Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-02-09

horseback. Men lett their business
places. or their half finished suppers. and
rushed to the scene Of the connagration,
and boys. wild with delight, tore over
fence and ditch TO where the red beacon
liuht was now flaming through the trees
that surrounded the old Blakey farm
house. Young men hastily brushed up
their hair, and called for their girls to
90 and see the fire, as though II had
been q picnic or circus; and the
mafrons, after vainly endeavoring TO
CRAFTY their curiosity by q distant view
from garnet windows and haystacks,
finally bundle up themselves and their
babies. and. in struggling parties and
companies. hurried across fields, plying
the poor Blakeys, and fervently hoping
that the fire would not be put out before
they got there.
Meantime the people who had first
arrived had not been idle. Their first
step was to remove the children and the
old people from the house Grand'ther
Blakey has been carried forth in his
chair, and securely deposited in the
grassy yard, with an open umbrella in
his hand, as q protection against both
the early dews and the falling sparks;
but the old lady positively refused TO leave
the house SO long as she could be,of any
use within it.
While the people were rushing in and
out, removing the furniture, she heroic
ally went around, gathering up soap and
match boxes. kitchen spoons and black
ing brushes, with other useful articles of
the kind, which. as she justly observed,
no one but herself would trouble them
selves to save.
She was seen by one person wrestling
with bag Of dried herbs, hanging on
hook in the pantry and by others to
lean out of a window with the teapot
which had been filed for supper, and
make laudable efforts to stop the pro-
gress Of the FIRE in that direction by
pouring tea from the spout upon an adj
vancing squirt of flame.
This was before the arrival of the
RushbottOm FIRE engine; and when that
event occurred, the old lady condescend-
ed to be prevailed upon to quit the burn
ing house. and placed herself in COM
mand of the firemen, earnestly directing
them where to play the hose.
Meanwhile, It was discovered that
Grandfather Blakey's umbrella was on
fire, from the falling sparks, upon which
his wife went to his assistance with q
bucket of water, to the relief Of every
body.
In the midst of all this, a robust and
ford faced young man came up to where
Mrs. Blakey, dazed and bewildered, was
hugging her little ones close in her arms,
and despairingly watching the progress
of the flames.
1t was Scion Winder, the rich store
keeper.
81 don't see Miss Bessie anywhere, p
he said, looking around among the
crowd. Il suppose. though, she's safe,
of course. =
At this moment the flames caught the
roof of the main part of the house and
sprang up with an exultant leap above
the chimneys.
Mrs. Blakey shuddered and clasped
her baby to her breast.
Suddenly some one pushed through
the crowd and stood before her, with
white, set lips and eyes that fairly gilt
tered in their eager anxiety.
Where il Bcssiea"
The look and the tone aroused her.
She gazed wildly about and Uttered
piercing shrek.
8 In the attic in the attic!" she cried,
and thrill of horror ran through every
breast.
All had taken it for granted that Bees.
sic must be safe with her friends some
where in the crowd; and now at this ap-
palling discovery every one-even the,
firemen- seemed for moment para
lyzed.
One person alone did not hesitate. It
was Walter Healy, who had asked where
Bessie was Without an instant's pause
he dashed TO the door Of the burning
house; but the next instant reeled out,
blinded and scorched, for the stairs and
the hall were q mass Of flames. Then
he ran around to the side enterance,
where was narrow stairway which the
flames had not yet caught, though they
were already licking their eager tongues
against it. One man would have stopped
him.
IF you 60 up there you will never
come down alivel Don't you see that
in one moment the stairs win be in
fiamessn
he wrenched himself loose, and hew
upward.
HELP himl' shricked Mrs. .Blakey,
seizing Windcr by the arm and shaking
him in her mothers agony. '.Oh, Scion
you who say that you love Bessie-help
him to save herlp
Nothing can re done nowl'' he
replied, Cloomily. cit is certain death
to enter that house. If had only kn5wn
in timel But now it is too late. Poor
Bessiel''