The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-02-13
and when Fanny unlocked it Bella came

and bring you. But he then answered
that he would not permit it-that, per-
haps you had headache, and he would
not have you disturbed. He spoke quite
tenderly"
did hep" said Fanny, clinching her
little white teeth.
Then she related what the Captain
had said to her about valentine. Bella
was indignant.
II think as you do" she said
"that papa would ike to have you
encourage this Grimwen as a sutton
Don't you let him persuade you. What
win you do with his valentinePn
i" 1t shall 60 into the fire." promptly
answered Fanny.
There was little sleep for her that
night. She did not even go to bed; but
in her excitement she walked her room
for hours, dressed exactly as she had
been when Captain Grimwell came to
the house.
Finally she sat down in rocker
by a small table near clothes press,
and picking up a book endeayored to
divert her mind by reading. She had
placed her lamp near the edge Of the
table in order to have a good light.
1t was about two O'Clock in the morn
ing when Fanny's book dropped from
her hand, and she unconsciously fell
into doze. Occasionally she was half
walked by knocking noise, which
would cause her to start without OPEN
ing her eyes. The noise was produced
by a staging hanging by ropes from the
roof, some carpenters whom Mr.. Bur-
ton had employed not having yet finished
their work. The staging, hanging about
twenty feet below the window of
Fanny's room, and within about three
feet of the ground, swayed, scraping
and knocking against the side of the
house every time there came gust of
wind.
All at once starting in her sleep at
the sound, and yet not waking, the
young girls elbow struck the lamp,
which was thus upset.
1t fell-making but little noise-into
the clothes press, the door of which was
open, and in an instant bandbox there
was ignited. The flames spread to
other boxes, then to the dresses hang
ing above them, and soon the wood
work of the closet was cracking and
swapping as it took fire.
The flames now came rolling forth in
sheets and the door of the apartment
was in few minutes ablaze.
just then Fanny awoke. Seeing the
fire which was spreading around the
room, she uttered half-stifed shrieks,
while, nearly smothered by the smoke
and the heat, she CROPPED towards the
window, her way to the door being shut
off by the flames.
The window-sashes were closed and
securely fastened with small bolts.
Sometimes these bolts were hard to
move, and weakened and confused as
she was by terror, Fanny found them so
on this occasion. Her trembling fingers
flew from bolt to bolt without effect.
Meanwhile she heard the Kissing and
cracking of the flames, and could
hardly breathe on account of the
smoke.
She dashed her hand against one of
the panes of glass, breaking it, while,
in choked voice, she called out:
Help! helpr' But she had little hope
of being heard at that early hour in the
morning. The smoke became yet more
dense as her carpet took fire, and she
fell gasping for breath, upon the
floor.
At that moment a nimble form,
which had been climbing one of the
staging ropes, hanging, as stated, from
the roof, arrived close to the window.
Miss Burton, where are youp''
came a clear, manly voice, which Fanny
recognized as that of Frank Furman,
the young midshipman. She family
answered; then there was a crash as
the youth kicked away the sash, frame
and all.
He sprang into the room, caught up
Fanny, and, getting astride Of the
window-sill, babe her cling firmly to
his neck with both arms. Revived by
the fresh air, she followed his diree-
tions, SO he was enabled to slide down
the staging-rope with her to- the
ground. There he found her father,
who had been aroused by the noise that
had been made, and to whose care he
now resigned the young girl.
81 will climb up there again, and
do my best, sir, while you go for help"
cried the youth.
A second time he mounted to the
burning room, and, finding pail
there, he rapidly drew water from a
pump in the apartment, and COM
menced to fight the flames.
1t was perilous work, owing to the
thick smoke, which almost sufGocated
him, but, although badly scorched,
and, for the time, half blinded, he con-
trived to keep the flames in check un-
til MIR. Burton came to his assistance
with several neighbors. A ladder and
hose had been obtained, and thus the
fire was finally extinguished.
The gallant young Mid. then asked to
see Fanny Burton, saying he had note
for her from Captain GrimwelI
He was shown to the parlor, in which
the fair girl was now seated
She 5lushed deeply, and Frank also
colored, but somehow the fact of his
having had the young lady in his arms
when he rescued her seemed to have
removed some of his bashfulness.
81 have letter for you, Miss Bur
ton, from Captain Grimwell," he said.
Her eyes flashed Indignantly, but she
took the letter, and, opening it, read
these lines:
81 send you valentine, as promised AS
you can see for yourself, this valentine is
Frank Furman, one of my midshipmen. OF
course you can accept him or not, as you
choose The other day he came to me-his
old CAPTAIN, who has always been his friend
in much trouble, and told me that he loved
you, but said he could not overcome his BASH
fulness enough to even become better ac-
quainted With you. | told him that Faint
heart never won fair lady, and promised, if
he would take letter from me to you, that
he wGTld soon learn whether or not his COM
pany would be agreeable to you. He does not
know what is in this letter; so all you have to
do, if you do not want this valentine of mine
this Frank Furman-is to tell him you can
not accept my gift"
Rosy red became the cheeks of Fan
ny Burton. With a smile of happiness
lighting her face, she passed the note to
her father, and whispered in his ear:
TEL him I accept the valentine,
papa"
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