Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-09-06

Olu JOSIAH Wdtcneu ner every move,
and how the staid. old fashioned home
of the Jamiesons became the center of
the fashionable house parties and after
nooon teas. Then as crowning tri.
butte to the witcheries, young DIR. Ames,
voted by all the mothers of marriagea-
BILE daughters as the SWEETEST match in
the district, had quite lost his heart to
this coquettish little heiress.
Since the first day they met Tom
had fought down his feelings by apply
ing himself to his desk with redoubled
vigor, endeavoring to convince him
self that his opinion of her was much
the reverse of favorable. On this night
in question he had ceased to wrestle
and upon the eve of resignation to the
hand of fate he had summed the whole
matter up and voted himself one of the
greatest fools that ever lived. A square
pink envelope lay unopened upon his
dresser. and after arriving at this fairly
satisfactory conclusion he tore off the
head and scanncdIthe contents, although
he could have guessed what it contained.
1t was an invitation which the youthful
mistress of the Jameson household had
sent him to spend the evening, no doubt
prompted by the advice of her father
The weather had developed into one of
those January blizzards which periodi
cally sweep across the Northwest prairie
almost overwhelming the town which
lay within its circle, and Tom was loath
to brave its fury foi such II cause, and
yet unconsciously he began to dress,
and in time he had reached the home of
his employer. To his surprise he found
that but one guest besides himself had
been hidden. none other than DIR. Ames.
who of late had been almost constant
visitor.
Supper had been served. While Jean
and fine doctor conversed III low tones
at one end of the long drawing room,
Tom sat at the other with Mr.. Jameson
and exchanged mutual condolences on
the business aspect of the coming sea-
son. Yet he was not wholly Indifferent
to the scene before him. The little lady
looked peculiarly bewitching and alto
gether disdainful, and to his eye she was
playing her cards with the young medi-
cal with tact and grace which appar.
emily absorbed his entire attention. The
hour was wearing slowly along, to Tom
especially, and then hurried summons
at the door brought Mrs. Jamison from
the regions of the dinning room in an
swer. A sudden noise. as of people
scurrying past. followed. and Tom real
lied that the call of fire had been raised
Mrs. Jameson cried out i'll a frightened
voice that it was the mill, aud then Tom
out OH the street.
Already the flames. caught by the
storm that howled without. were light.
ing up the town like 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
streamers wrapt about the milland 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. Followed
by number of men he thawed 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
tered little to him then. for covering
female, wrapped in a mighty fur lined
cloak. had look up into his face through
a mist of tears and had said something.
He never tarried to hear what it was.
but leaped again into the battle royal.
In the early morning a smouldering
heap of ashes and half burnt woodwork
alone marked the spot where Jameson =
store and mill had stood, and around it
i'll "a jumbled up mass was the merchan-
disc 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 through the
gigantic efforts of the men and forum.
ate veering of the wind.
Josiah Jameson had been seized with
Il paralytic stroke during the destruction
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 a 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 insurance had
been settled. warehouse hastily erect
ed, new goods bought. ana plans for a
much more pretentious store of brick
considered and selected. As soon as
possible business had been comm enced
and everything that could be done, and
all this time Josiah Jameson could not
move hand or foot, but lay in his home
and thanked heaven that such man as
| Tom Burrows lived. In the Office