Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-25

by the time this was through TIE hour
was late, and preparations wera made
for ieavetaking. Again Commodore Eliza
beth standins At the front door, dscrsed
that returning, her Oldest brother, Allan
should sit with the driver on the boz.
for ''thc horses are skittish. and We don't
know what might happen" 1T ID -
dark as pitch. and high wind blowing.
and we would feel safer with Allan
along"
Elizabeth. thou should'st have been cali
cd Anna. the prophecies. Well vac 10
that your suggestion was adopted. Allan
nothing Ioath, sprang to the seat, ana,
taking the lines 0or he. like all young
southerners. was a skiIfui driven, the
party were soon on their way back.
The night, indeed. was dark--the cleo
tric-lights no longer burning because Of
the wires having been cut during tho pro-
gress OF the fire at Mortons MIL. A high
wind had risen. and was blowing great
gins" as the Commodore nauticalIy OBJ
served. which. with the absence OF lights.
made driving both difficult and dangerous
Many OF the younger population. ION
pleasure bent" stIll fingered about tho
streets. notwithstanding the excessive
cold and the lateness OF the hour, and,
at intervals belated sky-rocket illumi-
mated the darkness, and fire-crackers were
again thrown from the sidewalks all along
the streets. But Allan was driving, and
the occupants OF the carriage had little
cause for fear. with that firm and fear
less hand upon the reins. So they made
merry. laughing and talking over ths
events OF the evening, and singing from
pure light-heartedness as they drew near
home. Suddenly, fash after fash OF fire IL
seen beneath the horses feet, they rear
kf..tx tn h.. L. .xxI ia ~ axtA
struggle In their harness-then a dull
thud Is heard. aud Mrs. Carter, who. as
well as the girls. f. trembling with fear.
puts her head out the carriage window.
and cries: For Gods sake. Allan, what
Is IT,? Let US get out.' Eyes. mother"
he answers, you and the girls get out:
but don't step on the wires!' This admoni-
ton Is not heard however. as with pallid
faces and shaking limbs. and still igno-
rant OF the cause OF the disaster. they
tumble over each other In their haste To-
reach the ground. assisted by Allan and
the driver, who have hurriedly left the
box. The horses mean while lie prone IN
the middle Of the road. kicking and strug-
Cling violently, while a slckenng odor
OF burning hair and flesh peryades tho
air. All this, In her excitement. Mrs. Car
ter does not notice, for. being devoted to
the animals. she PUSHES In their direc-
ton. exclaiming "Why don't you cut the
harness. and Is about to put her hand
on II and the PROSTATE animals. when
Allan seizes her around the waist. and
pulls her 10 the pavement saying: Don't
put your hands on either the horses or
the harness, mother, but come. away as
quickly a. possible; the fallen wires under
them are charged with electricity, and
TO touch them means death"
The Commodore. standing near. pale and
| frightened. was, as usual, equal to tho
emergency IL will run to the house
(oniy a few yards dstanO and get lights
and help" she cried -"waitr'-and with
dash the brave girl was on. returning
In few moments bringing her father.
who had LETT the dinner party early In
| the evening TO return home and entertain
his aged mother. and two or three neigh
bCrs, supplied with lanterns, hatchets,
and knives. BY their aid the horses are
finally liberated from the harness. and.
looking well nigh exhausted and fear
| fully burned, are given in charge 10 the
| driver who took them to the stable near
| by. The ladies', still white with alarm,
were assisted home by Allan and young
| electrician. Mr.. Robert Harding. OF tho
! M--g Telephone Company, who had
! been aroused from sleep and hastily sum-
mcned to the spot by news OF the accl-
! dent TO his lines. lie eyed the Commo-
| dore admiringly though deprecatlngly,
! as though 10 say: pray don't be angry.
l wasn't to blame!" She looked distract
! ingly pretty. with her beautiful bronze
| hair dishevelle1. and, in her excitement.
! her cloak thrown slightly aside, dis
closing glimpses Of a snowy neck and
arm Presently he asked the privilege Of
seeing her home. which was somewhat
! haught.ly given; for. truth 10 tell. Eliza
! beth was tired out ard as Allan had
| almost TO carry his mother. with poor,
| scared little Phillls trotting along by her
side she was rather glad TO have so
strong an arm 10 lean upon. As may
| be imagined. conversation between the
| two was not OF an oxhilarating ma
ture, being confined principally to re-
! grets ON his part thatlthe accident had
occurred and CONGRATULATIONS that IL was
less serious than might have been ex-
pected. Elizabeth responded politely. but
coldly, and. meeting one Of her male
| friends. who was profuse In his express
sons of sympathy. said rather curly.
"she was thankful she could walk. and
that her head was still on her shouIdersl'
| conveying the suggestion to one. at least
OF her hearers. that II was through fault
OF his her powers OF locomotlon and her
| pretty self had been endangered! He
| felt correspondingly comfortable, and
/ after seeing her safely TO the door and
| bidding her goodnight, was heard to
| calculate as he buttoned his Oyercoat
| collar closer around his throat: "D-n-d
| cold" or course, he had reference to
| the weather
The next day the local papers spread
| themselves; they didn't often have such
| an Item and couldn't lose the opportunity
ito point moral and adorn tale" So
| Mrs. Carter was Modified and appeased
| htye In had
| OF Thrilling Incident" A Family En-
| dangered by Fallen WireP' embslllshei
with numerous intersections OF the black
| est type. an account OF their recent ter
| rible experience. so strange n thing IL
human nature that the good lady actually
| felt better after she read IL. And when
she came 10 the part describing how "one
| OF the young ladies' ran 10 ths house some
| hundred and dfty yards distant, calling
frantically for her father" ana. "Ma)os
! Carter. hearing the alarm, rushed out.
| and taking I'm the imminent peril 10 which
| his wife and children were exposed Ia,
| 10 the spot. etc, etc, the occupants hai
| scrambled out and escaped danger. though
| Miss Elizabeth Carter had stepped across
| the live wire. which might nave
| cost her her life. II shs had
trodden upon i'll" her excitement COM
nlacency knew no bounds. Come nero
and kiss me, you dear child" she ssli 70
tho Commodore, who looked Interestingly
| male. and lovelier than ever, nda n'
| idea what a heroine you were!'
| ely months later any one reading inc
same newspaper would have seen enother
| article bearing upon. or rather being
natural sequence OF the same aeciasnt'
entitled:
PRETTY GIRLS IN COURT.
.srhev Make Things Lively In Our Tall
Temple OF Justice"
"rhere was an invasion OF pretty girls
4, Judge wilson's Court yesterday morn
ing. and their presence impaired a spice
| az life and interest To the hundrum rou-
tine and list!ess monotony that usually
characterize the proceedings In that tenn
ple OF justice. The Judge himself was
among the first to feel the eiectrifyins
effect OF their presence, and sat more
erect in his chair. and looked wider awake
than for six months past, and the mem
hers of the bar put on their best airs
and graces In compliment 10 the fair visi
tors. some OF whom had never been In .
courtroom before. Tho cause OF this uni
versal visitation was tho suit OF Mrs
virginia l.. Carter against the -
Telephone and Telegraph Company. and
the M--g Electric-Light Company. and
besides herself and her twoprstty daush
tiers, Misses Elizabeth ana Phyiiis, there
were about half dozen ladies from hel