The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-12-10

the grief that must prevail In the turkey lam
ily to offset our rejoicing.
Theu the carvers set to work upon the
roast turkeys, roasts Of beef and roasts OF
bear and venison, heaping high every plate,
while | poured the tea and coffee. Converse
ton was lively, but not boisterous, ana l was
surprised and delighted at the general show
Of courtesy and good breeding In a company
from most of whom l had reason To expect
but little.
We fingered long at the table, LAYING
patient siege to the bOuntiful store OF eatables
that withstoOd our attack, not without great
loss, but at last without danger OF talllag
short. And, when the most persistent eaters
began to succumb TO a sense OF repletlOn, Mr..
Bell arose, and in a neatly turned, ingram
NAUTICAL speech, recouuted the benefits that
had accrued to the Village from Mr.. Castles
enterprise and liberality, and proposed the
health of the master and mistress or the Mill
Castle" to be drunk in a glass OF new cider.
The toast elected much applause; and in re-
Spouse Mr.. Castle recOuntered some OF the
difficulties that he had overcome, and eX-
planned his future plans for improving the
place.
when he arose his chair rose with him, up
setting his balance and preclpitating him up
on q very fat lady who sat near him., occasion
ing a burst Of laughter that none of us could
restrain. Johnny had tied one end of his
napkin to a leg Of Uncle Luke's chair, and
DtlLICu LlC otllCl blINA luSl ~ lLS SN"bs
Uncle Lux quickly recovered himself and
Joined in the laugh, but, just as he began to
speak, he was interrupted by a great uproar
without.
The bells began to ring Justify, and the cry
of "Fire! Fire! Fire :" resoundGd through the
village.
Ceremony was forgotten, and we all rushed
out into the yard, to hear the alarming tidtngs
that the steam Mill (Mr. Castle's) was on fire.
The men ran rapidly to the mill, and a few
Of the women remained to take care OF the
children, while the rest Of us fastened tow ard
the mill as fast as we could.
Arrived in sight of the mill, we found one
end Of the huge structure all in flames, ana
Mr.. Castle skillfully marshaling his men to
prevent the fire spreading to the lumber piles;
there appearing no possibility OF saving the
mill or any portion OF 1t.
Tired and out OF breath with running, [
seated myself along with Mrs. Winslow upon
q large log and watched the grand but appall-
ing spectacle of the fire. The flames rioted
in the dry pine boards, and leaped in huge
masses apparently a hundred feet into the
air, while dense clouds of thick black smoke
Overshadowed and added a twilight darkness
to the scene that was in turn lit up by the
lurid flames.
Some of the men worked CALAMITY in clear
ing away an old shed between the mill and the
lumber piles, while others carried water from
the large tank and poured it upon the lumber.
They were so near the fire that | felt seriously
alarmed for their safety, and could not help
wishing they would let the whole thing go,
and not imperil their lives to save a few piles
OF lumber, which, though representing hall
my husbands fortune, were not to be valued
when compared to a human life.
While | was busying myself with these re-
f~actions, Mrs. Winslow suddenly interrupted
them by calling attention to the fact that,
while the mill was three stories high, there
was but one stairway, and in case the fire had
occurred when the men were at work, it might
have been found difficult for those in the up
per story to escape. replied that the upper
story was but little used, in fact Mr.. Castle
had never made any use of it, except q small
room in the end toward US, which he had used
for an Office till a few days previous, when he
had moved his books and papers TO the house.
Ella used TO spend half her time up there, sit
ting at the window and looking out toward
the village for hours at q time. The window
was neaS!.y thirty feet high, and commanded
an extensive view.
AS / spoke / directed my gaze oward the
open window thus referred to, and to my
establishment thought | saw something NOV
ing inside of II. Mrs. Winslow also saw the
same object, and we continued to watch the
opening, when suddenly a child's face came
into full view, and | recognized little Ella.
ran frantically toward the men, shouting,
'sElla is in the MILL Ella Is in the old Office ~
and the hundreds Of villagers who had by this
time assembled took up and repeated my cry.
| NJ II ClOnd1 aiiS uohAl up w tlab ehA VA
the mill, and stood looking upward in speech
less horror. The place where Ella stood was
almost the only part of the mill not already in
flames, and there was no possible means OF
reaching it except from the outside, which
would require q long ladder, such as could
only be found nearly half q mile off in the
village.
NV husband, when he came and saw the
blessed child standing at the window, looking
calmly down at the horriffed assemblage,
Il 1Na.ka1 - rNzI tat Nh~ r~tl A-1 AI--L
would have persisted in the flames had not
strong hands restrained him, while their own
ers urged him not TO throw away his life, for
a score Of men were gone after ladders
though they knew, and he knew, that al
would be over before any ladders could arrive.
dropped upon my knees, with my eyes fixed
upon the window, and prayed as | had never
prayed before.
AT that instant Johnny Driver appeared,
with half a dozen men, carrying a large stick
Of timber, which they set up on end against
the building, though it scarcely reached hall
way TO the window. Johnny climbed up it like
q squirrel, and when he stood erect UPON the
end Of ii an ak was thrown to him In such d
manner that he caught 1t by the handle. He
at once began to cut a hole through the boards
by his side, and In a moment disappeared in
Side The ~ba.idina, wife The smoke rolled out
through the opening he had made.
A great hush OF expectation fell upon the
crowd. No one knew his plan, or how he was
to get through the floor above into the upper
story, IL he was not at once suffocated by che
smoke, to fall q victim to the fire.
Soon the upper end Of Q board, just below
the window, was seen to Be giving way, NOV
Ing outward, and J~ohnny's head slowly
emerged above 1t, clinging to the side Of the
building BY thrusttng his fingers through .
wide crack between the boards. My hear
bounded with hope, and cheer after cheer
arose from the excited crowd, which were re
doubled when he got his feet upon the sway
Ing board, and, reaching his hands up to til,
window sill, lightly drew himself up, ant
dropped inside. He almost instantly reap
peared, holding Ella In his arms, and beckonee
for some one to stand below aud catch her.
Mr.. Castle motfoned the crowd away from
him. or either side. and stood there with nb