Year: 1872

second fat, while fierce tongues of flame were already leaping along the roof. A crowd of men were hurrying confusedly | about with buckets and pails of water. In the centre of a group of women found our maid, Mary, stretched on the grass n a swoon. "My wife!" I exclaimed, as I rushed forward, "where is she ?" "God knows, sir" said one of the men,; VIC have twice tried to reach the second fiat, but were each time driven back by the smoke and fire.' Without uttering a word entered the house, and ran along the lobby. The stair fortunately, was built of stone, but the woodwork on each side was one mass of blazing and cracking flame. Before 1 had taken three steps fell back, blinded, fainting, and half suffocated with the smoke. Two men who had followed me caught me in their arms, and tried to re- straln me by force from endeavoring to ascend again. "Don't attempt it," they said "you will only lose your own life, and can't save hers." "Let go, you cow ard ID cried as soon as could speak; and, with the strength of madness, dashed them aside. 1 rushed up the stairs, and this time succeeded in reaching the first landing in safety. The room which we used as our bcdchamber led off small parlor which was situated on this flat. Cropping my way through the smoke, found the door, but, to my horror, it was locked! I dashed myself against it again and again, but it re- sisted all my efforts. To return as had come was now impossible, and knew that the only hope of saving even my own life was to go forward. Despair gave me strength, and lifting my foot, struck it violently against one of the lower panels of the door, It yielded little. Another blow, and it was driven in. I crept through the opening, but so thick was the smoke in the parlor that could distinguish nothing. "Maggie, Maggie p' shrieked, "where are you 2" but no answer was returned. Cross ing the parlor 1 gained cur bedroom door. To my joy 1t was open, and stretched on the floor found the apparently lifeless form of my wife. bent over Ter, and on plac- ing my hand on her heart found that it was still beating lifted her very tender ly and gently, and carried her in my arms to the window, which broke open. Of what followed am only dimly conscious l have a confused remembrance of mon bringing ladder, and strong arms helping us down, and the people cheering but it is all very vague and indistinct. My next recollection is that of finding myself in my fathers house all bruised and weak, but with my own wife bending over me, and tending me with loving hands. We had been burned out of house and home. For tunately every thing was insured but even had it not been so, had been content so | long as she was spared to me.

 On the evening of the next day, when the short winter twilight was fast closing round, and the first snowfakes were falling, Maggie drew little stool close to the cough on which I lay, thinking over the strange events which I have related. I had said nothing to anybody regarding the warning which l had so mysteriously re- celved; and when questioned as 10 what had caused me to return so opportunely, had always made some evasive answer, for I feared that the reality would never have obtained belief

 "Willie," said the soft low voice of my wife, Eff you had not come home" "Hush, my darling. Don't talk like that, for I can't bear even to think of it.'' But it might have been. And do you know, Willie, had such strange dream on that awful night ?"

 "A dream, Maggie2 Tell me what it was."

 "You remember," said she, drawing nearer to me, " the evening you took Mary and me into the telegraph office, and told us all about the batteries, and magnets and electricity. and great many things which we couldn't understand at all, though we pretended to do so, lest you should think us stupid 2"

 | "Perfectlv."

 "And you remember, too, how, when I said that I should like to send message with my own hands, you made me take hold of the handle, and then you guided it, while l sent a message to your brother Robert, who was in the office at Lowestoft then? And the end of it was, Come, home-come home (which repeated over and over again, until I could do it quite we'll without your help"

 turned quickly round, but she was gazlng intently at the fire, and did not perceive the startled look gave her.

 "Well," shc continued, the night be- fore last, when you were away, could not sleep for long time after went to bed ]; and vixen I did sleep, drcamed-such a horrible dream thought that was in your office again; and had fled there be- cause was chased by some Terrible Thing. l did not know what it was, but it was close behind me, and I thought nobody could save me but you. But you were not there, and so I seized the handle, and signed the words, Come home-come homen as you had taught me, thinking that would be sure to bring you. Then, whenyou did not come, felt it's hot breath on my neck, as If it were going to clutch me in it's dreadful arms, and screamed so lond that awoke. The room was all dark, and filled with smoke so thick that when jumped up, I tainted for want of air. And, o Willie, if you had not come just when you did, I might"

 "There, Maggie; don't let us think of what might have been, but rather let us be thankful that we are spared to each other still"

 GALL R1GHT."-How many of us but