The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-06-25

you counsel me to endeavor to tear then
asunder? Solomon has settled that lonf
ago. No, my friend, | will 20 forth
like Cain, desolate and alone.
He strobe to the door, aud went out
into the bleak wintry night. There was
something so pitiable and hopeless in
his whole demeanor that / snatched up
my great-coat and followed him. A
sweeping wind blew straight from the
east. 1t was all could do to keep up
with the footsteps of my friend. As we
ascended the hill vaporous light ap-
peared upon the horizon, which soon re-
solved itself into a substantial column
of smoke in the direction of the build
ings Jack had lately erected.
"Great Heavensw exclaimed Jack,
breaking into a run, "it is the paints
and oils! The shop is on firew
When We reached the scene of peril
the shop was already a acombustible mass
of blazing timber. Flames we're burst
ing from the lower portion. of the house,
into which Jack plunged with the reck-
lessnesS of madman. No sooner had
he disappeared within this deadly
holocaust than the staircase fell to
ruins. A cry of horror burst from the
villagers, now gathered together. Ny
own tongue Glove to the roof of nv
mouth. my heart stopped beating, for |
thought all within the building were
doomed. Suddenly Jack appeared at
one of the upper windows with the pom |
derous bed Of his grandmother upon his |
shoulder. With one blow of his fist he /
shivered the sash, then threw out the /
bed upon the smoking grass. Then he
but was Immediately seen |
again with his wife in his arms. He |
threw her out upon the feather bed
below, and after her the two elder chill
dren. No sooner were they caught up
and carried to place of safety by the now
aroused villagers than shout rang out
upon the frosty air, for Jack now APP
peared at the yawning furnace with
twin upon each arm. Leaping upon
the feather-bed, the blazing ruin fell
behind him, and crashed together with
1 hiss and a roar that was terrible to
near.
Jack arose from the feather-bed, where
MS twin babies still clung together, and
hauled his treasures away out OF the
burning heat. His hair was singed from
ais head, his hands were blistered to the
bone, blood poured from the cash in
lis wrist, his clothing hung in shreds
rom his body. Pointing to the bed of ,
lis grandmother, he cried, exultantly :
1T has done good service, Bob. 1t is
II. alas now that | own in the world"
But his wife's arms clung about his
Ieck, his children sobbed at his knees.
lie caught them to his heart, and locked r
Il close embrace, they lifted their eyes
n mute thanksgiving. Half naked, q
ruised, bleeding, and burned, all their /
rorldly goods flung to the four winds of v
eaven, they were happier than they
ad been for many day. d
| got a village cart and took them all Il
D my own home, where Sophy received o
hem with open arms. But the most a
,Onderful part of my story is yet to tell. t
h winter months had fled along and q
Dring was at hand before Jack was able c
} go out into the sunlight with his h
nged eyes. A green shade yet covered
hem, and he was weak and worn with
II that he had suffered. But the indom-
able spirit of his wife was yet unbroken. I
he had resolved one day to make over
nd renovase the one possession left n
lelll, lle lcdluGI-Dtu Vi OuCh Sthilu | O.
lother. The covering was to be cleaned, n
nd the feathers spread to the soft, ),
arm, fragrant air of early spring. O.
ack and | sat upon the porch. The
lildren played in the howery roadside. Y
ONE little birds in nest in the caves
bove us were eiamoring for food. The N
lother bird flew swiftly down with "
orm in her beak. a
''How shall my little ones be fed?' d
lid Jack, with heavy sigh, I
/ was planning how to speak of the Il
neck he had given me long ago, and %
lie interest accruing from it all this Il
hile, and all else that | could gather d
,getl.er to offer to my old friend, when f.
loud cry arose from the group on the m
rass busy with the feather-bed. Jacks d
ife came running with a parcel in her Il
and that she had found, she said, in A
le heart of the feathers. They were Is
,vernment bonds-twenty of them Of
idden by dear, queer old grandmother
this remarkable feather-bed; and in n,
lis miraculous way it was given to my eI
d friend to begin the world again. Ii