Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-05-17

ready the room was filled with smoke.
Margaret made her way through the blind
ing clouds, catching up articles here and
there, her bewildered brain aided by Miss
Grey's retreating call:
'Gather what you want most. There's
no hope for the house; we must save what
we can"
..Why does no one come? Can't we give
the alarm" cried Margaret, as she rushed
out into the open air with an armful OF
treasures, and turned glance of terror at
the blazing roof.
''Our voices wouldn't reach. The light III
spread the story quickest; but no one
can get here in time to save the house, OF
anything in it but what we bring out" an
swered the owner of the house, resolutely
plunging into the sitting smoke again.
Margaret followed her, and they worked
with a strength that only desperation could
have given, tearing UP, lifting and carrying
out through the narrow passage tina
grew momently more suffocating and peril
Gus.
'sWe must let the rest co." Miss Grey
herself announced, with grim resignation.
leaning back against a tree and watchin,
the long fiery arms that were crushing the
building in a horrible embrace. 49,
tFiren shouted hoarse voice far down
the hillside: then other voices took it up,
and the sounds drew nearer. Help was
coming, too late. Suddenly Miss Grey
started. turning a white face to Margaret
as she passed. 80
i
''That little bundle! What Madness
But the unfinished sentence and detain:
ing hand were put swiftly aside. 80
'They belong to other folks; they werp
trusted to me-" Miss Grey explained, hur.
riedly, as she sprang forward and vanished
in the lurid smoke. 80 ~& g
It seemed hours. that Margaret watched
for her with straining eyes, and she did not
ceme; ages before that shouting crowd
drew near enough to be directed to the
xryhn oh hoI vral Mo-,
moving figures swept in between the burn
ing mass and the place where Margare
stood with Billy's little hand tightly clasped
in hers, and partially intercepted her view.
Loud voices shouted contradictory orders.
dark groups swayed rapidly to and fro.
There was crash of burning timbers, the
flames leaped up for moment and sank
again, and the crowd, which had falles.
back, parted and let two moke-blackenet.
men pass through, bearing a PROSTATE
form.
Margaret could never clearly recall al.
the incidents of that night Her recoIlec-
ton was confused mingling of terror,
haste, sitting air and horrible flame and
sound. But the gray morning found tn,
old house charred and smouldering ruin,
while in a little cabin down the hillside,
lay it's mistress, with her last work fol-
"other folks" done. Every aid that coulo
be given had been rendered, but the ply
stefan shook his head as he turned away.
Margaret sat beside her, sad-eyed and
still. This was the to morrow beyond which
they could not see.
''Don't fret about it" said the steady.
practical voice, in nearly it's usual tone.
s''Twould be queer to be here, anyhow,
with the old house gone" Then, after
pause, "Everything up yonder is to be
made new; don't it say so! l think I'd
be glad to go-but for Billy
"Leave him to me-" said Margaret, ear
nestly. I love the child. He shall have all
the care that can give him."
The sufferers eyes flashed wide ope,
with quick glad look. why" she said,
brightly, .Pd have been willin' to die any
time to gain that for the child" 81 ~
Then the tired lids fell, and with tht
brightness still on her face she was away.
Two days later Margaret reached home
The evening lamps cleaned a welcome ,and
the fire, lighted because of the chill-rai1l
where, with Billy tucked away TO.
the night, Margaret and good Meggins lin.
gered, woman like, over the beauty of the
golden curls and the long lashes, and even
Meggins declared herself 'moral certain
that it might be cured, or leastways mad
a good deal straighter and stronger"
Tom, attracted by the bright windows,
came with eager greeting. and you are
really home again, Margie. Did you carry
''Not exactly mine; it was.-Nehemiah's
1 think"
"Nehemiah's?" repeated Tom. bewil-
dered, and scarcely liking the name. "And
did you find your noble lives?', & 20 ''+'
81 found one-yes," Margaret answered,
reverently. : X -,
'And your work?' 80
eyes; brought that home with me-
Come and see;" and she led him TO the
sleeping child. + 81
ssBut after all, Margie." said Tom, when
the talk had grown an hour long. "'it yon
only wanted some one to take care OF, you
know" Co..
ayes, know" she laughed. ~ dom
much mind if / do take you, too, Tom
don't like to fiatter your vanity, bu,
familiar objects sometimes appear to Won
dertul advantage when we go far enough
away to take bird's-eye view of them. -
late ". Hamilton, in Harper's Magasine.