Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1842-09-23
THE GYKDLE or FIRE.
by PIERCE H. SHELTON.

THE lower counties Of New Jersey are pro-
verbally barren, Icing covered with immense
forest of pine. in,erspersed with cedar swamps.
During the dry summer months these latter
become parched to an extent that Is Incredible,
ard the accidental coaagion Of ffe-orand Of
ten wraps immense tracts OF tho country in
flames. Tie rapid'y with which the confa-
! grafton, when once kindled spreads through
these swamps can scarcely be credited except
by those we know how thoroughly the moss
and twigs are dried up by the hea, Of ag Au
gust sun. Indeed scarcely spot can De point
ed out in West Jersey, which has not, at one
! time or another, been ravaged by conhagraion.
| :, was few years since that an immense tract
| Of these pine barrens was On fire. and the citi-
zens Of Phi. adephia can recollee' the iufid APP
pearance of the SKY at night, seen at.'he DIS
,anco Of thirty or ey,n forty niles from The The
scene of the coahagraiioi. Inc legendary
history Of these wilde onntries isiuli OF DARING
deeds and hair-breadtli escapes t"hicn have
| been witnessed during such times G: PERM
| One Of these traditonary stories II Is our p'4-
| pose to relate. The period Of our tale dates
| Far back into the early history eof the sister
state. when the country was even more tim W
settled than at presen.
| II was sunny morning II midsummer,
when gay party was assembled at the door
| of a neat house in one of the lower counties OF
New Jersey. Foremost in the group stood a
| tall. manly youth whose frank eonntenance at
once attracted the eye. By his side was
brirht Young creature, apparently about eigh-
teen wears Of age, whose golden ,resses were
| fit TYNE Of the sunny beauty Of her counle-
nance. Blu, now her soft blue eyes were din
with tears. and she leaned on the shoulder Of
| her mother, who was apparently equally affec-
ted. The dress Of the daughter, and her al.l-
| iude Of eav,-laking. told that she was bride,
going forth from the house of her childhood,
| to enter on new and unlred sphere Of life
| The other members Of the group Were com
posed of her father, her brothers aud sisters,
| and the brdemen and trademarks.
"God bless you. my daughter, and have
you in his holy keeping" said The father as
he gave her his las. embrace, "and now fare.
well ~
The lasikiss was given, the last parting
word was said, the las, long look had been
taken, and now the bridal party was being
| whirled through the forest on one Of the sweet.
es, mornings Of the sweet month Of July.
| I, was indeed lovely day. Their way lay
through an old road which vas so rarely lrav-
elled that it had become overgtown with grass
among which the thick Develops, eitterng
| in the morning sun. were scattered like jewels
| on monarch's mantle. The birds sang tner.
J ri!y in the trees. or skipped gaily from brancl,
| to branch, while the gentle signing of the
wind, and the occasional mur,nnr of brook
crossing the road. added TO the exhilira,ing
Influences Of the hour. The travellers were
all young and happy. and so they gradually
forgot the sadness Of the parting hour, and ere
they had traversed many miles, the green ar
cades of that lovely old forest were ringing
with merry laughter. Suddenly, however,
the bride paused in her innocen, mirth, and
while shade Of paleness overspread her cheek,
called the attention of her husband to dark
black cloud, far off on the horizon, and vet
eIocmier and denser than the darkest thunder
cloud.
"The forest is on fire." was his instant
ejaculation, "thnk you no, so, Charley ~
and he turned to his groomsman.
"Yes! but the wind is not towards us. and
the fire mnst be miles from our course. There
is no need for alarm, Ellen" said he, turning
to the bride, his sister.
"Bnt our road lies altogether through the
Forest" she ,midIy rejoined. ''and you know
there isn't house or cleared space for miles -
Eyes, but my dear sis. so long as the fire
keeps its distance. it matters not whether QUE
will drive on brskly. and before noon YOU
will laugh at your fears Your parting from
home has awakened your nerves.
No more was said. and for some time the
carriage proceeded in silence. Meantime The
conhagralion was evidently spreading witt
great rapidity. The dark. dense clouds OF
smoke, which had at first been seen hanging
only in one spot, had now extended in line
~ ~. 1 Ill IL,
as to head off the travellers. But this was
done so imperceplibly that, for a long time
the travellers were not aware Of it. aud they
had journeyed at least half an hour before they
saw their danger. At length the bride spoke
again.
..Surely, dear Edward she said. address.
ing her husband, 'ihe fire is sweeping around
ahead OF us. have been watching it by yon'
der blasted pine, and can see it slowly creep
ing across the trunk"
Every eye was instantly .nrned in the drec
ton which she pointed. and her brother. who
was driving, Involuntary checked the horses
A look OF dismay was on each conntenance as
they saw the words Of the bride verified. There
could be no doubt tina, The fire had ma,erially
changed its bearing since they last spoke, and
now threatened to cut off their escape a.toge.h
err.
Il wish. Ellen. we had listened 10 your
fears and turned back half an hour ago. SAID
the brother-"we had better DO il al once
''God help us-tha, is impossible" said The
husband, looking backwards, "the fire has GU
off our retreat.''
1t was as he said. The fumes, which a
first started at point several miles ds.an
and at right angles to the road the party was
travelling, had spread out in every direction
and finding the swamp in the rear of the irav
ellers. parched almost to finder, by tht