The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-06-29

have but 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 to gladden. her par
ents' hearts. One after another, at 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 sudden revulsion of feeling was
caused by an alarm of fire and the sight
of men running in the direction of Mr..
Clintons store. He fastened his own
footsteps to find his worst fears realized.
The store was wrapt in flames, and hor-
rorrstricken 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 off. 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 he endesvored
to find some means to enter the store by
the rear door. Others had also thought
of this, and when he reached the street
in the rear, he found Mr.. Clinton had
been rescued, alive, but frightfully if
not fatally injured. He knew too we'll
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 his
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
bravely. They had no time to more than
realize the dreadful news before they
we're obliged to give active service to the
sufferer. The surgeons made long ex-
animation, and longer yet we're 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 so 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 be had hoped to call father, nursing
him with all the gentleness Of a 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 were given in quantities that
would have been frightful under ordi-
nary circumstances, and lotions were APP
piled almost hourly to the terrible burns.
But there came 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:
1.-The chance for life is one in a thou
sand. If he wakes conscious, give him
this medicine at once, and repeat it 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.
1t was early dawn when Wilfred Mans
field came softly to call them. Mr..
Clinton lay gasping, dying, and they
stood beside him while Wilfred fastened
for the doctor. But before he returned
ell 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