The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1890-06-05
VOLUME 80.


usukuWr sfe on on visit, said one of ths
bosrders :. they came 10 sigh, of the blss,
ing cottage.
The men worked hard and saved mosl
. OF The furniture, when Horace liutler. Z
Young man Who boarded 10 a neishborins q
b house ran wildly toward them. crying on,
,ha, there was girl on the kiichen root
She vas standing there almost surround.
. ed with flames, and moanioe auj wrinring
her hsnds. Where can get a lajderf
II must be Misc Dunham, said tho
farmers wife, oh. DO save ber, Mr.
Buticrl
I'll save her or perish IN thu a,tem %.
replied the senileman, us he rushed away
Tor ihe ladder
But the ladder, when found, MAS too
short. The woman on the root, whom
every one nov saw, utterly refused to Jump
though six men held the feather bed and
promised her that she should meet with
no injury. The excitement. was great.
and tho whole upper part oi The house was
now in flames
No use. no use. NOW boys, said the
farmer. The gal could ssvo her own ,ife
II she would. You'd only risk yonr own il
you went up them bazin back stairs now
I'd do 1t myself II there was any chance
Of helping, but there amt any.
What Leave woman to die unaided,
cried Harris Butler. Are we such towards
as tba,p I'm not, ut least.
He dashed toward the entrance Of tho
kitchen. The flames drove him back. He
clnng, gasping for breath. TO the cherry
tree. A thought struck him. In an In
stant be began to climb the tree, The
flames stretched out their arms toward
him. As he went from branch TO branch
his clothing WAS scorcbed aud his hands
blistered, but he persisted. At last be
gained the long bough that lay on the
kitchen roof aud SWING himself from i
upon the leader.
| II creaked aud trembled beneath him,
but be gained his footing aud peered
through the smoke for the woman. There
she stood. and now he saw why she had
not obeyed the cries from below why
she had not jumped down into the arms
| OF those beneath
| She was bound fast TO M upright pole
that had been the standard OF tho rational
flag. Ropes were about her waist about
her arms, What tragedy lay revealed
The fire was evidently the work Of an
incepdiary and murder bis object.
sayl Look outl The roof is fsllingl
cried the farmer from below.
Harris Butler WAS feeling for hfs knifc.
All right, he shouted. sm coming.
As he spoke he found the knife and cut
the bands, and senseless form fell into
bis arms. II was so inanimate that he
could scarcely believe it was not dead
already; but clutching II tightly. he stag.
gered to tbs edge OF the roof, and Jumped
Fortunately be landed on the feather bed.
and those who held II managed TO drag IL
to safe distance from the falling wall. not
one moment too soon.
The next, all that was left OF Widow
Dunbams house was pile OF burning
timber.
The rescued woman lay face downward
on the bed. Kind hands helped Harris
Butler to rise. HIS hair was singed and
his wbiskers burnt Off; bis clothes
we're like old Hstiron holders lle was
choking with smoke and black from chin
to brow; but more than one OF the good
ladies' Of the place kissed him. and every
one wanted TO shake hands with him, All
the little boys shrieked huzzAs, aud Butler
felt that had he died be would have been
. bero.
But don't mind me, be gasped; bring
her to. found her bound to the flagstaff
Murder was evidently intended. Heaven
knows II might have been done. Poor girl
poor girl poor dear girl
Who laughed9 II Was that horrible
the new hired man. Old Grand
ma Giles aud old Aunt Potter had turned
The rescued maiden upon her face. and had
sj.culated something; then a crowd bad
gathered about her. aud that wretch
augbed
No doubt be did II, whispered two fair
summer boarders to each other; be looks
ike . brigand.
But now others were joining Ia the
sngb,
What was 30 ridicuIous? What 10 sb.
nrd3
Harris Butler turned his scorcbed face
owsrd the laughing group and asked this
ather hercely. and the answer came from
be hired man, silas Drew.
Cana help il. mister; cant help larnn IL
died for 1t. You was nation brave,
aister, but you ihrowed 1t all away. This
ere sint no young woman; IL il the
keercrow me and Ebenezer helped Mrs
)uobam 10 stud. 10 keep the birds out Of
be cherry tree. It's got Mrs Dunnsm's
Ia merino gown. and sn old bonnet and
.lse face; sud tied II 70 the flag stsh
iyseif last Jaae. S'pose she didn't kter
. take |, down or forgot it. Its too fun
y. You must .rcuse ms lsi6n, can't
clip H.
lis 90 isnghiog matter. Mr.. Batter
sk ei bis life at all events. cried the sam.
ier boarder who most ds,ested biiss
,f~s; bat tbe rural mind saw tbs mstier
81 .mu-ing light. aud al soemniiy vsn
i,leL A f.. days alter. Harris Butler
ib his sbiskers sLsysd. refund 10 th.
~ aud stllI by their ~ipter hresidss Al
ior Han 90 farmers lel tbs sioiy u bow
b. Butter 'lsksd bis iife 10 s.ve tbs
iiIos D0nhsmis scafscros, aud bow be
q 80 sot. o'ea. about II fbst he vsDs
80 A..