The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-05-12

only too true. The large lamp had been broken, deluging carpet and fur niture with oil, which, igniting, had spread the fire rapidly and already 8 large part of the room was in flames.
 "Run for your father, Edw Mrs. Barton said in alarm as she saw the extent of the mischief. Then her first thought was for her husband.
 "Run upstairs quick, Ralph, and get baby and take him over to Mrs. Dear born's."
 At that moment, the two younger children, aroused by the noise, came rushing down from the chamber where they had been put to bed a short time before.
 "Here, Mary, take them over to Mrs. Dearborn's as quick as you can," Mrs. Barton said hastily, wrapping the little white-robed figures in the first garments that came to hand !; "then hurry back-we must work lively, or everything will be burned before we can save furniture or cloth ing"
 She ran tor the pail and dashed on a quantity of water, but the flames were under too great headway for her to make more than very slight local impression. By the time Mary re- turned the neighbors had come to their assistance and were trying to save the furniture from the rooms not yet on fire, but the hall and staircases were in flames, and no one could reach the chambers. In less than half an hour from the time of the accident the flames had burst out the front door windows and driven every one from the house.
 In the country, where there are no engines, or any means of extinguish- ing fire except by hand, very little can be done, and MT. Barton could only stand and look on helplessly while his house was being consumed.
 "Are the children safe, Rachel?" was his anxious inquiry, as at last he found his wife after long search.
 "I sent them to Mrs. Dearborn's the first thing" was the reply.
 A moment later he found Mrs. Dearborn in the crowd.
 "Are the children all at your house?" he asked hurriedly.
 "Nellie and Annie are there; have seen nothing of the baby. Isn't he with your wife?"
 "But surely, Mrs. Dearborn, Ralph brought him over there the first thing" Mrs. Barton exclaimed in the most intense anxiety.
 "No, Ralph has not been near the house."
 "Oh, Ralph, Ralph" the mother cried, in an agony of terror, rushing over to where the lad stood in crowd of men and boys.
 Ralph turned qnickly to meet his mothers frantic appeal: "Where is my baby?"
 'I don't know where he is; I haven't seen him." And his boyish face grew white, even in the ruddy glow of the fire. It was terrible thought that entered the minds of all four at that instant. "But I told you, the first thing, to take him over to Mrs. Dear born's!" And she caught him by the arm with grasp that made him vince.
 "I didn't hear you. I only heard you say Run for father,' and"
 She never stopped to hear the con- clusion of the sentence, but, with a shriek of "Oh, my baby! my baby p' rushed trantically toward the burning building. A dozen hands were out stretched to grasp her and hold her back from certain death.
 For a moment she fought and struggled like mad creature; then as the conviction was forced upon her that all her efforts were useless, she fell fainting into the arms of those who restrained her.
 The word went through the crowd like wildfire: "The baby is in the house!" Women sobbed and men grew faint and sick with horror as they thought of their own little ones at home.
 "Oh, for Fod's sake, men, is there no hope? Can no one get there?" the poor father cried in agony.
 The flames were pouring out of all the doors and windows on the front and west side of the house, but as yet only smoke came from the room where the baby had been left; but both staircases were on fire, and no man could live for a moment in the lower part of the house.
 There was no ladder nearer than the carpenters shop, half mile away !; but, the fathers frantic appeal, half 8 dozen of the feetest runners started for it, though all felt that it would be useless.
 "It is terrible thing" a kind hearted neighbor said, grasping Mir. Bsrton's hand sympathizingly "but the poor child, if not already suffo- cated by the smoke, is past all human 1 z