Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1885-03-06
and yet had suddenly died without. re-
vealing where she had kept them"

And so Mrs. Blakey had had long
talk with her daughter, ending in sharp
lecture upon the folly of marrying a
poor man, and contrasting her probable
lot as Mrs. Healy with what it would
be as the wife of Solon Winder, the
richest richest "store-keeper" In Rush
bottom, whose devoted attentions Bessie
had persistently snubbed. And the girl
had shut herself in her room and cried
all day, while the mothers heart was
i'll at ease, despite the conviction that
she was acting for the best.
Still, mindful of her husbands diree-
ton, as the evening approached she
sent Bessie into the attic on some tedi-
GUS business which would keep her
there beyond the hour when she was
accustomed to take her evening race
with little Dicky to the big gate, whare-
Of late the yoang school teacher, by
some strange chance, generally hap
pened to be passing at that time.
For some weeks he had not visited at
the farm house, where he had bsen
clearly enough given to understand that
he was not welcome, except TO Bessie.
He was a good-looking, well-behsved,
manly young fellow, whom everybody
liked, and this evening, Mrs. Blakey,
stepping into the garden for her towels,
had felt her conscience reproach her for
the part she was acting; and in the
screen of the hop vines had sat down
and cried, just as Bessie was at that
moment doing in the attic.
"Fire! Firel" This was the alarm
which spread rapidly to Rushbottom,
about mile distant, aroused that peace
full settlement into state Of unwonted
activity and excitement. The Rushbot-
tom brigade Of course at once turned
out. Each man, leaving W whatever busi-
ness he was about, rushed to the spot
where the fire alarm bell was ringing
to ascertain for himself that ii was done
on good authority. Then the captain
of the brigade ascended to the roof of
the carriage-house in which the old en-
gine was kept, and with 4 glass earnest
ly surveyed the point Of bright flame at
a distance, to be sure that ir was really
a fire. Having satisfied himself on this
point, he gave orders, and the men has
tened TO don their waterproof coats and
helmets. Some further time was con-
sumed in hunting up the four horses
from different places, and then the fire
brigade, with engine, hose and ladders
ratified out of the village, amid the Wild
est enthusiasm and excitement. The
populace followed, some on foot and
some OIL horspb back. Men left their husi-
ness places, or their half-finished sup
pers, and rushed TO the scene OF the con-
hagration, and boys, wild with delight,
| tore over fence and ditch to where the
red beacon-light 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 go and see the fire, as
though 1t had been a picnic or circus; I;
and the matrons, after vainly endeavor-
ing to crafty their curiosity by dis
tant view from garret windows and
haystacks, finally bundled up them
selves and their babies, 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 ar
rived had not been idle. Their first step
WAS to iemove the children and the old
people from the house. Grandfather
Blakey has been carried forth In his
chair, and securely deposited in the
grassy yard, with an open umbrella In
his hand, as a 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 1t.
While the people were rushing In and
out, removing the furniture, she hero
ically went around, gathering up soap
and natch-boxes, kitchen spoons and
backing brushes, with other useful ar
ticles of the kind, which, as she justly
observed, no one but herself would
trouble themselves to save.
She was seen by one person wrestling
with a bag Of dried herbs, hanging on a
hook In the pantry, and by others to
lean out Of a window with the teapot
which had been filled for supper, and
make laudable efforts to stop the pro-
eress of the hre in that direction by
pouring tea from the spout upon an ad-
vsneing squirt Of flame.
This was before the arrival OF the
Rushbottom fire engine; and when that
event occurred, the old lady conde-
scended to be prevailed upon to quit the
burning house, and placed herself In
command of the firemen, earnestly d.
recting them where to play the hose.
Meanwhile, 1t was discovered that
Grandfather Blakey's umbrella was on
fire, from the falling sparks, upon
which his wife went to his assistance
with bucket of water, to the relief OF
everybody.
In the midst of all this, robust and
forid-faeed young man came up to
where Mrs. Blakey, dazed and bewil-
dered, was hugging her little ones close
In her arms, and despairingly watching
the progress Of the flames.
1t was Solon Winder, the rich store
keeper.
| "I don't see Miss Bessie anywhere, %