the dreadful news before they
were obliged to give active service to the
sufferer. The surgeons made long ex
animation, and longer yet were the min
istrations FOR relief. The wife in the
room, the daughter outside, were kept
busy for hours, to prepare cooling
lotions, linen bandages, and other means
of assistance for the half. conscious but
keenly-suffering old man, whose life the
was the most precious boon they asked
of Heaven.
The injuries, terrible as they were.
proved to have as yet 50 slightly affected
the vital powers, that. although the sur
geons gave but little hope of recovery,
they all declared there was no immediate
danger of death. Weeks followed where
time, sleep, everything was cheerfully
sacrificed to try to ease the sufferings of
the invalid. Night after night Wilfred
Mansfield watched by the bedside of the
man he had hoped 10 call father, nursing
him with all the gentleuess of q woman,
and giving him the benefit of his young,
strong arms for the constant changes of
position he fancied would ease his pain.
He had become so frantic with suffering
that opiates we're given in quantities that
would have been frightful under ordi-
nary circumstances, and lotions were ap.
piled almost hourly 10 the terrible burns.
But there came a night when all pain
ceased, and sleep came to the tired eye
lids. The doctor called late upon the
weary nurses. and gave Wilfred the di-
rections for the night. Privately he said
to him:
"The chance for life Is one in q thou
sand. If be wakes conscious, give him
this medicine at once, and repeat il every
half hour till I come in the morning.
He may never wake
There was but little sleep excepting in
the sick room. Mrs. Clinton, yielding
TO Maggie's earnest wishes, lay down,
dressed, to try to rest, and Maggie-pale,
weary Maggie-watched beside her.
They had been kept ignorant of the
crisis approaching. but they knew the
danger of death had been great from the
first hour.
It was early dawn when Wilfred Mans.
field came softly TO call them. Mr..
Clinton lay gasping, diving, and they
stood beside bim while Wilfred hastened
for the doctor. But before he returned
all was over.
In the distress and agitation, nobody
saw how white and rigid the face of the
young man had become. Friends
thought he was over-fatigued by his
many nights of watching, and even the
physicians spoke admiringly of his devo.
ton and the strength of constitution
that could endure such strain OF care
and wakefulness.
He was the only one TO save Mrs. Gin.
ton and Maggie the trying duty of super
intending funeral arrangements, and
later the details of winding up the bust
ness affairs thrown into disastrous confu.
sion by the fire. No thoughtful act was
omitted; every jar to the sensitive hearts
that care could avert, was spared them,
and they were relieved from the pres.
sure of immediate want by the informa
ton that a thousand dollars had been
rescued from the business. Nobody but
Wilfred Mansfield could have told
where that was found. The lawyers in
vain tried to save a dollar, though they
found no debts. The fire had destroyed