Year: 1876

control ones thoughts, you know" re-
turned Alice, with a shake of the head
that was comically serious.


VERY WE'LL" said Mr.. Dean; "then I
must put you in straight jacket, and keep
you where you will be in no danger Of
doing mischief"


Here the pretty incendary burst into
her usual merry laugh, kissed her father,
bade him good night, and went to her
own room, coming back to say


81 won't burn the barn tonight, papa,
so you can rest in peace"


1t was late in March, and the day had
been very warm; one of those sultry DAYS
which sometimes comes Unexpectedly,
and, taking US unawares, half PROSTATE US
with their sudden heat. Clouds had been
threatening all the evening. great masses
which seemed to gather blackness as thew
rolled westward, and at midnight low
growls of thunder began to break the
stiffness, and the big drops of rain to pat
ter noiselessly against the window pane.


Alice awoke, and Law watching the vivid
flashes which now and then lighted up
her room, and left it in blacker darkness
than before, when suddenly there came
sharp. deafening crash, then peal after
peal of thunder. which seemed to shake
the old house to its very foundations, and
TO shiver and vibrate through its every
inch of mortar and stone.


Alice buried her head among the bed.
clothes. and lay quaking with fear and
half benumbed by the shock. When she
at last ventured to uncover her head, and
look out from her retreat, the room was
all aglow, every object in it as plainly
nt <Invy Il
lightning, for it remained, steady and un-
Interrupted, each moment growing bright
er and brighter. Jumping from her bed.
she rushed 10 the window, and saw sight
which chained her to the spot. forgetful of
everything but what was before her.


The barn was in flames!


The lightning had struck it and set fire
to its contents. Tons upon tons of hay
were burning fiercely. Their dry masses
kindled into huge red mountain of roar
ing, leaping flames, shone luridly upon
the black sky, ard glared over the country
for miles around.


In the weird, fitful beauty of the scene
Alice was for the time totally unmindful
that it was of any direct. personal interest
to her; but when it suddenly occurred to
her what it was, she flew to her fathers
room, half wild with excitement and de-
light.


Mr.. Deans room was on the opposite
side of the house, and he had seen no
signs of the fire. Being o sound sleeper,
the thunder had only partially disturbed
him, so that he was no more than half
awake when Alice came bouncing to his
bedside, exclaiming:-


"Oh, papa, papa the barn is burning;
but didn't do it. You see l was right,
though; for Providence has taken the
affair into his own hands, and saved me
the trouble"


"Alice, are you crazyp said Mr. Dean,
as by the dim light of the night lamp he
saw her whirling about the room, per-
forming rapturous pas seal, and looking,
in her long white gown, like a very frisky
goat. She had no little trouble in con-
vincing her father that she was in her
right mind, and inducing him to follow
her, as she hurried back to her post by the
window, to watch the remainder of the
brilliant spectacle.


There was no more sleep that night for
the family in the stone house: and when
morning broke, cloudless and beautiful
after the storm. there lay the untarnished
landscape spread out before them in all its
old, familiar beauty. and Marshall's barn
a heap Of ruins at their feet.


For one short week Mr.. Dean and his
daughter rejoiced over this unlooked-for
delverance. They blessed the storm, aud
congratulated themselves morning, noon
and night. as they gazed upon the un-
broken prospect which had never seemed
half SO charming before.


Then there began to be a stir among
the few charred and blackened timbers
which the fire has spared-fresh ones were
deposited beside them, load after load of
building materials arrived, and, to their
utter dismay, they learned that the barn
was to be rebuilt. Mr.. Dean remonstra-
ted to no purpose, and friendly neighbors
vainly tried their persuasions on the OBJ
stinate old man. Young Marshall, who
was deeply mortified and greved at his
fathers course, eXerted all the eloquence
which he possessed to prevent the carry
ing out of this malicious design; but the
only reply which he received was, "See
here, my boy. you come and 60 as you
choose, and interfere with none of your
plans. You act your pleasure, and shall
act mine."


SO the work went on with all possible
speed, and raising day was at hand. A
crowd had gathered, as was usual on such
occasions in the country. The hugh frame
was being slowly hosted to Its place, with
loud shouts and cheers and heave a.hoys,
when some part of the structure suddenly
gave way, and timber after timber came
tumbling to the ground. Two or three
men received ugly knocks and hard bruis-
es, but all escaped without serious injury
with one exception. John Marshall lay
upon the ground under heavy timber,
with broken arm, and alstream of blood
flowing from wound in his head, cut by
sharp stone, upon which he had struck
in falling.


He was taken up insensible, and laid
upon the grass; water was dashed in his
face to revive him. and his head was bound
up in handkerchiefs to stop the flow of
blood. A doctor. who was quickly brought
to the spot, sewed up the wound and BAN
daged the disabled arm.


What is to be done with him" he
asked, with grave face, as be concluded
the operation. ITO move him any dis
tance in his present condition would sure
ly prove fatal"


Bring him into my house, and we win