Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-08-13

on his feet, and dragging his wife from the
! bed into the hall. LYDIA was sleeping
! in the room opposite, and awoke at the
sound of her fathers voice.
Mrs. Burton was almost fainting. "Wil-
liel" cried the father, "see to Willie p
The girl flew out of the back door while
| her mother was borne through the front.
Smoke and fame blinded her, and with
her hand on the nursery door she fell
fainting on its threshold.
By this time the yard was full of ne
groes, who were wildly stripping the house
of its furniture and yaluables, while many
carried buckets of water from the stream
near by. All was confusion; and Mrs.
| Burton lying on a sofa under tree sud-
denly awoke to consciousness when LYDIA,
slightly burned, was brought to her in the
arms of burly negro.
But Willie, where was he? 'Husbandp
she cried, ''our boyw Then did the father
realize that the idol of his heart was amid
those licking flames, which rose between
him and the nursery, where the fire seemed
| to be, though it was almost under control
now; and the overseer's loud voice could
| be heard above the uproar, giving direc-
tions, now here, now there.
| Framed against the sky, all red with
sparks, long line of negroes shown on the
house top of the main building, and their
| united effort with those below would soon
subdue the flames, thus saving the four
large front rooms and the massive piazza.
With a terrible cry the now frantic
father rushed forward to save his sleeping
child. A dozen strong arms barred his
way, and the pleading voices of his slaves
rang on his ear. "Marsterl marster don't
60 You'll be burnt to cinder, and no
good DONE" But. wild with grief, the
man struggled on, and in spite of all en-
treaties, would have rushed to perhaps
certain death, but at that moment a dark
form sprang before him and felled him to
the ground, where he lay almost uncon-
scious. As his wife reached him and was
bending over him hand was laid on her
shoulder while voice whispered: II did
it a purpose. He amt hurt" And the
next moment something swift and doubled
up like ball darted into the burning
building.
Others saw it, too, and held their breath.
How madly the flames seemed still to
leap How wildly the sparks still flew,
and how useless seem that rush into the
Jaws of death Would he return or per-
ish beside the child he sought to save?
What is that-moving, moving-under
the house, knocking, humping against the
pillars thereof? 1t looks like a dog
Perhaps the big brown Newfoundland so
fond of Willie.
Nearer and nearer it comes, but, oh,
how slowly! and now as it reaches the
outer edge of the gallery it is almost
crawling. Out into the groaning darkness
it comes, almost creeping, and reached at
last the group before the building. Stag
gering forward, it laid the bundle it car
ried on the ground and sank, bruised,
burned heap of human shape gasping out;
''He got no scratch. no buhn. | wrap him
in de shawl" Then, dropping as one
dead, they saw little Nose fall at their
feet
The gray dawn was drawing her pale
fingers along the horizon when the fire
was sufficiently out to show the furniture
10 be carried back into the main building,
and some degree of comfort again estab-
lished, a thing easily accomplished
where there were so many willing hands.
The field hands went late to their work
with the blessing and tears of their master
and mistress showered upon them. Will
lie was none the worse for his narrow es-
cape. But Mrs. Burton was almost pros
trated by the terrible scene.
On a hasty-made pallet before the
kitchen fire lay the little runaway strug
Cling with death; but he spoke no word,
nor did he complain. From head to foot
was he burned, and was enveloped in
clothes O. oil.
Late in the evening the housekeeper
came to her mistress. Little Nose, he
! gwineter die, l speck, mistress, if some OBJ
you don't come out dere. He jist tear off
hes rag Say he don't wanter live no.
how"
Colonel Burton, who had already made
many pilgrimages to and from the kitchen,
arose and promptly sought the little ne
gro's side
"Why, Nose, my man, what is this l
hear, you are not trying to kill yourself;
that'll never do. What will Mas Willie
do without you ?"
"Marster," says he, "Ts gwineter Tess
to you fur / moight jist die anyways |
run away COS oberseer whip me. Marster,
can't lib under de lash OBJ an oberseer.
Phi all time run away. Dat paid cowhide
can't nebber tech dis niger. I'd drudder
die"
Little Mose," said the Colonel, with a
tear in his voice, 'do YOU think I'd stand
by and see lick fall on your shoulders
that bore my darling back to me? No !;
and by God, there amt COW that carries
a hide good enough to make whip for
you, my man; and if you'll only get well,
I'll give you to Willie, where the only
blows you'll ever receive will be from his
loving little arms as he squeezes them
about your neck"
"Marster, Pll try to get up, de Lord
willin'; but case / mought cross de ribber
I'll tell de trufe an say eff you hader only
Whipped me yo'self when l done bad, |
wouldn't a made no catastrafy bout it;
and OATS so, fo' de Lord" And he tried
to lift the poor bandaged hands lying so
helpless on the cover.
Get WELL" said the Colonel, ''get well,
my poor little niger" and he turned from
the bedside, going away to hide the fast
gathering tears.
For long weeks the struggle between
life and death went on; but at last one day
the doctor came out with hopeful face,
and they all knew which had conquered
After awhile little Nose crept out in the
warm spring sunshine, where, from that
time on, he spent his hours.
So the years went by, and his only dutie:
were to teach his young master to ride
hunt and fish; when he was old enough tc
90 off to college, to take care of his horses
When the war came he followed him, until
he fell with CHASTITY wound through his
chest. And once more was he borne
home, saved from death by his faithful
slave. And now that he is married
somewhere" way down South, his chill
dren are being taught to ride, fish anc
hunt by 'little old Mose."-LouisuiU
Cowier-Journdl.
A ST. LOUIS PHYSICIAN.
n He Tests a California Production