The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1892-01-02

nouncemcnL was very pleasing, there
was not so much joy i'll my heart as |
would have thought, for my new friend
had become almost II part of my life,
aud my old friend was almost as
dream To me, So long had il been
since he left his native land.
SO when Payne Wood returned to
his boyhood home after five long years
of travel in distant countries, we ac-
corded him grand reception, and
joyonsly welcomed him home again.
\ grand fetc was arranged for the
celebration of the wanderers arrival.
with, had greatly changed him. He
was entirely different from what he had
been, before his trip abroad. Then he
was but II boy; with all the impulSive
desire Cf II boy To see the great world
beyond the confines of his homc-thc
lands beyond the sca-now, he was
grown older and more stately; there
was an air of grand nobility about his
every action, denoling Il close study OF
the world and its people. lie was en-
tircly the opposite OF Stewart, more
handsome, far more handsome than he,
although Stewart Alban was acknowl-
edged prcposscSs,ng man. Yes,
Payne Wood was II magnificent sprci-
men of manhood. Let me describe
him:
OF medium height broad slIouldercd,
and full chested, well proportioned
and with graceful bearing; dark hair,
almost rs dark as night; eyes, how
well | remember Reconsideration eyes
almost black ut times they seemed, with
Il ring of gold around the center OF the
orb, surely the most loving, expressive
eyes one ever saw. A dark, dropping
monstachc shading the grave and ten
der, though slightly irrcsolute mouth.
And his face was kindly too; it lacked
the powar of lirmness and resolution,
and Stewart Alban's did not.
1t is unnecessary to describe the
grand entertainment given in honor OF
Payne's return, and to tell of the warm
greeting of his friends. Suffice To say
that was "a day big with fate" in the
lives OF both my friends, for they each
met, for the first time, Aline Lee, the
niece of the gentleman who had given
the fete, and whose first appearance in
the village this glorious day had been
marked with so much happiness ano
pleasure. Both were attracted TO Alint
by her beauty, her charm of entertain
ing, and her sweet loyable disposition
so plainly betokcned by her sunny
smile and voice "low and sweet" II,
was ..Annie Laurie She was cir
designed TO attract admiration ant
win love. She was fair and beautiful
with eyes like the s'modest violet, >
and har,all golden, ,tinged with brown
Il dainty, imperious little head, wei
rounded, petite form and graceful ear
riage, Il sweet kissable mouth an'
teeth like the gleam of pearls.
! 1t was somewhat singular that eacl
should fall in love with Aline, but sucl
was the case. One could tell by thei
actions and words that the little arrow
from Dan Cupid's bow had pierce,
their hearts. That she was copsciou
of her latest conquest, not the leaS
indication was manifest, but she cer
tainly knew that both men were he
lovers. She treated them each tn
same, there was no trace of coquetr
III her manner with them, and bot
were accorded the treatment due
! tr"c gentleman from true lady.
| And thus it was for some week
after the fete, if there was any prefer
ence on her part, no one observed il
Stewart and Payne were her coastar
admirers and attendants. They SCENE
to live only in the light of her swee
smiles. One of them would shortl
awaken to the reality of hopeles
passion, rejected lover. And thu
matters were when an event occurc
which doubtless hastened the denoue
ment, and displayed one mans hero
ism, and the love of another.
At the close of II glorious June day
when everything had become sIlen
and still, and all the village sank {
rest, with the myrlads of stars aglo,
in the vast deep overhead, aiding tlei
; queen the ''palc-faced moon,' rs sent
ncls of the night, u terrible cry wa
heard,--a sound which always strike
terror to the heart of the bravcst.
Fire! Fire! fire." while from ad
jacent squares the church bells wer
, pealed fast and furiously breaking i
upon the quiet grandeur of the Nigh
} with thin, fierce, awe-inspiring tones
In an instant the entire populatio
of the town was astir, and it was 500
found that the fire was in one of tn
magnificent mansions on Broad street
the home of Aline Lees uncle, an
that the flames were making gre;
headway, rendering the total destruC
: tion of the house II certainty.
Stewart was up and dressed in les
time than it takes to tell it, and wa
soon at the scene of the conilagratioI
, Ii seemed rs though some prcmOniti0
, had come to him, tor, hating never Il
/ instant, he seized Il ladder, place
it against part of the wall where tn
! flames were not yet visible, an
ascending entered the upper stor
, through Il window which he broke OF
. as he entered. lie did not seem to i
/ aware of the terrible danger, but h
friends below were fearful for hin
There was something so unnatural
5 bis appearance; his eyes beaIned wit
: unusual brilliancy, and his who
frame seemed noble and majestic as h
+ entered the doomed house, whic
Y everyone believed would be his funer;
| pyre. Yet they knew why he had ei
5 tered the house; Aline had not bee
/ seen, and they prayed that he migl
, save her. Presently she appeared wit
D Payne, and then it was learned thi
$ she had been at a neighbor's with II
intention of spending the night, b'
+ the fire alarm had awakened her.
t Then Stewart Alban's heroism woul
! he in vain. lie would perish, na.
= doubtless, had already perished in Il
+ flames. The entire building W;
A abaze; no man could live in tn;
I death trap now. One, two, three mil
D utes passed-they seemed eternities
the friends watching so fearfully on
u side. Then he reappeared at Il
# window, with II child in his arms
1 muilled in blankets, aud almo
suffocated, but living child for 4
T. that. How il was done no one ev
i clearly knew, but another moment al
5 the child was in It's mothers arm
J., But where was the man who had sav'
J. ITS life, it now seemed ut the cost
o his own? He had again disappea re
There was wild shrek, then anothe
4 and another, rs women tainted, III
g were taken from the scene. Ainc l.,
III was woman of sterner mold, ho'
d ever. A word in Payne's ear-hc II