ABSTRACT
The fatigue and affright of the preceding evening seemed to have disabled the whole family from appearing at the usual hour, which was never a very early one. The breakfast table had not been visited at two o’clock, every body remaining in their own apartments, except Lord Aberdore, who had gone at the usual time into his study, where he had begun an enquiry into the cause of the accident that had happened; and by the interposition of the house-steward, had learned, with some difficulty, the truth – which was, that the laundry maids being extremely fatigued with an heavy day’s work, preparatory to the departure of their lady, had been obliged to sit up to complete their business, till one of them, quite exhausted, had fallen asleep, and while the other went to carry some of the clothes to a remote part of the house, a dog, which had found its way into the laundry, had thrown a large horse66 covered with linen into the fire; and the linen, as well as the frame on which it hung, was in a blaze before the sleeping servant, half suffocated, awoke. Instead of taking any rational means to put it out, she ran away frantic with fear, and left all the doors open through which she fled; by which means the current of air encreased the violence of the fire, and the deal tables, baskets, and linen in the room were in a moment in flames.
