Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-03
THE COTTAGE At CROzsT.
DIR. LafTerty's Description OF the Turning
of Large Building on His Farm.

TIE following IS from the editorial col
u1ns of the Christian ddcOcdie:
Tie Christmas week. that evoked glad
ness at countless firesides, brought gloom
to the Cottage at CroZet." The gracious
season never came with such balmy, aiE.
On Sunday the zephyrs were vernal as
Nav. The flowers IN sheltered hooks were
in full bloom.
/ preached for my Baptist brethren and
neighbors and slowly returning homo
along the hard and dry highway, luxuri-
ated in the warm sunshide.
in the evening the Rev. g. II. Boggs gave
US "a nourishing sermon, while the Congre-
cation gave the new preacher" hearty
hail ] remember no more delicious day
nor more peaceful Sabbath.
AT midnight of that lovely day OF the
Lord q negro boy III wild terror yelled at
the window near INV bed, FIRE 1he
household was in deep sleep. IL IS no
poetic fancy to SAY that word. screamed in
the ear in the still hour OF sleep, chilis the
blood. II startles in the city. where ma
chimes rush 10 the rescue. In the country
the flames devour without a contest. .
A large building was roaring with wind
and Ere. The great red tongues were lick
inc the limbs from the tall trees. The
ground was loaded with leaves AS dry as
finder. and the fire was widening blazing
circle in the woods.
The situation was surcharged with despair
lf-dressed, the husband, wife, and little
daughter hurried the. leaves from the
track of tho fire to check its advance.
Burnine fragments few FAR in the DIR,
kindling patches of stubble. The miller
only neiehbor-with his son. helped us.
VIII ewatching his threatened home. Tho
citizens at.a distance slept. For hours
everything MAS in peril.
The wind changed as dwelling. was
scorched. and began to blow towards an
open field. TWAS mercy OF Heaven.
| have been surprised in camp by the
enemy. That is a shock TO the stoutest
nerves: but you could make some exertion
for battle or flight. Here wo stood, un-
armed against furious enemy, in the wild
forest. with a great hole burned in the
night overhead like an inverted volcano.
The building was general storage
An old gentleman, Mr.. Harris, of Warren,
in North Carolina, said to me some years
ago: "If YOU get the house where you
Keen vour lumberage and stuff burned, you
will never get over it. For thirty. years l
have inquired for things consumed IN such
a building"
Over wide area is the debris. Every
time | look on it / find the remnant OF
something | need now; and there are IN
the ruins a dozen things / never thought
were under that roof. . -,
Man never gave me aught. The bitter
wages of midnight work for the Virginia
government and for distant publishers
bought what is now in ashes. What costs
us deys of cark and moil is valued. IL Is
mere mite in money to many. m
The wonder is our cottage escaped. The
yeering of the wind and the discovery OF
the fire before the forest was III blaze
point 10 kind Providence.
There is no hint how the FIRE began. The
building was locked in the afternoon and
never opened again. 1t seems equally I'M
probable, accident or purpose.
The citizens will not hear to 1t that
bad hand kindled the flame. " He had no
enemy" they say again and again, and do
me an honor. .indso believing left with
out insurance the building where no match
nor candle ever went.
/ have seen in my own life clusters grow
ing on the lava of i'll luck. 1t may be That
a Vineyard will yet ripen purple and pen
dant vintage above these cinders. AT any
rate / had heart TO leave behind the smoui-
dering embers and give five days OF. Christ
mas week to Church work and with some
what of Liberty" in the pulpit. j. j. L.