Year: 1875

tnen 1ell ike lump OF lead IN nv
bosom. A cloud of thick. dense
smoke distinctly defined against the
clear sky beyond, rose above the tree
tops. ! tried to speak but could not
utter word.


At last said, steadying my voice,
II think it must he the Morrison's.
Isn't it to the left of our house?"


NO" he said quickly, as he seized
the whip and urged old Whitley to
his utmost speed. "Don't you re-
member that when we are at the top
OF the hill the smoke from our chin
ney rises just over the center of that
little group of eedars?


Alas! / did remember; and as he
spoke; we reached the summit and
sa9 enough to change our fears to
certainty. Neither spoke, but each
turned and looked at the other with
quivering lips and dilatlng eyes.


"My heavens! and l have locked
them inr'


/ was fairly beside myself with ter
ror. fel. as if l must leap from the
vehicle and fly to their rescue.
Old Whitley seemed to understand
that life or death depended on his
efforts and he exerted himself nobly.


On we flew, down the hill, dashing
through the little stony brook that
crossed the road over the tumble
down bridge, whose rotten boards
ratified and started up from their
places, past the hedgerows, that look
ed like one continuous mass of flying
green; past little cottages with the
children staring from the doors;
thinking of nothing, caring for no
thing but to rescue our darlings. L
buried my face in my hands, and rock
edto and fro in my seat, almost be-
reft of reason, rs l thought of the
scene that might be awaitingus. I'm
agination conjured up all the dread
full tales | had heard or read to add to
my horror. Once only | raised my
head, and saw, or fancied | saw, slen-
der tongues of flame cleaving the
mass of smoke, which had by this
time increased fearfully in volume
and density.


At last, after what seemed an age,
but was in reality only few minutes,
we reached the bottom of the lane
which led to our cottage. The an
gle was 4 sharp one, and we turned
with such a speed as to send the hind
wheel f the old pheton high in the
air.


How l got out l never knew. ]
am sure | did not wait for the horse
to be stopped. Rushing to the door,
/ threw myself against it with such
force as to break it in. The room
was full of smoke, but as the open
door dissipated it little, l saw that
it was empty! Then suffocated by
the smoke and overpOwered by eX-
citement, fell fainting to the floor.


When consciousness returned, /
found myself in the house of neigh
Dor, with the children all about me,
pretty well frightened, of course, but
entirely unhurt.


How the fire originated was a mys-
terry which we could never unravel.
Grace sitting with her back to the
stove, and with her attention entirely
absorbed by the pictures in the fami-
ly Bible, did not see it until Rover,
the Newfoundland dog, who had
been quietly doing by her side, at
tracted her notice by his evident un-
easiness; after which he sprang
through the window, fortunately TAX
ing the whole sash bodily with him,
and running at full speed to the
nearest house, soon returned with
some of it's inmates.


Grace, in the meantime, bravely
letting down the two elder children
through the window, which was only
about four feet from the ground, took
the baby from the cradle and was
about to follow, when the neighbOr
arrived. The house being old, and
built as such houses usually are, OF
the most combustible materials, not
withstanding all efforts, soon became
. a blackened, smoking ruin.


Rover and old Whitley lived to a
good old age, and were ever afterward
held in affectionate remembrance for
their services on that occasion.


One evening, about year after
ward, as we sat in our new house,
built on the site of the old one, but
more commodious and comfortable in
every respect, 1 remarked, shat the
fire had benefited us in at least one
way, for unless the old house had
been actually consumed we should
never have had the new one"
81 felt the benefit of it in another
way" said my husband, gravely; ''it
has taught me never to put off doing
anything which should be done al
once until more convenient season
If the harness had given way on thai
day, where l mended it so slightly
before we started, although it would
not have interferred with the safe
ty of our children, it would have
added ten fold to our anxiety
! because it would have delayed on
! reaching them. l made a VOW thel
!, that if we were permitted to reacl
q home without accident, l would us
!, my utmost endeavors to overcome tn
r habit of procrastination; and | thinl
= you will allow that l have been pret
= ty successful, so that, in more thai
! one respect, we have reason to regar'


that as a memorable ride"
4 A MOST extraordinary religion