Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1890-10-10
lust the same. Iplanned how thew would

walk in. These reflections we're, on
the whole, pleasanter to me than those
within nearer vision, found did not
quite like to think how sorry mother
would be when she came home that
night and could not find me anywhere.
/ tried to imagine just how her face
would look, and then hastily decided
that / would think of that no more, but
would imagine how it would look when
after missing me all those long, long
years, should walk in. There was a
little immediate bitterness in tho
thought that no one seemed to miss me
from the piazza over the way and come
in search of me, but | reflected that
save for the glare OF the fire. balls the
night uwas dark, and they probably
thought was among the groups of chill
dren whose voices l could hear. /
might venture to watch the balls for a
little while, so pushed open the door
of mothers room.
Shall ! ever forget the sight that met
my frightened eyes? The room was a
blaze of light, and the soft white cur
tains not only, but the bed and the little
stand beside it were in flames. On the
floor just under the window was one Of
those great balls blazing away with all
its might, and looking like nothing so
much as an awful eye Of fire glaring at
me.
What did do? hardly know. Yes
] shut the window on the opposite side
of the room; / remember that, because
light breeze was blowing, and knew
it would fan the flames. | brought the
water pitcher and poured its contents
on the blazing bed; for the rest, |
yelled with all the strength of my
strong young lungs: "Fire fret firer-
yelled to such good purpose that in less
time than it takes me to tell 1t the
room was filled with people, with voices,
with water, with smoke, with confusion,
and the fire was out.
"If it had not been discovered i'm
mediatelN" said my father, mot only
the house but the whole street would
have gone; the wind is rising rapidly
and the fre-balls would have helped
along; as it is, don't see how we es'
capped"
How did you happen to come into
the room, Isabella? What were you
doing in the house, any wayP
thought you came over to Mrs. Frank
Inns" 1t was my sister Mary who
asked the question. Mother had not
questioned me at all; she stood with
both arms wrapped around me and one
hand smoothing back my hair. She saw
that the fire had frightened me very
much.
burst into tears and sobs, and tried
to talk at the same time ~ didn't &c
to Mrs. Franklin's; | ran away-I mean
| meant to. was never coming back
until was gray, and had had some
teeth pulled, | was going to live in the
attic always, all alone, but don't mean
to- don't want to; don't want ever tt
go away from you one minute!'
sobbed out this remarkable story il
jerks, with many tears between, and a
its close burrowed my head into my
mothers breast, as though | could hide
it forever from view, and cried as have
never cried since. 1t seemed to me thai
| had almost lost that blessed mother.
"Well, if ever heard any thing like
that in all my life," Mary said; bur
mother smoothed my hair and muir
INJURED: Poor little girl! did she want
to run away from mother?"
1t was perhaps nearly an hour after
wards that went to the attic for some
needful things, father going ahead hold
ing the light, | close behind with m,
hands clasped in mothers and the re
mainder of the family bringing up tn,
rear. How we'll remember their face
as they looked around upon my prepar
atoms for housekeeping. How we'll
remember the intense shame | felt I"
almost ought to say that you must sleeI
here tonight, on the bed which yor
have made for yourself" said my ia
Their.
chung close to mother. 10, mother
mol" l almost shrieked, you neve
will, neVerp
NO" said my mother, holding m
close, 1--WE never will; father does no
mean that; but tomorrow we will rul
away together as much as this; we mus
live, you and |, while these things last
on the provision you made for the fu
ture. You shall try how you like s.
much of running away, but mother will
run with you"
tried to make it seem an unpleasant
thing to do, but the cake and pie
looked nice, and ! honestly could not
The next day we tried them. Ho,
like an idiot | felt sitting with m
mother in the attic, munching stall,
cake and preserves, and thinking of tn
good bread and butter and fresh egg
and new milk which were being cate
downstairs, and mothers cup of coffee
1t was disagreeable breakf asst, an
the dinner was worse. At supper-tim
! said to my mother, with tears in M
eyes; Couldn't just run and get you
cup of teaY'
My mother shook her head. 20
course not" she said; i've have ru
away"
Two miserable days the cake and pie
and preserves lasted; on the evening @
the third we went to supper. Shall
ever forget how the bread and butte
and warmed-up potatoes tasted? Wv
are never going to run away again,
said my mother, gravely.
I'm sure ! never want to-" said
but father, if | hadn't what woul
have become of our house and all GU
things2'
1t was years afterwards before VI
derstood why they all went into shout
of laughter over that earnestly-pu
question.
Breach of Hygienic Laws.
Hawold-You look all bwoke W