Niagara, and will return to Aurora next Thursday.

There goes the City-Hall bell! Somebody's property is in danger, and perhaps life. Fires are so common in this great city that we forget to sympathize with those who are called upon to face the destroying flames."

"True! This time, Thomas, the fire seems near by," said Clara.

Just then the flames, heretofore pent up by the walls and metal roof, burst their barriers, and spread over the night the twilight of a brilliant sunset.

"That fire cannot be very distant," said Griswold. "Clara, I will go and see where it is. Good night! Expect me at ten o'clock to-morrow.

Griswold hurried up Fifth Avenue to Fourteenth street, that being the direction of the fire. As he turned the corner, he saw that it was his own home which the tortuous, serpent-tongued flames were rapidly licking, with unrelenting satisfaction. He saw too, that all which human effort could accomplish, would be the preservation of contiguous and surrounding buildings. Griswold's thoughts, and our pen recording them, acknowledge a wide difference in their motive power. His energies were instantly aroused. To find that his father was safe, was his first object. He was soon gratified in this respect. He then thought only of the safety of families living adjacent, and the preservation of their property. To this work he energetically devoted himself. No one, under such an excitement, can tell what good an energetic soul may accomplish until he has essayed the trial. Like a skillfully educated general, Griswold sought out the heads of the Fire Department, and introduced himself to them. Obtaining the counte

nance of their orders, he sent parties of men to every room in the adjoining buildings, leading on the bold and daring and pressing the idle into the service. He also cautioned one and all whom he met, to be cool and steady. "Broken furniture is as well. burnt," was his motto, wherever he discovered the least carelessness. He aroused, too, the fast accumulating force of policemen, to a more active sense of their duty. It was not half an hour before every fireman, and policeman on the ground, had seen and approved some act of Griswold's, and become infused with his determined energy. Nor did he leave the work half finished. When the imminent danger which had threatened the surrounding property was past, he turned his attention to the firemen, who, without hopes or expectancy of reward, at the risk of life and limb, had bravely and so successfully, fought their fearful enemy. Going from house to house, he aroused the inmates to prepare and send them refreshments, an attention too often forgotten in times of similar peril.

Mr. Griswold, the third day subsequent to the fire, entered the office of "Messrs. Wright & Pierce, Brokers."

"What success, Mr. Wright, with the Catfish Railroad Stock?"" said Mr. Griswold.

"None at all!" Some unaccountable cause has made everybody afraid to touch it. We have not sold a single share. The friends of nearly every railroad security in market have become opposed to the Catfish Railroad management, in advance of any public sales of its stock."

Mr. Griswold, although surprised at this report, betrayed no uneasiness. He bought the stock for a

permanent investment, originally. He knew its value would fluctuate. He knew also, that if he could succeed in carrying it through, eventually he would realize handsomely. The stock was paid for. He had sufficient to meet all his current expenses, but for the loss of his house. To build us he desired, was now out of the question, unless he could realize on the Catfish Railroad stock.

He had lost his house and furniture, upon which there was no insurance. The cause of the fire he had not been able to ascertain, but believed it to be the work of an incendiary, as nearly all the valuable silver in his house was gone, while some trifling articles only were saved. He still had thirty thousand dollars, which he had intended for his son on his wedding-day. But he hoped to realize upon his stock. Day after day passed. The reports from his agents were unfavorable. The day for his son's wedding gradually approached. Unless he could sell hig stock, the wedding, he determined, should not go on. Thomas was already admitted to his profession; but, as yet, he had no income from its practice. Early one evening, while he was forming a plan to meet the difficulty, a little billet was placed in his hands. It proved to be a notice of protest on a bank note for a large sum, upon which his name was written as first indorser.

"Well! Misfortunes never come single," said Mr. Griswold, calmly, and like a man who has learned to look upon the world merely as a place for preparation to enter a better. Two days after, a fire oc curred among the shipping on the East River, and a vessel owned by Mr. Griswold was totally destroyed. The insurance company proved insolvent. The ques

tion with Mr. Griswold was, no longer, shall the marriage be postponed? It now became, "shall I make an assignment for the benefit of my creditors?" By this time the Catfish Railroad Company had expended their resources, and the directors, who had made extensions beyond their capital, called a meeting of the stockholders to consult upon the best method to be pursued. It was determined to sell the road to some new company for the amount of the old company's debt. This of course made every dollar of the original stock and securities worthless.

An action at law was brought against Mr. Griswold, by the bank holding his name as an indorser. Before an issue could be had, however, Mr. Griswold made an assignment. On the same day, Thomas Griswold wrote the following note and sent it to Mr. Edgemonte by a servant.

MY DEAR AND RESPECTED SIR:

NEW YORK,

18-.

You will learn, by the usual channel, that to-day, my father has been called upon to make an assignment of his property to satisfy his creditors. This event makes it incumbent upon me to assign to you the hold I have gained upon your friendship. I rejoice this sad event has happened in advance of my anticipated union with Clara. While my heart remains the same, my judgment leads to this missive.

Yours, respectfully,

THOMAS F. GRISWOLD.

XXI.

Short but Interesting.

"CLARA, come into my study, if you please," said Mr. Edgemonte to his daughter, the morning after he received Thomas Griswold's note.

"Yes, dear father," said Clara, running in advance of his slower pace, and opening the door for him. "When have you seen Mary Sanders ?"

"She called to see me three days after we returned from Europe."

"Did she give you any good news for herself?" "Yes, sir. Mr. Taylor had found testimony enough to go to law with."

The reader will recollect that when Clara first made the acquaintance of Mary Sanders, her parents were in Europe. As soon as they returned to the United States, Clara informed her mother of the circumstances connected with Mary. Mr. Edgemonte was not informed of it until Mordaunt and his daughter had become acquaintances. He then investigated the story, and came to the conclusion that Mary might be mistaken. At any rate, he advised Clara to base no action upon the story except so far as regarded her own associations with Mordaunt.

"That will do, dear Clara, and now here is your first real trial in life. You must bear it like an Edge