The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-11-28

rectly. and esently, as soon as she
found her feet. went TO the window TO
look about. They were both silent: and
Just then good old Mrs. Vance came up
the garden walk from her own adjoining
one, fearing Rose was alone, and nOt
having dared to come to her before; and
she stayed 20 tea, and wanted = game Of
cribbage in the evening; and when
Roger came back from escort duty to
old Mrs Vance, Rose Just lifted the
candle-fiame between her face and his.
and SAYING good night hLrrIedly, was
away to her slumbers.
Roger went to his. that is to say, to
his room. Sleep, he could not. He
stepped out on the old broken balcony
OF his window and watched the wheel
ing of the consultations and heard the
tiny cracking sounds OF leaves and rain
drops and pebbles in the garden, OF
some night bird. maybe, tapping the
bOugh, or else of the dead vine branch
beating or a window pane. and he
thought how hard and bitter a thing
was life, and half cursed it.; and then
the vision CT Rose would steal before
him-the sweet. smiling face, the
dimpled velvet cheek, the shining eye,
gentle motion, gentle spirit-and he
said TO himself that 1t was enough for
anyone to live in the same " q with
such thing as she,
But at length il occurred to him that
this was enough Of staT-gazing. Ii ne
were ever TO be man, fit to win her,
even If unable, he must cease his day
dreams and work; aud, to work he must
sleep. He returned TO his room, and
all at ence, as If something stung him
at every pore, he staggered back. What
strange odor was this2 What strange
atmosphere after the cool night fras-
rancel The room was full OF a thick
pungent cloud-it was the smoke of
burning. Fire FIRE fire." he shouted.
and sprang through the door for Roses
room. The house had been struck by
lightning in the storm, and the snoUl-
dering spark had been making head
way i'll the lonely upper rooms all the
delicious summer evening. all the time
that he had been leaning on his balcony
drinking the balmy air, al the line that
Rose had been folded in her sweet slum
Der, all the time he had been hearing
that tiny crackle, and thinking it was
the rain dripping from the leaves upon
the walk. Another moment and over
its dull roar came 8 cry, "Oh, Roger!
Roger Oh, my dearest! my dearestl
where are your do you know it," And
Rose, with a cloak thrown over her,
burst through her door, and was caught
in his arms as he leaped down the stairs
at one vault and bore her out INTO
safety.
They had barely reached the gate
when the roof fell in, and though the
neighbors came thronging round, and
the engines were presently at play, they
stood there with the rest and saw that
IL was of no use, and the blaze OF the
home of their childhood and their youth
ives ascending like As.smoke Of sacrifice.
Rose stood folded in the arms Of Roger,
hiding her eyes from the dreadful sight,
as = child might standing beside the
grave Of q mother as il is filed. Let IL
20 withous tears-let Il &C." Roger
whispered. 1T is kindly flame. The
cid house is still protecting rs; it has
lighted our way to each other. Without
il we should still have been cropping in
the dark. / should never have dared
win you; you would never have known
l loved you"
"You are coming right home with me,
children" said Mrs. Vance, It'll we can
turn round and see what's to be done.
Is the house insured? Where's your
papers7"
everything else. We are utterly penni-
leSsi,i
1t was Just a fortnight after that when
Roger entered Mrs. Vsnce's house one
night, Rose ran and clapped q bit OF
paper before his eyes so closely that he
couldn't see nothing. When he stepped
back she was holding it over his lips.
aud thtn bsshfully tlp-.oeing up and
kissing him through 1t. "DO you see
what il l. ?" she said. 'It Is check for
s., so from the Safety Insurance Com
- 10 81 ba~ q a NJ
into account. IL is the insurance on
the buildings, and the lands are still
left. The old house is taking care Of
rs vet, Roger. Two thousand for your
business, and the rest" she whispered,
shyly. and blHshing like a rose, indeed,
ito furnish the new house"