Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-07-21

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every nook and corner.
All how the sight Of an engine would
thrill his heart when boy, anu now many
times has he been punished for following
IL 10 the scene Of danger!
/ There il n strange feeling in his heart.
and he knows not whether 1t ~ OF excite
mont or fear; and without stopping 10
anaivze n he diyests himself of dressing
! Gown and slippers. and DOMINIC ma nat
( and boots. he rushes down and joins the
T motley fhroug in the street. where IS tue
five ~ ne asks OF n belated fireman. VINO,
/ with his helmet ia hand aud his coat on
/ his arm. j. rush NC 70 his post.
Corner Of Fifth and -" shouts the
man. without checking his speed.
w Cod cries Maurice, ana tor an
/ iuetont his heart seems 20 stand STILL
/ Marjorv lives 20 the cornerot flithand -.
INT he did not say which corner, and 1t
might NOT bc the Arlcighs' house after an
But he hurrics on and when near tbe hre ne
.ecs Nv. and Mrs. Arleigh and the family.
/ And so il il, their dwelling, but-and lie
leaps i0rward-wherc IL Mapory
He catches Mrs. Arleigh by the arm and
asks hoarsely
/ where IL she?n
! "Ob Nr. Chester" she cries. frantically,
d" she is i'm the burning house. We thought
/ she was with Us until we got out IN the
Which is her room?" he asks quickly.
"The front room in the mansard, an
swers Mrs. Aricigh.
And he dashes off without another word.
! The house seems TO be ablaze from top
| 70 bottom. and smoke and flames are pour
/ inc from the doors and windows.
A. ne r1shes uD the voice OF the "nleI
rims ont above the roar of the flames and
/ the noise Of the engines.
ut is no use. men, the house IS doomed.
| Turn all your efforts 10 the adjacent build
| ing -,
Rushing up 10 him and seiZlng MN oy
| the arm. Maurice cries:
what, and leave that precious life to
The chief starts back and his bronzed
u was told that they were all out" he
| answers Here, men, ladder quick.
I Do you know which room?" he asks turn
| Ing TO Maurice.
/ from which the vail of smoke and flame IS for
/ one moment lifted. The sash IL up. but
the blinds are tightly closed. As yet the
/ room seems free of flames.
Ii would be certain death 10 attempt TO
| enter the doors for the lower part OF the
| house Is all ablazc, and the chances are
/ ten to one that the man who ascendS a lad-
| der to that window will never come back
alive. But it must be attempted, and the
rimble fingers of the fremeu tasten two
/ LONG ladders securely together and get
/ them % the window.
" Who will z" asks the chief quickly,
| for he knows that there is not amoment TO
/ lose. 40,
u will, SIR" promptly responds stall
wart fireman, without tremor IN his hrm
But Maurice turns on him almost
forc.lv. No. he says doterminodly, l
| shall CO."
What? You, sir? cries the man in
credulously Why, it would be certain
death for green hand like YOU
But some one whispers IN the tlreman.s
car that the girl In the burning house Is
the green hands" sweetheart. and he
steps back as Maurice prepares to ascend
+ the ladder and makes no further oblec-
ton.
Tie has a sweetheart Of his own. and he
/ knows that should her life be endangered
| he would surrender 10 no man his right 10
save her on die for her.
All this has happened in less time than II
/ takes 10 tell il. and Maurice has dashed mp
the ladder as If his feet were winged.
/ With one blow of mis- strong fist the blinds
/ part. and h. leap. into the room.
Poor fellow SAYS some one IN the
/ crowd. "hc Will never reach the ground
/ alive
The fremen hear the speech, and with
SET teeth they battle like lrOlans TO keep
| the hungry flames at bay.
The room which Maurice enters Is filled
with smoke but as yet 1t Is free from the
/ flame. which be can hear roaring ana
cracking beneath him. be casts swift
/ glance around him and on the bed he sees
70 still form whether dead or UNCONSCIOUS
he does not know. 1t is the work of mo-
ment 90 snatch 10 upand envelope 1t IN the
/ heavy couulerpane from the bed.
/ Cla-piug hl- precious burden IN ms arms
/ he turns 10 descend. and he appears nj
the window a great shout goes up from the
crowd IN the street But rs he begins ms
dangerous Journey down the fiery ladder
/ thcv utter not a-word. but watch his every
motion rs If their lives depended on 10.
The awful flames blister his hands and
face. and SINCE his hair and moustache, and
I seem 10 sc0rch his very eyes. But he sets
his resolute mouth and clasps that beloved
form clos 10 his heart, in order to shield
1t as much as possible from the merry
! tongues which are licking the frau support
on every side He feels it totter. and when
about six feet from the ground 1t falls with
a crash and he knows no more.
But fifty s,rong hands are Outstretched
TO receive them. and they are caught IN
brave and kindly arms and carried from
/ danger.
MIS- Arleigh comes forward to receive
| Aiari0ry, who has only tainted.
Brave. noble fellow she SAYS, looking
on the unconscious form with tears stream
ing down her comedy face, wish We
could take him with rs but we must 90 10
some hotel. and l know that in his own
home he will lack for no attention"
She then gives them the number OF MS
town rcsidenoe and he Is taken away. =.
II il now the month Of August. Two
months have passed since the night or the
fire from which Maurice was borne scorched
and bls-crcd and almost hteless. FOR
weeks the glve-taced doctors we're with
him day and night, and tor weeks bis LIE
hung by slender thread.
Bit wealth and skill can accomplish
wonders and neither is lacking, and atter
many weary days the crisis Is past and ne
drifts slowly back 10 life and strength.
Thank, TO his physicians skill ms hand-
some face is healed without scar, but his
eyesight Is gone forever.
lie would never again behold the l@ht
Of dav. he would indeed never look upon
MarjOry's face again.
When he returned to reason it was mid
dav. aud the summer sun was flooding. all
Things with golden light, and he asked
them why they were all IN the DARK, and
called for a light
As Gently as possible he was told that
his ilte must ncuceiOTln be pdoseu III udI ~
ness. and that be would never again look
upon this FAR. beautiful earth.
He laid quite still without speaking for
some time. Presently in a low voice, he
asks
" Was she sayed?'
yes. saved without hair Of her head
being harmcd.' was the answer.
God bee thanked, now can bear 1t" he
says teryeutiy.
As soon as !. was thought safe he was re-
/ moved to Rosewood, and there he gains
strength rapidly.
ne mas never spoken of Mariory save
that one time. but daily his longing to hear
h.r voice and % feel the clasp of her
hand grows stronger. He Will never loo6
into her fair young face again. and as the
memory Of his hasty words comes back to
him he groaus in anguish. But he VIII
ALWAYS remember her Just rs she looked
THAT last day. Her dear face Will be before
him. fresh and unchanged, as long as he
lives.
At his request he has been carried this
morning % the library, handsome. room,
with long windows opening on the beaut!-
ful grounds. The walls are lined with