Year: 1875

great Dustle and eontuslon-people
running hither and thither, women
screaming, and the clouds of steam and
of smoke that usually foated around the
building seemed increased hundred
fold. A curve in the road brought us
full in front of the mills, and in mo-
ment I saw that the largest of them, the
one where my little Pearlie spent her
weary days, was on fire. Dense clouds
of smoke, mingled with tiny tongues of
flame, were issuing from the windows,
frightened operatives were rushing from
the burning building, trampling each
other under foot in their mad haste, and
the whole scene was one of unutterable
horror and dismay.


"The train was stopped. In mo-
ment we were all on our way toward the
burning mill, I among the first. All !
Jack, think what felt when I heard q
terror-stricken group of men crying out
'Where is Miss Smith, She is nowhere
to be found ! She was known to have
been in the Office when the alarm of fire
was given, and has not been seen since. ,
Up the stairs I rushed like a madman,
burst through the door of the Office, and
there, with her hands elapsed and her
head lying on the open page of her
ledger, lay the girl I loved. In a mo-
ment I had my coat off, wrapped it over
her head, and clasping her as closely as
l could, lest those demoniac darting
tongues of fame and falling cinders
should touch her, I Carried her down the
burning, cracking staircase safe into the
fresh air. What cheer they gave us,
Jack Then there was dull, rumbling
sound, crash, and myriads of sparks
went shooting up like stars into the
smoke-clouded air. One of the walls
had fallen.


"But I do not remember anything
further until I woke up and found my
self in bed, with little blue-eyed nurse
bending over me with tender hands, one
of which I kissed and captured and
never lost sight of until I had decorated
it with wedding ring. One day, Jack,
when we were first engaged, I asked her
why she had made no attempt to get
out of the mill when she heard the cry
of Fire 7 What do you suppose she
told me9 That I had gone away, and
she thought it would be easier to die
there in the fire than to live her life
without me. Think of it, Jack. Just
fancythe fair Judith allowing herself to
be burned to death because her lover had
left her All, my little wife, my coun-
try daisy I wish you could have seen
her when I brought her home, so fright
ened at my magnifcence, SO over-awed
by the grim-visaged portraits looking
down from their perches on the drawing
room walls. I was obliged to reassure
her by telling her that if she persisted
in being SO frightened, should have to
dispose of my ancestors as Charles Sur
face did. Fancy the first settlers
knocked down at auction, so much per
head !"


But the imperial Judith 2"


"The fire had burned all recollection
of her out of my head. The pride oi
the Knickerbockers had also disappear
ed in the flames, and when I learned
my little Pearlie's sad and simple his
tory think I loved her all the better fol
her humble, nameless birth. Her moth
er was farmers daughter, who mar
ried q astrolling vagabond by the name O.
Smith. She afterward had reason tt
think the name was assumed, but sht
clung to him faithfully until he wa
found drowned under the mill one day
and then she died herself in giving birtl
to Pearlie, or Margaret, as they callet
her. Judith, friend Jack, still retains
her maiden estate, though she replaced
me in two weeks by a French count
Now if you are looking out for wife"


"Don't, my boy. Are there no NOR,
burning mills in New England? Thos,
blue eyes haunt me. want to see then
again.


81 don't know whether I'll let you."


Hark isn4 that baby's cry 2"


"Of course it is; bouncing young
ster, the honor of whose paternity


claim" -..


"Let's go and take q look at him."


"All right. I don't mind your ad
miring the child"


Arm in arm they go up stairs, wher
o little woman who is not Knicker
booker kneels in maternal alteration be
fore the cradle of a young tyrant who is


A Famous Horse.