Witch Hazel; or, The Secret of the Locket — page 45: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

At five o'clock he awoke the second time, and be- | came conscious of a strange roar and confusion without; but it sounded far away. and, with the thought ‘that there was probably a fire somewhere in the distance, he turned over and was soon oblivious of everything, When he went down to his breakfast, about nine, he heard people talking of a great fire to the west of them, that had been raging for several hours, aud seemed to he still gathering force Yet no alarm was felt that it would approach apy nearer that portion of the city; it seemed to be spreading in a northerly direction, and everybody was confident that the fire department would soon have it under control. This prediction bade fair to be fulfilled, for later reports told that the fire was subsiding, and atrong hopes were entertained that the worat was over, Myr, Earlscourt went out a little before eleven, and attended service at a church near by, alter whieh he returned to the hotel, and had hig dfnner at three, At five he went out foradrive to wuile away the time before the evening service, and on his return, atseven, he stopped at Mrs. Graham's door. The church which they attanded waa not far from her resideuce, tnd the walk thither was very pleas- ant, and the sermon a most enjoyable one. Mrs. Graham invited her Con paakee in upon their return, and he remained until about ten, when he again re- paired to his hotel and retired at once. He was awakened in the middle of the night by wild cries, then hoarse shouts, and the ominous booming of a deep-toned bell. Then, as he lay for a moment, listening, and trying to comprehend what it all could mean, the bell sud- denly eeased, nnd an awful shock, like an earth- quake, seeiued to shake the city to 1ts utmost limits, rocking the strongest. buildings to their foundations. He learned afterward that it was caused by the fall ing of the mammoth dome and bell of the burning court-house, He sprang out of bed, and rushed to a window, and acry of dismay burst from him, for, not four squares away, a perfect wall of fire arose heavenward, throw- ing out its forked tongues in every direction, lapping and devouring everything in their onward mareh, while he could see that they were rapidly Brera toward the Sherman House and the "aunts buildings adjacent. ete edie eoouN