Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-06-02

ready the room was filed with SMOKE.
Margaret made her way through the blind
ing clouds, catching up articles here and
there, her bewildered brain aided by Miss
Gley's retreating call:
Gather what you want most. There's
no hope for the house; we must a what
we cam"
"Why does no one come? Can't we give
the alarmW cried Margaret, as she rushed
out into the open air with an armfuh of
treasures, and turned a glance of terror at
the blazing roof.
Sou. voices wouldn't reach. The light III
can get here in time to save the house, or
anything in it but what we bring out" an
swered the wne Of the house, resolutely
plunging into the sitting smoke again.
Margaret followed her, and they worked
with a strength that only desperation could
out through the narrow passage that
grew momently more suffocating and peril
GUS.
eve must let the rest co." Miss Grey
herself announced, with grim resignation,
the long fiery arms that were crushing the
building in a horrible embrace.
"FireW shouted a hoarse voice far down
the hillside; then other voices took it up,
n the sounds drew nearer. Help was
coming, too late. Suddenly Miss Grey
started, turning a white face to Margaret
as she passed.
'The mail? 1 forgot it,"
THAT little bundle! What madness"
But the unfinished sentence and detain.
ping hand were put swiftly aside.
They belong to other folksi they were
riedly, as she sprang forward and vanished
in the lurid smoke.
1t seemed hours that Margaret watched
for her with straining eyes, and she did not
come; ages before that shouting crowd
spot where she had disappeared. Then
moving figures swept in between the burn
ing,mass and the place where Margaret
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 a crash of burning timbers, the
flames leaped up for a moment and sank
again, and the crowd, which had fallen
back, parted and let two smoke-blackened
men pass through, bearing a PROSTATE
form.
Margaret could never clearly recall all
the incidents of chat night. Her recollec-
ton was a confused mingling of terror,
haste, sitting air and horrible flame and
sound. But the gray morning found the
old house a charred n smouldering ruin,
while in a little cabin down the hillside
lay its mistress, with her last work for
.other folks" done Every aid that could
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 tomorrow beyond which
they could not see.
"Don't fret about it,"' said the steady,
practical voice, in nearly it's usual tone.
'Twould be queer to be here, anyhow,
with the old house gone" Then, after a
pause, Everything up yonder is to be
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 1 can give him."
The sufferers eyes flashed wide open
% Sriah { 2u' .i'd f1 hav lo 6een w rMhy, 10 she die s an1
time to gain that for the child"
hen the tired lids fell, and with the
brightness still OF 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-rain,
the night, Margaret and good Meggins lin
gered, woman like, over the beauty of the
golden curls and the long lashes, and even
of the little lame foot, concerning which
Meggins declared herself 'mbral certain
that it might be cured, or leastways made
u good deal s~traighter n stronger"
Tom, attracted by the bright windows,
came with eager greeting. "And you are
really ll home ne again. 8, Margie, Did you carry
.Not exactly mine; it was-Nehemiah's,
/ think"
"Nehemiah's~ repeated Tom, bewil-
dered, and scarcely liking the name. "And
did you find your noble livesy"
81 found one-yes," Margaret answered,
reverently.
"And your work?"
"Yes; I brought that home with me,
Come and see;" and she led him to the
sleeping child.
"But after all, Margie," said Tom, when
the talk had grown an hour long, 'if you
only wanted some one to take care OF, you
know"
eyes, I know" she laughed. 81 don't
much mind if 1 do take you, too, Tom. I
don't like to iatter your vanity, but
familiar objects sometimes appear to Won
derful advantage when we go far enough
away to take a bird's-eye view of them."-
Kate W. Hamilton, IN Harper's Magazine.