The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1892-09-17

Zap II DilBnl zap II Bl1pn! walled
n distracted voice. where's Miss May
hew? Some say you kerried her off ont
the burnin house and some shy you
didn't. can't find her. She's lost. Oh.
Cap'n Bligh, open the door,"
Ann had stumbled into tho dark entry
and Captain Bligh took up the light and
held it as she came limpins forward in
dishevced state pitiable to witness.
"Mcrciful man sho exclaimed as
soon rs her eyes fell on her mistress. "If
you amt a-laying right hero on Cap'n
Bligh's sofy. of all places i'll this town
tho most iinpropcrest."
The tone Of wailing had changed TO
one of sharp rebulSe. like n distracted
mother who, rs soon a3 she has found
her lost child, begins to shake him.
81 couldn't find you nowhere, and l
thought you was smoke suifocated.
tried to rush right into the kitchen
part when it was all of light blaze.
They held me back by main force. and
guess fit and scratched like tiger cat
Them insurance men, if they choke me,
cant mako mo say how it ketched. !
don't know to save inc whether it was
the chimbly burnin out or ashes in u
barL | sometimes he'd put ashes in q
bari. but was always keerful about
them bein cold and no sparks II them
insurance men use slow torture they
can't make me tell; don't know.
Twas preparatory lecture night and
was kind of hurried to get my dishes
done and be off, for ! hain't missed
preparatory lecture mover since came
to tho Mayhem place, and that was
when Vino was little; and the lecture
room was warm. and | sat in n dark
corner up against the wall, and the
minister's voice went right on without
a change. knew he was sound in doc
trine and could trust him, SO guess |
must have dozed off, for | set right up
with start when the church bell changed
and somebody screeched fire! and all the
folks began scuttlin out OF the room and
after them rs hard rs could pelt, for
hain't missed fire no more than "a
meetin for over forty years When
heard somebody say it was the old May
hew place, seemed rs though my head
shot away from my legs. and come
right down on kerbstone on all tours,
and give myself n bruise l guess shall
kerry to my grave.
when | got home see at once my
part Of the house was gone and all that
jelly he'd put up. 1t kind of haunted me,
that jelly did. The firemen were up on the
roof hewin away with axes and sousin
water down the walls. Mother Mayhem
Of tho corner cupboard that was plum
mp agin the burnin part and kerIied no
body knows where. and my clothes. they
do say, arc scattered all over Littlefiold
When | tried to find Miss Mayhem
won't kind OF blind, distracted like, and
bumped up agin Frank HALEY. and he
said the captain had took her to Tuck
erses. So over there went and there
wasn't a soul to home: everybody had
run to the fire. SO Inavigated all over
the house and opened Mis- fuckers
presses and even looked under tho beds,
and ! did the same ut Woods, but it
want mouse. So says to myself she's
tainted somewhere in corner and been
overlooked and Captain Blighs got to
answer for it. SO came straight here
and found her layin on the sofy and
lookin as contented as IA kitten in basket
of wool. Now Captain Bligh want you
to pick her right up and kerry her home
again. Her room hasn't had a scorch
and the beds aired and her things laid
out for the night"
The captain had n pleasant twinkle in
his eyes rs he stood looking at Ann, and
he aid slowly and with great show of
/
"But suppose your mistress has con-
scented to stay with me?"
"You can't hev herr" cried Ann fierce
ly, like an old hen fighting for its one
chick. And what place this is to ask
n lady to stay in. A man of your prop
erty should be ashamed of ,himself, Cap'n
Bligh. It's downright heathenish, if !
do say it."
Don't be an old fool" the parrot put
in casually, us If making mere passing
remark.
Ann jumped as if she had been bitten
in Il sensitive part
'Oh," she cried snappishly. .srd lest |