Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-09-02
cord, a wan

Ut Is kind OF you, str.n
myself, l knew perfectly well-in my
own cold, suspicious, world hardened
nature. But faith grew with love, and
there came an hour when gave my
self up completely and without ques-
ton to that beautiful and gentle WON
an. the first and only passion Of my
'tumultuous Me.
The Old servant, Gascoyne, puzzled
me not little. ! had always felt a
profound pity for him and had never
failed to speak kindly to hun. Eyi-
IDENTITY had won his regard. But
could not understand his actions. Two
or three times when l met him ON the
stairs on my way to his mistress room
he had Detained me Us II he had meant
to tell me something, but his courage
seemed to fail. and he had gone on,
grooming and muttering to himself in
Once as paused at Henriette's door
before knocking ! heard the old mans
voice raised In loud, quavering accents:
II tell you, won't have 1t. He has
been kind to me, and won't have him
made game Of"
II think you had better attend to your
own AFFAIRS" replied the clear. cold
voice Of Henriette. ~ do not require
your advice. Leave mo-"
The old man came stumbling out Of
the apartment. As he saw me he
caught me convulsively by the arm.
.Don't go in thereF' he whispered
hoarsely. Don't, sir, don't! Go away!
Don't see her again! ! warn you, She
"Gascoyne, who is thereY' asked the
calm sweet voice of his mistress from
within. The old man seemed actually
to collapse. His hand dropped from
my sleeve, and his head dropped In its
habitual attitude of humility
.'Mr. Gallatin, madame" he respond
ed hastily why don't you go in, sir?
She expects you"
II am afraid 1 shall have to pension
poor Gascoyne.' she said gently as I
entered and seated myself Es1r her.
some every day. Yet shrink from do
ing so. he has been in my family since
my mother was young CIR"
was called away from the hotel the
same night upon sudden and urgent
business. During the journey I came
to fixed resolution. II Henriette Dom
court would accept me. would make
her my wife. And had hope yes, If
my experience Of women went for any
thing she loved me. The old haze Of
doubt had cleared away from my mind.
There was no longer discordant note
4 in the anthem Of love which my heart
sang.
reached the city, on my return, an
hour before midnight. AS drove to-
ward the hotel. n fire engine dashed
past with clangor of bells, trampling
Of hoofs and shouting Of the rabble.
The sky grew lurid red over the house.
tops us we approached our destination,
and finally the driver pulled up sharp
~.
I. Cant take you any farther. SIR" he
said. Your hotel is afire."
And Henriette! I sprang out OF the
cab, pushed my way through the crowd.
thrust aside the policemen who would
have stayed me and arrived in the
street before the blazing building. My
own rooms upon the second floor were
oil atiame. but I gave no heed to them.
my gaze was fixed upon Henriettee
windows on the fifth floor. A thick
cloud Of black smoke was pouring from
them. caught passing fireman by
the arm and shouted a frantic question
In his ear.
He shook his bead. He did not know
who had escaped or who yet remained
in the burning edifice. At this instant
q wild. universal shrek from the crowd
drew my attention to the burning
building again. There, In one Of the
windows on the fifth floor, stood q
weird figure. 1t was that Of an old
man waving his arms In passionate ap-
peal to those below. recognized him
1t was Gascoyne!
Jump! Jump" mo; don't Jump
"Waitp' Ladders! Laddersr Hurry!
There! Shove up those laddersp' Great
heaven! He will be burned to deathl'
Where are those laddersY'
1 Amid such a confusion of cries, unit
ing in the awful roar Of voices, the
firemen worked with desperate haste.
Ladders were fastened together and
raised to the window, and even before
they fell into place gallant fellow
was leaping upward from rung to rung.
With my heart beating SO fiercely that
1t seemed as II i must suffocate / stood
gazing dazedly at the fearful scene be-
fore me-
"Too late! Too later groaned the
crowd as the flames began to shoot In
spiteful orange hued tongues from the
top Of the easement Suddenly the old
man disappeared. HE is gone! He ia
gone!'
But Just as the f1remen reached the
sill the weird figure reappeared ut the
window, bearing In his arms the imam.
innate body Of q woman. Weak and
tremulous as had known him, Gas
coyne seemed now endowed with the
vigor of n giant. He passed his bur
den to the fremen, who bore 1t rapidly
down the swaying ladder.
For moment the forms Of rescueI
and rescued We're hidden by cloud Of
smoke which had eddied across them
Then I beheid them again near the
ground. But meantime, either weak.
ened by the double weight or attacked
by the flames. the upper portion Of the
ladder had bent side~ise, and ms Old
mans escape was cut or.
He stood at the window, with hie
hands c.asped before him, apparently
needless Of the agonizlng cries Of the
crowd beneath. The brilliant light
falling upon his aged features revealed
them TRANSPORTED. 10 me ut least
there seamad snmnthinr almnat holy.