The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1902-10-31


was wearing slowly along, to Tom
especially, and then a hurried sum-
mons at the door brought Mrs. jamie
son from the regions Of the dining
room in answer. "A sudden noise, as
Of people scurrying past, followed, and
Tom realized that the call of fire had
been raised. Mrs. Jameson cried out
in frightened voice that it was the
mill. and then Tom had passed her in
the hallway, and was out on the street.
Already the flames, caught by the
storm that howled without, were light
ing up the town like a new sun.
The scene of indescribable confusion
which ensued could never be forgotten
by those more intimately concerned.
The crude fire fighting apparatus.
frozen solid, refused to work. and as
the red stream.rs wrapt about the
mill and swept across the roofs OF the
warehouse and stores adjoining, the
people knew that Josiah Jamieson's
worldly possessions were doomed.
Tom, looming out in. the released
mettle of college athlete, made her
culean Efforts to stay the ruin. Fol-
lowed by a number of men he tlawed
the hose, directed the streams of water,
helped to throw out the. goods from
the store, cleared the Office Of its
precious books and papers. In fact,
storm or heat mat'cred little tu him
then, tor a co~,rluy fnaic, wlappd
in mighty fur-lned cloak, had looked
up into his grimy face through mist
OF tears and had said something. He
never tarried to hear what it was, but
leapt again into the battle royal.
In the early morning a smoldering
heap of ashes and half burnt woodwork
alone marked the spot where jamie
sons store and mill had s,"'d, and
around it in jumbled up mass was
the merchandise which had been saved
Only one small building which had
been used as an office had missed the
fury OF the flames, and that was only
thr.ugh the gigantic efforts of the men
and fortunate veering of the wind.
j ,siah Jameson had been seized
with a paralytic stroke during the d
struction of his property and lay at
his home with two doctors in constant
attendance, and to Tom fell the task
Of managing this almost inextricable
condition Of affairs. Suddenly from
quiet Office man he had assumed an air
Of general manager and gave his orders
and went about his work as if it was
his own. And how he strove. Two,
three and four weeks pass and the in
surance had been settled, warehouse
hastily erected, new goods bought and
plans for much more pretentious
store Of brick considered and selected.
As soon as possible business had been
commenced and everything that could
be done was done, and all :his time
Josiah Jameson could not move hand
or foot. but lay in his home and thanked
heaven that such a man as Tom Bur
rows lived. In tie office new book
keeper sat diligently fathoming the
mysteries Of the files of statements and
sheets of figures, and when Tom came
in after his days work and examined
the efforts of his junior, and oftentimes
with studied severity corrected this or
disentanged that, Jean Jameson
blushed and held her face closer to the
books. Thus they spent night aitcI
night.
Then letter came to Tom from
home, and it contained news of much
import to him. His father, by some
lucky disposal of property, had tided
over the depression and was again in a
financial position 70 assist his son, and
even dictated what that son should at
once do. All day he moodily pondered
over the contents which, strange to
say, had brought no joy to him, but in
the evening he threw his whole mind
into the office work with such fervor
that Hiss Jean had t, stand idly by in
wonder At last the task was COM
pleted and he turned about and looked
his helper squarely in the face. With
a womans perception she read trouble
in his Ynz and her checks blanched to
a whiter hue. The deep traces ot the
unaccustomed worry and toll were
painfully apparent.
Miss Jean" he began, looking away
into space, IL have news from home
today, and perhaps it is bad news for
somebody, too. You can get johnson
from the store to take my place as he
knows the affairs more clearly than
any of the rest, and then as spring
comes on and your father gains in