Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-11-06

| ii, Dear friend, want to say to
you how grateful / mn for your kind
ness to me, how much 81 esteem You:
and land God bless YOU, ri ofessor.''
She does not hear his reply, but goes
swiftly up the stairs and once in her.
room she falls on her knees and bursts
into & passion OF weeping, the bitter
est she has ever known. To morrow
she is going away, and in one week she
is going to be married to q young man
who has held her troth for years.
Down under the stars the grave, king
| ly, middle-aged man walks up and
down on the terrace, striving with a
strong mans fierce will to overcome
his sorrow andgain peace and content
for the future. 4
It is after midnight. Madge Kirby,
| in her white night robes, sits at
the open window Of her sleeping
room, where after q, long, sad
vigil she has fallen asleep A brilliant
red light is playing about her face, and
it shines into her room and reddens
the wall. There is a fire, q heat COM
ing from somewhere. Suddenly a wild
shout rises ON the air. It is the cry of
fire from some one who stands on
the lawn. 1t reaches the ears of all
| but those two who have slept SO little
during the night and who, at last have
| closed their eyes in a deep perhaps ia
tai slumber Madge sleeps on, and
down in his own room the master Of
the burning house lies dreaming of her.
Tho lady teacher, with the other pu-
| pills, flock down the stairs and out in
to the grounds. The roof is on fire,
! andnO human power can save the old
! wooden mansion from swift destruc-
ton. Now some one asks for the pro-
lessor. Another says he is at work
trying to check the flames. The men
servants are busily employed thus,
and after little parley there is no fur
Their question for anybody. Suddenly
the master feels light touch on his
brow. 1t thrills and awakens him. He
looks up to find a sleder figure bend
ing above him.
"Max! Max! awaken, for God sake,
save yourself the house is burning over
u.s." Madge Kirby says In a hoarse
strained voice.
In an instant he is upon his feet,
and wrapped as he is in his dressing
gown, he clasps her in his strong arms
and turns to the door. A furious
cracking and roaring greets their ears.
The roofis falling in, and as they
a black cloud of smoke and fall
ing cinders blinds and suffocates
them. She lies against his breast. she
teels his breath heavily on her cheek,
she cannot see, can scarcely breathe.
ooh; my God!" he gasps, "can 1 not
save you, Madge, my darling? My lit
tie one must we die in this accursed
hole away from the pure air of heav-
en?" 1t is only the moan ofhis burst
| ing heart as he struggles 10 find some
means OF exit. She has ceased to
realize their peril. Insensibility has
wrapped her like the robe of death.
The hallway is vast sea of flames
The chamber is fillinewith debris from
above and he, clasping his burden to
his breast, is striving to reach the
burning window where, perhaps he
may make a flying passage.way from
their perilous position to terra tirma.
He is there, the window is all mass
of flames, and boldly, braveIy, he
steps with his bare feet upon the burn
ing sill, and out into the night.
With Il feeling OF great joy he
finds himself ON the vine covered
roof Of the porch. He had for
cotton his sleeping room was directly
over it. The cool vines to his blister
ed and bleeding feet feel soft and CRATE
full. He pauses here not moment,
but clumsily lowers himself with his
inanimate burden to the ground.
Madge, my darling, my own sweet
love are you dead?" he means, as he
battles her face and hands with water,
after he had lain her OH q bench in the
garden.
They are quite alone for the others
have long departed forgetful of all
save themselves.
After along time she revives and
finds him kneeling thus calling fondly
on her name.
'Thank God that we are safe, is all
she says, YEARLY closing her eyes once
more, and in q child-like way
drawing him down to her until
her head can, rest on his bo-
som. For moment they re-
main thus, both filled with a
new sweet peace, which in spite of the
unpleasantness Of the moment, makes
I the night like heaven to them. Then
he says gently, "LittIe one, I must get
you to place OF safety. Your gar
ments are burned, and battered as are
mine. The morning will soon dawn
and, Madge-' $500.
He is growing embarrassed, and she
laughs nervously.
"And this is not exactly proper for
you, my dear. You will get Ill and
cold"
"But I cannot walk" she says petu-
lantly, "my strength is gone, and my
feet are bare and blistered." Neither
can he carry her. He is unable to walk
far, and thus together they are fated to
remain until succor arrives. When it
is late into the morning and the first
rosy flush kindles the sky, she lifts her
face from his shoulder and smiling
archly says: ' .,= " :
s'Dear Professor, the world will new
er forgive me for this dreadful night.
What, oh what shall DOR
He bends lower above her face.
Scared and burned as he is, for her
sake. he is dearer to her than all the
! world. IS. .r..s T., IS .. H. IA" :.
*"Be my wife, little Madge, and let
me shield you from all the world. i
love you 50 truly my darling. .
Her eyes shone into his. a. . 4s
My love my preseryer, my king, =
he hears her whisper fervently. "a
But lam poor, now, dear" he adds
q little sadly. My beautiful home is
in ashes. I hsyenothing left but my
self. love yon Madge aud will work
for youbut perhaps it SIS wrong for
me to ask You to come to me thus. 2