Year: 1870

ONE of our oldest merchants, who is so
soon to pass away, and who formerly car
ried on business in Beaver street, residing
AS it was the custom in olden times
over his store, tells the following thrilling
narrative, which he occasionally relates
with wonderful effect A party had been
collected at his house to give eclat to one
of those little family festivals which
brighten the dark trace of life, and cheer
the human heart in every CLINE. 1t was
his daughters wedding day crowds of
her young acquaintances circled round
her, and as the father gazed proudly on
the face of the young bride, he wished as
bright a prospect might open for his other
children who were gambOling merrily
among the crowd Passing through the
passage connecting the lower rooms he
met the servant maid, an ignorant country
girl, who was carrying a lighted tallow
candle in her hand without candlestlck.
He blamed her for this dirty conduct, and
went on into the kitchen to make some
arrangements with his wife about the sup
per table the girl shortly returned with
her arms full of ale bottles, but without the
candle. The merchant Immediately recol
lected that several barrels of gunpowderhad
been placed in his cellar during the day,
and that his foreman had opened one OF the
barrels to select sample for customer.
"Where is your candle ?" he inquired in
the utmost agitation. 81 couldn't bring
it up with me, for my hands were full" !"
said the girl. "Where did you leave IL :!


"Well, I'd no candlestick, so l stuck IT
into some black sand that's there in one
of the tubs" The merchant dashed down
che cellar steps; the passage was long and
dark, and as he CROPPED his way on, MS
knees threatened to give way under him |;
his breath was choked, and his flesh seemed
suddenly to become dry and parched, as
if he had already felt the sutfocatlng blast
of death. At the extremity of the pas
sage, in the front cellar, under the very
room where his children and their friends
were reveling in felicity, he discerned the
open powder barrel, full almost to the top
the candle stuck lightly in the loose
grains, with long red snuff of burnt-out
wick topping the small and gloomy flame.
| This sight seemed to wither all MS
powers, and the merry laugh OF the
youngsters above struck upon his
heart like the knell of death. lie
stood for some moments gazing upon tna'
light, unable to advance. The fiddler
commenced lively jig, and the feet OF
dancers responded with increased vivaclty
the floor shook with their exertions, anC
the loose bottles in the cellar Iingled with
the motion. He fancied the candle was
movcd-was fallingl With desperate en-
ergy he dashed forward but how was ne
to remove it? The slightest touch woulc
cause the small live coal OF wick to ial
into the loose powder. With unequale,e
presence Of mind he placed hand eacf
side of the candle, with the open palm!
upward, and the distended fingers pointed
toward the object of his care, which a.
his hands gradually met, was secured II
the clasping or locking of his fingers, ant
safely removed from the head OF the bar
rel When he reached the head OF TIT
stairs, the excitement was over; he smiled
at the danger he had conquered; but TN
reaction was too powerful, he fell into mt
of most violent and dreadful laughter
He was conveyed senseless to bed, an'
many weeks elapsed ere hin nerves re
covered sufficient tone to allow him to Ie
sumo his habits of every day liie. .'-Ne'


York Commercial Advertiser.


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