Year: 1859

she. '0h, my unfortunate young lady =
Where is she 7 where is she2 Can nobody
tell me where the Honorable Miss Krusb-
iorn is gone


Two ladies we're now standing on the
little bridge which crossed the river Klar,
watching the fire. They were the pastors
wife, Mts. Dahl, and Mimmi Svanberg


'Ah, my present ? said the former, Il
felt such an evident impression last evening,
that great misfortune hung over the town.
The poor, poor people -


A hand lightly touched the shoulder Of
the pastors wife, and a gentle voice said,
This is a terrible sight, dear Mrs. Dahl.
What is to be done Could we not help
the poor creatures one way or other.


The pastors wife turned round and rec
ogniZed the young and lovely Countess p,
who dressed in q quilted petticoat, with
silk shoes on her feet, and shawl over her
head, had FASTENED from the house, which
they inhabited for time, and was now on
her way to the fire.


of certainty we ought to do so,' said
the ever ready Mimm Syanberg, at least,
|, who am strong The Countess and Mrs.





here and run the risk of taking cold, but
go home and order coffee and soup to be
made for the poor sufferers, for l fancy
there will soon be great need of it |
have ordered my LoviSa to set on the large
coifee-pot-l left papa himself busy grind
ing.


'Ah, good heavens have you none of
you seen my noble young lady cried a
shrill, desparing voice, aud the three ladies
presently behed Mrs. TuppIunder, in
costume almost as remarkable as her looks
were wild, coming toward them, as if on
flying feathers. Where, where can she be
gone p


Where was she when yon saw her last,
dear Mrs. Tupplander |? asked Mimmi Swan
berg.


'Ah, she was in the midst Of my salting-
tubs replied Mrs. Tupplander, because,
although the fire had not reached my house,
yet it might do so without giving notice,
aud, therefore, l resolved to get all my
things iuto place of safety and ] aud
all my people carried off what we could
But just as thought that we had got most
Of the things safe, and that Miss KrushjOrn
should keep watch over them, she-was
nowhere to be found. and nobody can tell
me where she is goue But when | saw
her last she was among the saiting-tubs


Then she will come there again. said
Mimmi Svanberg, consoingly ; because,
If she has once safely escaped the fire, she
will assuredly not run into it again.


Yes, but who knows that p said Mrs.
TuppIander, refusing to be comforted the
fire makes people lose their wits All, my
poor KruSIjorn My poor young lady =


i will go and give orders for making
soup, said The pastors wife that is a
good idea. Fortunately we have lately
killed bullock


And / will order both soup and coffee,
said the yourg Countess but now should
like to help the poor people save their things.
Look, there are two young girls, who are
carrying bed, and almost staggering un-
der their load. There is certainly sick
person in the bed. Let US help them
| In the bed lay poor old sick woman
from he Great Rubbish Quarter. She lay
crippled with the rheumatism, and heard
thrust their red tongues through the cracks
of the walls, and thought to herself i
must be burned here in my bed, because
nobody will think Of me, poor wretch =


But two very young girls-young bag
cages us they are called in the quarter,
because there clothes were ragged, and
they could not get into service for want of
better clothing-they thought of the poor
old creature, and one said to the other {:


let us 20 and save the poor soul


And with that they burst open the door
carried out the bed in which was the old
woman, and so through the burning streets
in the direction of the King's,feld but
the bed was heavy, and they were nearly
sinking beneath their burden, when two la
dies were seen Fastening toward their aid
These were Mimmi Svanberg and the young
Countess. With their help the old woman
was brought into the field, in safety from
! the flames, and the Countess took off her
own shawl to defend her from the cold,
whereupon she, spite Of all her prOteSta-
tions, was wrapped in the wooler jacket
which Mimmi Svanberg wore under her
cloak. After that the two hastened to help
others who also were heavily laden.
Every moment increased the Rumber of
the hOuSeeSs who fed to the Kings field.


And with every moment the cOndagra-
tiOn grew and wind rose more and more.
1t was an awful sight. Nevertheless, it
was impossible for MImmi Syanberg to avoid
smiling, as she saw Mrs. Tuppiander fut-
tering about in her extraordinary costume,
seeking among the crowds of fugitives, and
necessarily crying, My noble young lady
Has nobody seen my noble young lady !
Sometimes she shrieked aloud in a shrill
voice, Miss KruSbjorn = But no voice
replied


The Countess p. and Mimmi Svanberg
had now met with an active fellow-wOrk in
their Samaritan labor This was Hertha,
who had 10 sooner seen her own family in
safety, grouped at the foot of large oak
tree, than she haStened to render all the help
in her power To other homeless people.


1t was noon, and no bounds were set to
the destructive element, which seemed as
if it might extend its ravageS over the whole
Of the town. The mass of the people and
the town authorities were now ulke with
out courage or counsel, and scarcely any
further attempts were made to stem the