Year: 1878

Charley, seizing the scrap Of candle. and,
N the energy. extracting it from the
humble socket which contained it. I
really believe it was nothing more than q
bottle. 1--WE shan't be gone a minute
You can stay in the dark, Mary, until We
return"


It was useless for Mary to protest,
which she did emphatically, asserting that
she would not allow the young men to go
messing themselves over with all that
nasty tallow. Charley would wait for no
apologies; and thrusting the scrap of
tallow-candle end into my hand, for he
was guide and knew the way and the
whereabouts Of the article which we had
come to find, he preceded me through
the surgery into the deserted celler.


Charley's search was not at first quite
successful. could do nothing towards
assisting him, but stood patiently in the
middle of the cellar with the scrap OF
candle-end gradually diminishing be-
tween my fingers, the wick getting -s!eng
er and longer and the hight more and
more obscure.


At last Charleys voice spoke encour-
agement. My part of the transaction
was not lively one, and I felt partic-
ularly glad that we were not to return to
the dIawing-room discounted. Boys
don't like to be thought stupid, and to
have returned to the doctor emty-handed
would have been the signal for vollcy of
''chaff" from the doctor a.nd chorus from
the expectant ladies.


"Here's the tramway sure enough" said
Charley, from behind two old packing
cases, "but l can't get it out without your
help. Just put that bcastly candle down
somewhere and give US hand behind
here"


Charley's request was easier made than
accomplished. The "beastly CANDLE" as
he chose to call it, was naked and unpr
tected by any candlestick, and to keep
the light in under these circumstances
was not such an easy matter. We were
not at all anxious to be left in the dark,
which tate very nearly overlook US, for I
made three dismal attempts at setting up
the candle, and failed egregiously on
every occasion.


Charley was getting impatient, and
again summoned me to his assistance in
authoritative tones from behind the large
packing. cases.


A bright thought suddenly struck me.
At my side was an open bag containing
sandal least, it seemed like sand to me;
but had no time to stop and examine
its contents very closely. plunged the
candle end into the sand, and to my joy
saw that 1t stood up firmly in its impro,np-
! ta, roctino r,1aoo PnN oD,lS ho1>>
noticing that the wick had now got to an
enormous size, and that at its end was an
ugly fiery lump which threatened every
moment to detach itself and tumble
among the sand. I went to Charley's
assistance, and by dint of good deal of
pulling and hauling we managed at last
to extricate the doctors tramway from its
obscure hiding place.


We emerged from behind the packing
cases.


"Where did you put the candle2" said
Charley; for the light had now got so
dim that it was difficult matter to see
at all.


"ln that bag of sand.'


"Bag of sand !"-wherc?"
! went towards it. I heard a crash be-
hind me. The tramway had fallen from
Charley's shoulder, and I felt myself
suddenly dragged back just as had got
within reach of the candle.


heard but three words, aud they we're
not spoken, but literally Kissed into my
ears.


Sand! It's gunpowder!''


I very nearly dropped. That awful
cold shiver which we have most of US ex-
perie2ced, ran all over me, and then l
turned around aud faced Charley. he
looked like death, and cold sweat was
breaking out on his face. There was no
time to be lost. An enormous blossom of
red fire was now hanging to the charred
wick, which any moment might fall
among the gunpowder, and then it was
easy to guess what would follow. There
was enough there to blow up the house
twenty times over.


"Does your hand shake2" said Charley.
DO you think you dare try?"


My nerve-1 was very yonng, you must
remember-was quite gone. I tried once
twice; ana SO did Charley; but we were
both trembling in every limb. A nervous
twitch Of the hand would have destroyed
ever soul in that house in less than min
ute. Charley had said rightly that there
was no time to be lost. There was little
good in our standing there looking at one
another and waiting for death. There we
were powerless to save one another or any
one, had been proved.


| Charley was the bolder of the two;
and luckily knew his way in the dark
He literally dragged me out of the cellar.
| l did not know where I was going, and
expected that every mement would be my
last. At last heard him say:


"Mary! Mary! say, look here! we've
forgotten that bit of candle you lent US.
You'd better 60 and fetch it now, or some
think or other may catch fire. Run along
at once will you2''


Hand in hand we stood in the dark
stone passage. Two minutes would de
eide our fate. It was decided in less
than one. We were saved.


The servant knew nothing about the
gubpowder, and so fearlessly approached
it, snatched up the candle and joined us
in the passage.


It was a marvellous escape certainly,
and the wonder Of it was considerably
heightened by our being told afterwards
that the charred end Of the wick dill fall,
but upon the floor, and within loot of
the exposed gunpowder, I think VIC both
added little warm boyish thanksgiyen
to our prayers that night. We are big
boys beth of US now, but doubt ifeither
Of US will forget our adventure with the
the end of the candle"
"Where are the friends of my youth !"
sang wretched vocalist at Boston con-
cert. As he came off the stage into the