SPItc (Jotumbiair,
STcnn!, oj; gulviTltoimj.
(fiefiuaie, one or UirtMIHerlloimA.it il M
fated Mllpi'in lit luv rtlon tort thmi thirteen. .VI
luii'Miiniuuiio mouth 'J in
Twn ". " am
'Hi nil " " ........ .1 m
I'oiir " " Imt. . il w
Half e'oltimn " Ioki
One minimi " I"'1"
II.Mi'iilnr'n mid .ilnilnltintor'H Nolleo,,r. .1 ti
AiuliliH'rt Notice 4 W
J'dlloilnl Nolle n Iwihty rents per line.
Oilier nd el IheiiKhls lUKcrUdiucuutliiit tUM'
ilaleonliuet.
is I'tmuHiten Kvnnt hatuhday, lit
BtoonnlmrR, Columbia Comity, l'n
tppn TlnUrtl-H ft VMr. Ilk narntiee. If lint, nfiM'Iti
diionaii it. Mooiti!,
hlltor of tlio Oomimiua:,
tllooiusburt;, Columbia County, lto,
VOL. I.-NO. 9.
BLOOMSBURG, SATURDAY, J0NJ3 30, JSGU
I'lUCH FIVE CENTS.
UPHE COMING IN OP THE "MER-
MAIDEN."
IIV J RAH iscir.U)W.
tTilR moon In bloaehed m vrhlt m wool,
Ami Just dropping under!
iT.very slnr In gono Imt thrco,
And tlioy kaiiR wldo asunder
riieru's n nea-gho-t All In gray,
A tail abnpo of wonder.
s Tr
i , I am not mil Isded with sleep,
"""'ft'Tlii'Milglit In not rndel
utJlnt lootOiow tlm sea-ghost owmoi
, .,' Vll(i ',aii skirts extended,
, Btonllnit up In tlils.welrd lionr
-iWhcn dusk and down ru blended.
-s. ii .; 'A ,
lepst-i lu nil uiu pit;enii (
I "l M 1 ' Keeping;
L licnru mem n.innj ner yesienui
ft, . n.A. . . i .. .. in.
Mmiuiti iviv ,-t.iv- Mini tiiH-L'in, t . ,
Itiomc with their lioart-hiuiBerslRhcdS
I HUc'k In, and they nrc sleeping.
TOli now with fiineled greetings blent,
ITliey eomrort tlielr long aching;
riio sen of sloon hath Imrno to them
Dwhat would not conic Willi waking,
' But tlm dreams shall most bo truo
In tlinlr blissful breaking.
Tlm stars aro gond, tbo roe-hloom comri,
No blush rif maid Is sweeter;
' "Tho red mm half-way out of bed
'H Shall bo tho Unit to street her;
,. Nono tell the news, yet (deepen wnke,
And rlie.imd rim to meet her.
, Tlielr lost lbeyhae, they hold; from pain
A keener bliss they borrow.
' 'How natural Is Joy, my heart!
HI Ifowi-usy arter sorrow I
'.For oneo, tho best 11 come, that hopo
., rromlsed them " to-morrow,"
SETH IIATIIRON'S FOURTH.
i
I AMVAYri was a binek-browed,
"broad-shouldered bruto of a fellow, al
ways from a boy. At school (not that I
had much of that tort of thins), but at
..school If oUl Miss Peggy found out any
mischief tho laid it to my scoro because
of my looks, when often and often,
while I was holding out my hand to ho
rrulered, the prettiest boy in the school
was grinning over his good-luck in get
ting off so safely. She had her precon
ceived notions of a villain, I presume,
nnd I answered tho description.
. For tho matter of that, of all tho
books and .stories I've read since, espe
cially those written by ladies, I've notic
ed titere isn't one where the burglar, or
forger, or pirate, or what not, who dons
jM tho wickedness of the book as though
lie's taken it on contract, wouldn't do
'forwh! on a passport, while their pets,
who do tho grand and noblo tilings, are
generally slender, and fair, and pretty.
Now tho worst wretch I ever saw one
who was afterward hung, and who do
iflorved hanging richly, oven on his own
-iBhowing had blue oyes, and white
lashes, and a pink mouth liko a girl's.
It's so over and over again ; but it's my
opinion that if women wero put on
tho police, before tho year was over
every hulking, awkward, bilious fellow
whoso eyebrows met would be locked
tup In tho Slate Prison on suspicion.
I never was a favorite with any wo
ininu but my mother, and she died when
I was eight years old. So instead of
growing up with tho idea that most
mien have, that every girl they meet is
ready to fall in love with them, I never
had tho slightest hopo that any ono
would ever liko mo well enough to let
me fall in love with her oven. And I
liked girls so. It was odd for a fellow
liko mo, but how I did liko girls'!
' I never could bear to seo one cry, or to
flicar of their being imposed upon or
hurt. I couldn't pass ono with a heavy
basket or bundle without at least waul
ing to olfer to carry It for her. I could
Hover bring myself to sit in stages or
cars when ono was standing. I. don't
ithink I could If I had been weak or
lame instead of tho giant I was. Yet
I've Hccn yentlcmcn lotiugo with their
hands In their pockets while poor old
Rallies, who might have been theirgraud
"inothers, stood up before them! And
their manners wero good and mine lho.-e
of a bear, and I my.-elf only a working
iinan, who learned all ho ever knew at
old Miss l'eggy's school.
'.Something as a man might havo f"lt
just in sight of the angels, who wero too
much above him to bo spoken to or
touched, 1 felt about all girls. That
lsgood, puro girls. 'When a woman
was Intoxicated or in any way de
based sho never seemed a woman (o
'mo, but a dreadful sort of erealuiv, all
the wor.-u for having something of tho
pretty womanly look about her.
I was a nuker of fireworks, as my
father had been before me. 1 don't
kjuow that I liked tho biHlness particu
larly, but tliero 1 was, and there 1 staid.
I niado good wages, and saved them ;
for I didn't think enough about my
AfccAts t dress much, and 1 never drank.
"'Sulky," tho other men called me.
What of that? It was better to he
umlky than raving mad, as some of them
'wero so surely as Saturday night came
round. J Ion with nico, good-looking
wlves too, whoso children wanted for
hnud and shoes what they spent In
kirluk. 1 never expected to havo a wife
ainil children, but I knew how they
ought to lie used belter than they did.
1 suppose 1 had come to bo twenty
clght or so, and no girl had ever looked
at mo, except as sho might at a tarnish
'polar bear, when, ono day, old Mr.
Williams, tho proprietor of tho place,
iramo to mo us 1 was going homo to din
ner, and said, in his own quick way :
JIathron, can you iliivo'.'"
Yes, sir," said I.
," I want you to take tho wagon and
.go over to tho railroad depot at Ualdwln,
Tuid bring down a now hand and her
traps," hobaid. " Who'll bo tliero at Imlf-
,past twelve, so you'll havo barely time
'o snatch n bite and go j audyoucan havo
' Aw rest of tho day to yourself, If yen
"jiko, as it's Saturday. Jier naino Is
Annlo May."
eforo you can uiulcietuud what ho
meant I must fell you tlmt our place
(thoyealledlttho "No plus ultra l'y.
roteehnie Establishment," bless you!)
employed somo flve-und-twcnty girl's,
and that they generally rami) from a ins
tance, and boarded wliilo they staid
with an old woman close by, all in one
place, to keep them out of harm's way.
Mr. Williams insisted on that, and
had n lot of rules about tho homy they
wero to keep and tho way they Wero to
bchnvo; good rules, and not so rigid
but that there was plenty of Innocent
courting and more than ono wedding In
a season. As for wo men, wo went
where wo chose. Somo put up at the
tavern, (-onto with tho people who
wonhl take n fow hoarders, and those
who lived In tho placo with their fami
lies. There wero vcrj few girls who
had homes there to go to ; for tho vll
lngowasnn uppish kind of place, full
of country-seats and villas, and tho fac
torystood all by Itself, quite a distaneo
away, and tho tavern nnd tho few com
mon houses wore grouped cloe about it,
as if tho others were too genteel to mix
witlt them. So Mrs. Munson's place was
alway.sfull. When anewglrlcanieilown
somebody always had to be sent over to
Baldwin to bring Iter to tho factory. I
had never been before, and why I was
choon this time it was hard to tell.
However, I was willing enough, and
so, when I hud taken a bite, I put on my
best coat and drove over. It was a day
to tempt a man out a beautiful Spring
day, with tender green grass on the
earth and tender pink buds on tho
branches, and in the sky there were
only two or three fleecy bits of cloud:
like carded wool, amidst the bliiencss.
It took only half an hour to get to Iluld
win. I'd have been willing it should
be ten whole ones
Tho train had got in, and there wero
people waiting in the llttlo house at the
depot a couple of stout old ladies, a
gentleman who looked like a mlnMor,
and a young woman. I looked at her
and made up my mind xhe couldn't be
the new hand, not because she was more
dressed than they u-uiiHy were, but bu-eati-e
she wasn't dre.-sed half so much,
(ienerally they had on their brightest
gowns, and big bead-around their necks,
and roses enough in their bonnets to fill a
garden. This girl was all in gray, anil
wore a veil to maieii. The tilings were
cheap and not new, but they made hei
look liko a lady. I walked up and down
and walled. The fat women went away
in a wagon; the clergyman had a gig
sent for him; and there tho girl xU be
side her trunk, looking now and (hen
out of tho window and beginning to
seem auxiotn. At all events 11 could do
no barm to speak ; so I took oil' my hat
and stepped up with a bow,
"I beg your pardon, Miss," said I,
" but has there been anybody here ask
ing about being taken to Mr. Williams'.-
place'."'
"I want to go there myself," she an
swered ; " that is, if yon mean the lire-
work factory. I'm Annie May."
" I do mean the firework factory," 1
said. "Mr. Williams sent mo down to
fetcli you. I'm Seth Ilathron, one of
tho bauds. The wagon is outside ; will
you get in? Wail a bit; I'll put the
trunk in first."
"Shan't I help yottV'sho said, and
she put her little hand to the hiintlU
nearest her. It looked so small 1 burst
out laughing.
" I don't need any help," said I but
I thought I could carry both tho trunk
and its owner together, if I chose, and
she'd let me. She was the smallest
creature, to bo a full-grown woman, that
I ever saw. A piece of tho blue sky for
her eyes, and a bit of the golden stiuhlno
for her hair, and somo of thoe wild
roses that would climb with the bar
berries over the stone fencesseen for her
cheeks, and you know how to paint
her
After I had helped her in and had
taken the reins in my hands, J kept
stealing looks at her and thinking how
beautiful she was; and I tried to tall
about things that would please her, am
pointed out the places on tho road, and
felt that, bright as the day had been be
fore, il was somehow a great deal
brighter now with her be.-ide me
We stopped at M rs. Munson's and sail
good-by. I carried her trunk into the
hull and filled the old lady, and drovt
the horse back to tho stable. Then
Imving a holiday, I got a newspaper
and went out into tho woods llald
win's Woods they called Ihent and
think I knew every tree by heart.
1 sat down by chance under a great
oak, where Jack Vnrue, one of the
hands, had carved .1. V. for his name
and O. Ci. for Olivo (J ivy's, and had put
a ring around them both; and an 1
looked at tho work foil to wondering
why Jack Vnrno should have a sweet
heart and I none, and whether It was
only his pretty face or something or
other in our ways that made all girl,
like him and none me. And some
how I felt lonesome and unhappy, and
couldn't read my paper, and sat down
with my head on my hands, sulkic
than ever, I stippo-e, to look at. Maybe
it was an hour, nuiybo two, Hint 1 ,sit
there before 1 heard a step coming ov
tho grass, and looking up, siw the gir
I had driven over from llaldwin
Annie May coming toward me. She
did not seo moat first ; but when sho did
she started and stopped, and smiled at
mo lust as I'd seen other girls smile
often at other men, but never unco at
mo before that moment, I never thought
what I was doing, but held out m.v
great brown paw and shook hands with
her its If wo had been friends for years.
" I found there was nothing for me to
tin In the f'niWrti-v until M.iniliiv ' shi
mid, " and I camo out to seo what these
woods wero like. It's a pretty place."
"I'rcttler In Summer," I said, "and
prettiest of. all lu Autumn, when the
leaves are burned gold and scarlet."
" IllkoSpringbe.st,"shosaid; "every
thing is now nnd fresh, and Just begun.
In Autumn everything Is nearly over
and that is sad.''
"I don't mind It," I said; " I haven't
gay disposition, I suppose," I said.
Hut look hero If you liko fresh young
things I'll show you something ;" nnd 1
took her to Where, behind a fallen log,
tho first Spring Violets always grow.
There wero n dozen thcro now, nnd sho
went down on her knees to smell them.
Sho would only pick one, though; It
seemed wrong, sho said.
That one, after wo bad walked for an
hour or so, somehow dropped out oHior
hair. Sho did not know it, but I did;
and when she hud gone homo I went
back and found It lying on tho path and
put it in my. booni. It was so sweet
:md fresh and beautiful that I could but
think It was liko her. I liked to think
Oh, what a day that was forme!
What a night when 1 dreamed it over I
Next day was the Sabbath, and I did
what I'd never done before. After I
was dre.-sed, and angry with myself for
not looking handsomer all tho while I
stood boforo the glass, I went over to
Mrs. Munson's and asked for Miss May.
Sho camo down in a muslin dress and
a pretty bonnet with pale blue ribbons ;
mil I remember stammering out some
thing about thinking she might like to
go to church and would like to know
the way. That was all uon-ense, of
course, for there was the steeple in full
sight, but it gave me what I wanted,
leave to be with her again.
I'm afraid I couldn't have remember
ed the text to save my life, and that (lie
ermou was thrown away on me. Hut
I was very happy happier Hutu I had
ver been before; for this sweet young
thing seemed to like me, was frank and
pleasant with me, and found, I was so
glad to think, a sort of protection that
ho liked in my great arm where her
bund rested, going home over tho Ileitis,
like a falling snow-flake. It almost
coined to me that I must bo crazy to
believe that sho had taken a notion to
me; but It was true. So true that when
fourof thoio Sabbaths had passed I mailt
her walk with me again in Baldwin's
Woods, and sal down beside her on tin
hollow log, behind which a great patch
of violets were in bloom by that lime,
tnd told her how 1 loved her, andasked
her to be my wife.
Only a month since sho camo there
only one mouth since I drove her over
in the little wagon; but If tho answer
had been anything else than what it was
I should have prayed to die. It may
not be such a mighty matter to other
men to have one woman's love, but 1
had no one else on earth to care for. So
when she said, " Ye-," and let me ki-s
her, it was only shame that kept me
from crying outright for joy.
She was mine now, and how proud I
was of her! How glad to know that
she was so near me when I was at work !
How happy to see her so trim and neat
among the other girls, who were most
of them slovenly when they were not
fine! and how full of dreams of the fu
ture! She bad promised to marry mo in (he
titunni, and after thalshoshould work
no more in the factory. I was saving
to buy a little three-roomed cottage in
tho village, and to furnish il humbly,
of course, but so that it should be a
homo for her ; and when sho was its mis
tress 1 should not envy any king his
palace. Meanwhile we saw as much of
each other as we could, both workings)
industriously.
One week wo had been more than
usually busy, for it was near (he end of
.nine, aim wo were making iircwot'Ks
for the Fourth of July, and tho first I
had seen of Annie that day 1 saw in tho
great salesroom where we always gath
ered to receive our wages. The men on
ono side, tho girls on tho other, stop
ping up to tins great desk one by one sis
old (iritlln, the clerk, called our names.
I looked across tho line of girl's faces,
and saw her smiling at me, but I could
not get near her. Be-ides, tit tho mo
ment, my name was called "Ilath
ron" and I stopped up to tho desk.
Then, for the first time, 1 noticed that
old (irlllin was not (here. A nephew
of Mr. Williams, whose name 1 knew
to be ltichurd Janes, was paying the
bunds instead. lie was a handsome
young fellow, and very gentlemanly
oue of the fair kind. 1 remember think
ing as ho laid my wages before mo that
his hair was jii-t the colorof Annie's.
Ho had a sort of amateur way with
him very dltl'erent from tho business
like manner of old (irifllu, and when it
camo to tho girls ho had something
pleasant to say to each one, Instead of
tho old man's snapping" Sixpence do
ducted from yours, Jane!" or, "You
wero lutu three days last week, Mar
tint !" What he said to Annie I don't
know, but she blushed like u wild rose
from brow to chin.
Walking homo together, sho usked
me who lie was.
" Mr. Janes," I tiu-wered ; "did you
never see him before','"
" No," said Annie. " How very hand
some be is! don't you think to'.'"
I gavoa grudging " Yes." I couldn't
bear to bear her prai.-e him. She might,
for all I knew, be contrasting him with
me. That was the llr.st pain I bad had
lnco.Jn! bud promised herself to me;
but there was more to como of il.
Besides her dully work Annie hail got
Into the way of doing sumo lino sewing
I imil rnibi-niili.rv of r v..mn - lor n Mi
Bedford, a beautiful young lady, who
lived In the prettiest lioino In the vil
lage, aild oneo a week sho carried It
home. Cicnerally 1 went with her; but
there wits overwork for tho men to do
ono night, nnd I could not getoll'. I fret
ted and famed about it, and when tho
time camo T couldn't for tho life of me
help slipping away to a slatr-head win
dow to try and catch tv glimpse of her.
Sure enough, I did .-co her if good way
on tho road, with her llttlo basket on
her arm, but there was some one with
her. It was too far to seo faces, but 1
knew the light-gray coat ho wore, and
It was Mr. ltichurd JSnes. lie was
bending over herns though talking very
earnestly; and when some one inside
called" Ilathron!" and I could stay no
longer, they were still trohig on close to
gether her face turned up and his bent
down, both earnest and eager in what
ever they were talking of.
1 went back to my work, but I kept
that picture before my eyes nil the while.
I thought of it until it seemed to be
burned Into my heart in fiery outlines.
After all, It wai only what might easily
have happened if Mr. Janes hud walk
ed the same way by chance ; but I could
not look at It that way or perhaps I
would not.
It was liko my sulky, brooding na
ture, too, never to say ono word about
it to Annie, but to koopontlimkingnnd
watching In silence. I found out more
than I wanted to in that way; for one
day when I had made an excti-o to enter
tho women's work-room after Mr. Janes
had gone there, I plainly saw him slip a
little noteslylyinto Annie's pocket. The
time had come around for her to go
over to Miss Bedford's with her work;
but that evening, instead of going with
her, I watched her hiding like a thief
behind trees and buildings on the road.
She went alone and came alone, and 1
saw nothing for my pains. I did at
church next Sabbath, though. When
the hymn was given out Mr. Janes, sit
ting in tho handsome family pew, see
ing Annie in doubt as to the number
for tho old clergyman didn't always
speak distinctly reached over and look
her book to find the place (sho sat but a
pen behind him). When he gave it
back I saw that there was soniethin
between tho leaves, and come what
might, I would have .snatched It; biitat
that moment Miss Bedford, who sal in
the side isle, whispered to Annie to show
her the number, and 1 lo-t the chance
or in pits-ing tho books it was hidden
I'hat it was a note 1 knew by the while
glimmer of the edge as well as if I hail
een the wholeof it, and surely as III vo
I saw Annlo give Mr. Jnnes a meaning
smile as lie passed us on thochurch-path
going home.
Mi-s Bedford looked at Annie as if
she knew something of it loo, as sho
stepped after her father and mother into
the carriage. They wero carriage people
tlie Bedfords and thoo'.d folks looked
down on everybody else. There was a
feud between them and the proprietors
of the factory, and they never spoke to
cither the Willianises or Mr. Janes ; so
there was no social chatting on the
porch, and the Williams people smiled
sarcastically, and the old Bedfords scowl
ed and looked haughty, until they were
all fairly shut in and driven away. Not
Mr. James lie was too gentlemanly;
nor Mi-.s Bedford she was too sweet.
The feud was among the old folks. The
farmers' families made up for their ill
tonipor though, and half the genteel
people from the villas wero smirking
nnd bowing to each other.
The factory hands who were at church
a dozen In all, 1 suppose hurried
home pell-mell by short cuts, not lo lo-o
their dinners, and of them all only Annie
and I were left. She was waiting for
me to join her, a tiling I didn't mean
lo do.
I leaned against the Iron railing of the
church-yard, wishing 1 wassoimd asleep
under one of the green mounds, but only
looking darker and sulkier, no doubt,
than ii-ual, until I .-aw her turn toward
me. Then 1 leaped therailiugnnd went
away, never looking back. 1 did not go
home, but spent tho day in Baldwin's
Wood- alone.
On Monday I was at work as usual.
It wasthelhirdof July, and the Fourth,
of course, was to be a holiday. There
were to be grand celebrations at Bald
win, and the show-pieces for the evening
were being finished at our place, under
the superintendence of Mr. Bichard
Janes. Jt was hard to keep the younger
hands at their work. They were half
crazy about tho Fourth, mm l suppo-o
every one of them had a pi-tol, 1 never
cared for banging at nothing, and should
not have had one even If I ban felt differ
ently. Ono young fellow tried hard all
day to sell molds; likeagoo-o he had
bought two, and was sorry for it.
About dusk I went to get my supper,
and was coining hack when, among tho
shadows, 1 saw two figures standing
whispering together. I fell in a moment
who they must be, and got close enough
hear their voices. It win as I thought
Ono was Annlo May, the other Bichard
Janes. They wero parting, but I heard
enough in tho hist few word-:
' Klovou will be the he-l time; the
moon will bo up by then. I'll h tvo the
ciu-riago waiting under tho tho two elms
In Baldwin's Wo.ids. Be crtutu about
tho hour, for tho down-train starts a
quartet to twelve. Uood-by Clod bless
you."
Not another word but I knew tho
whole, Hlio w.ts going oil" with lllchard
Janes, Sho whom 1 loved so. The ono
of all tho world who had seemed to love
me. I heard hi- linn tread die away
1 heard her lbj-hl Ibol-I.'ii ru-lle over Hie
m.i .1 i.l u . of li.i. k 111 v ,i ll to llu w ui'L-
room, for wo wero to work till a lale
hour that night. I walked straight up
lo tho young fellow who had been try
ing all day to sell mo his superfluous
pistol.
"Smith," slid I, " I think I'll trade
witlt you after nil."
"Uood for you," said lie. "Tito
Fourth nin't no Fourth without u pistol,
and this is goin' cheap. A good load in
it loo, so iio careful."
1 counted down the money and toolc
tho weapon away with me. Do you
want lo know what I meant to do with
It? Shoot myself through tho heart.
file Idea of murder had not crept into
my mind then. I'd swear that witlt my
dying breath.
1 only wanted to get rid of my tire
some life. There was nothing left to
live for ; so it scorned to me.
At half past ten I got tho chance 1
wauled, and slipped out. 1 was going
to kill my.-elf in Baldwin's Woods, on
the dead log linhlnd which tho first
Spring vlolefs grew, mid where we had
sat so often since together. Tho moon
wasju-t rising round and yellow behind
the black trees, and tho factory windows
were nil ablaze. As I slunk by tho olllce
I saw Mr. lllchard Janes there alone,
he was standing exactly under a swing
ing lamp. A trying light for any hut a
very handsome face, but his was not
hurt by it. Ureat Heavens! how liaud-
onio lie looked, and how happy ! My
blood boiled with rage, mid Jealousy,
and grief. I was as mad for tho moment
is any lunatic could be. Mv hand went
into my biwont and caught at the pistol
hidden there. Tho next instant I had
tired, takingaini at the handsome head.
But il was not good aim. Tho ball
passed over its mark and struck the
swinging lamp. T saw it fall, nnd a
great blaze spring up on the Instant, and
knew that the lire work factory was on
lire. That factory filled to tho roof with
explo-lve substances, and with a hun
dred and fifty men and boys, and pretty,
innocent girls shut up within its walls
I do not know whether Satan over feels
remorse, but If be does it must be such
as I .felt hopeless, maddening, scorch
ing.
The next in-tant there was a horrible
report, and I was thrown into tho air.
Not hurl, (hough. I picked myself
upfront (he grass and stood looking at
my work. The wi ldows were belching
forth llame up in Hie air, amidst the
smoke. Hundreds of rockets, and blue
lights, and Catherine wheels wero to-s.
Ing and flaming curl el, and yellow
stud purple, and pink, and green, and
blue. Hundreds of cannons seemed to
bo roaring; and over it all you could
hear screams women's screams and I
went down on my knees and prayed
"Oh, save her, save her to bo hi
wife, to hate mi1 only save her!"
People were Hocking in from thovil
lage. Workmen, singed and scorched
forced their way through tho flames
mil in the midst of the wildest tumult
some tine caught my arm. 1 turned it
was Annie, and beside her, white and
trembling, stood Mi.-s Bedford.
" Oh, Seth thank Clod for this !" cried
Annie ; " you are safe. Oh, dear young
lady, try to hope ; ho may be too."
And then that beautiful Miss Bed
ford sank on her knees before me, and
clasped her hands, and prayed mo to
save In i' 'icitird !
"I should havo been ids wife in an
hour," siio said. "Oh, save my hit
band save my husband my love, my
life, my darling!"
The truth rushed into my mind then
I saw nil my blind folly. I reni'Miiber
on tlie lean oetween mo Jieuionis am
the Williams family, and knew that
mv Annie had only been helping Mis
Bedford to meet and correspond with
her lover; that it was toiler the messa
1 had heard that evening bail been sent
and that it would have been better for
me to be (lend.
"tin out of danger!" 1 panted. "I'll
bring him lo you or die with him !" and
with Annie's scream of terror In my I
dashed away. They were playing
on tlie burning building with theoueen
ginethey had at hand by this lime, and
I could seo that most of the workmen
were alive.
1 clutched ono by tho arm as I wont
past.
"Are tho women In thcro yet?" I
yelled.
"No, thank Heaven," ho answered.
" Didn't you know tho women were dis
missed live minutes before theexplosion
took place.' There wasn't ono there.
All the men are out too, I guess, but
them that wero setting the last show
piece in the room next the olllce: about
a dozen. The rest Jumped out o' the
window. There's a broken limb or two,
1 guess. But that's better than the poor
fellows inside roasting alive or blown to
pieces. Young Mr. Janes is there loo.
His uncle is offering anything to have
him not out. Life's worth more than
money, though, nobody can do It."
Ho was right. Tor hours we worked
at the lire before It was out ; and then a
great heap of lumber was piled over the
bodies of tho thirteen men who must
hu, inside dead, wo siippo-ed .tint I
heard someone say that Ml.-s lledl'ord
wa-going from one swoon into another
at the Vill!nm-e.s, and that it had come
out tlmt she was to Iium eloped v, 1th
Mr. Jane.- the night before.
It was tlm Fourth of July; but no
guns wero fired and no bells rung at
Baldwin. All tho people of tho town
wero about tho factory helping as best
they could. Wo lifted great charred
logs and heaps of board- and molten
can-, and at last one slopped. " Ilu-h,"
"' cried; ' lor i.o.i s sum' ho noi-.e.
I
M'.tl 0 Olii. -tllll then, tlllllll-l U
breathless silence, wo heard a moan un
der our feet.
We worked with a will now, and al
last heard more.
One of the men put his head close
down and cried, "Areany ofyou alive'."'
u somo one groaned, " Yes."
Black with smoke, scorched by the
cinders wo handled, wo went at it again,
mil at last camo to a spot where the
beams had madu a kind of pent-house.
riioro, Jammed together and half suffo
cated, but alive, wero four men. And
licit a yell went up as mortal ears never
heard before. Four saved! Foursaved !
uit wo drew them out and gave them
over to tho doctors. Then there was
another shout not so loud, for we had
come lo one insensible, Jammed between
two logs. Ho breathed though as soon
as we brought him to tho air.
It was a time no one ever forgot.
Itidge what it was to me I
At last all were out but Mr. Janes, and
omebody cried that they could seo hint
under some beams. It was a dangerous
placo to get at ; but I would not stop for
that. 1 forced myself into the narrow
aperture, and set to work. I called to
him, hut tliero was no answer. At last
1 como to him, lying with a great beam
across his clie.-t. His beautiful golden
hair and beard wero singed and scorch
ed, and one of bis hands, was blistered.
I touched him, and screamed In bis cars,
but they wero deaf to me. I got tho log
oil' somehow, and dragged him to the
light, and then I had help enough. They
took him between them and laid him on
the grass, and the doctor unfastened his
vest.
" Is lie dead?" I asked; and I meant
is truly as I live, if the answer were
yes," to tell tho crowd before mo what
I had done, knowing well that if 1 did
no law could savo me.
ritere was no answer for a moment,
and I spoke again, " Is he dead ?" And
God bless tho dear, white-headed old
man who answered so kindly:
" No, my man, ho isn't dead. I think
lie's coming to."
Oil, tho morey of the good Lord-
think of it ! Of tho whole not one was
killed. There were burns, and broken
limbs, and black eyes, but tliero was no
death ; and soon I saw lllchard Janes-
pale and faint, but out of danger .stand
ing boforo ni". I couldn't believe God
had been so good to me.
Then that old white-haired doctor
mounted on a pile of burned logs and
lifted ids hat, and there were three such
cheers as were never heard before, nnd
a dozen boys sped in to Bildwiu to ring
the Joy-bells; and women came crying
to thank mo for helping to save their
dear ones o that for shamo I went and
ldd myseir in Baldwin's Woods nnd
cried, with my head hidden in my arms,
on tlie old log where tho violets were.
Then somebody camo softly up the
path and sat beside me, and bent over
me, and look me, singed and smoke
stained as I was, in two white arms
and only one of all the world could do
that and without looking I knew it
was Annie.
" My noblo, brave darling," she said;
" my own dear that I am so proud of!"
and sobbed and kissed me.
" They are so happy too," she said ;
"and Mr. Janes is only scorched and
burned a very little, and old Mr. Bed
ford is reconciled to old Mr. Williams,
and they will be married afterall. They
are so fond of each other, Seth ; as fond
as you and 1."
And then I stood up and put her gen
tly from me, and made atonement for
my sin by an awful sacrifice. I told her
the truth what I wns.and wlmt I had
done, and why, and waited to hear her
renounce mo.
She did not do it. She was shocked
and grieved, but she pitied me, and 1
dared to toko her In my arms and call
her mine again. I believe that all my
life there had been an evil spirit in my
in-east, and that lie left me forever at
that moment.
It was somo time before the factory
was rebuilt, and some had been injured,
and many were out of work. I knew
mv duty. To those in need came little
gifts of money every week, with no clue
to its donor, until my savings wero all
gone.
So wo did not buy the three-roomed
cottage, and perhaps never shall ; but,
penniless as 1 was, she married me, and
wo are happy.
Mr. Janes and Miss Bedford are mar
ried too ; and when we sit in church she
smiles across the peWs to that little wife
of mine, and 1 think, with a pang of
terror even yet, from what Clod's mercy
saved me.
CURIOSITIES OP IIUMANITY,
Somi: author or other wrote himself
blind, as wo havo heard, on the "curi
osltles of literature ;" but ho certainly
would have u-ed up two or three pairs
of eyes If ho had set himself serlouuly
to work looking out for the curiosities
of humanity. We could have mention
ed a few to him, and here tliey are:
The liiisliand that says to his wife on
a Monday night, when cook is In revolt
dinner is behind band, and "stocks
down," "My dear, you look tired: let
mo walk up and down with the baby
while you rest!"
Tho wife w ho expends 11s much pains
upon her toilette on a niluy morning
when tliero Is no one but " John" at the
hrcakfa-t-table, 11s she does on the even
ing when her old sweetheart Is coming
to call!
The Iiu-band who reads all Iho Con
gressional debates to his wife without
meanly -kipping every other pa ragriiph,
nnd always, keep her pus'd In floating
politic.-.
The wife who provides, herself will!
spools of cotton, thimbles, nnd sewing
work boforo tho rending begins, anil
don't have to Jump up oneo in llvonilti.
iites to " fetch something from thoother
room 1"
Tho man Who Is consistent, and goes
out to chop kindling for exeft'tso after
having recommended bed-making to
his wife us u healthful method of ex
panding tho chest I
Tho woman who tells her husband
lust exactly how much ntoney sho spent
"hi that shopping expedition yesterday!
Tho man who Is always delighted
with tho donlesllc puddings rtnil pies,
and don't expect n dally bill of fare liko
ti'ito a French restaurant I
Tho woman Who don't look into all
the envelopes In her husband's vest
pocket when sho mends that garmgnt !
The man who never saw a collar pat
tern that fits so much better than Ids
ever did !
Tho woman who can't tell tho col
or of her neighbor's new Winter bon
net !
The husband who, especially during
northeast storms, and during the preva
lence of dome-tie toothaches, makes up
his mind that it Is a great deal cheaper
to be unliable than to scold. Phrcnoloy
kul Journal.
SOCIABILITY.
It is often said of persons, in ti com
plimentary way, that they aro sociable,
meaning that they aro lrieniuy aim
talkative; but it depends somewhat on
tho character of a person's speech, as
well as its quantity, whether his acquain
tance is desirable or not. Persons may
lie ever so well meaning, but if their
conversation is only of the prevailing
sickness, or the last horrible murder in
papers, unle-s you incline particularly
to such kind of entertainment, tliey
will be likely to prove dull companions
lu the end. Or If an acquaintance is
ininlv oro-v. and talks with as digni
fied an air as if lie fancied himself to bo
delivering a lecture on some moral sub
ject, without any of tho familiar lan
guage which makes intercourse with
friends so charming, you will bo as like
ly to go to sleep during his discourse
as you would in a railway carriage
wiiile It is In motion, and wako up when
lie stopped. Or, if your caller should
happen to bo one full of his or her own
petty cares, who will treat you to t his
tory of all their little vexations, you
will soon become tired, or irritable, or
both; but no matter, you must hear all
their plans for tho present and future,
whether you will or not. Sometimes,
too, from tills kind of sociable people you
will hear nothing but bits or Hying gos
sip about people you aro not at all iutcr
este'd in. But when a friend enters
about your own stamp, and you cannot
speak without calling up a response from
his mind; when your ideas and experi
ences correspond, and your heart grows
lighter with the friendly interchange of
thought, you are enjoying onu of tho
hi'diest pleasures of social intercourse.
Such hours need not bo counted among
the vanishing pleasures, for tho rec-
illeclion of them is agreeable to botii
ever after.
HOW DUTCH GAP GOT ITS NAME
Tnr. following is told by a Southern
correspondent of tho Brooklyn JCayk:
"An Knglishman nnd a Utitciiman, so
the story runs, undertook, for a wager,
to row 'their respective skiffs from a
place seven miles below the gap to 11
point above it. The man who first ar
rived at the place of destination was to
ho considered tho champion, and to re
ceive tlie stakes. Both started, 'iho
Kn-'lisliman pulled out vigorously,
while the Dutchman, with true Teutonic
inipurlabillty, suffered his opponent
to go ahead without an npparent enort,
to keep up with Him. When tho Eng
lishman began to round tho liltiti, alter
passing tho gap, tho Dutchman was
" hull down" and almost out of sight of
ids antagonist, who was counting on a
"fine thing or it." When tho Dutch
man readied tho gap, ho run his skill
on shore, raised it on ids shoulders, anil
made his way with all possible despatclt
across tho few hundred feet of interven
ing space. When the Englishman ar
rived at tho point at which tho raco
was to terminate, what was his aston
ishment to find ills opponent in iiisskilf,
calmly awaiting his appearance, having
relieved the weariness of his stay by
smoking, with Dutch loIsiire,.tiirco or
sour pipes of tobacco. Whether tho
Dutchman succeeded by his trick lu
winning the wager is not known, but ho
gave it name to the gap.
Dis. SriTKi.i'.v once waited upon Sir
Isaac Newton a llttlo before dinner
time; but ho bad given orders not to bo
called down to anybody (111 his dinner
was upon tho table. At length a boiled
chicken was brought In, and Stttckley
waited till it wits near cold, when, being
very hungry, he ate it up, and ordered
another to be prepared forSIr Isaac, who
came down before the second was ready,
and seeing thi'dlsh and cover of the first
w hlch bad been left, lifted up the latter,
and turning to the doctor, said: " What
strange folks we studious people aro ! 1
really forgot that 1 had dined."
What commodity Is always ofl'orod
otcost? Tlie law.
What thing- incrcaso tho more you
contract them? Debts.
Wnw Is higher and handsomer whew
the head Is oil'? A pillow.
How doe- (he halr-div-ser end Ills
d.t. -'.' lie curl- up and dye-.