The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1842-09-02

animals themselves seemed aware of their
peril, and strained every sinew to escape
from the fiery death which threatened
them.
Their situation was indeed terrible, and
momentarily became more precarious.
The fire, when first seen was nearly
mile off, but nearly equldistant from
point in the road the bridal party was
traversing; and as the confagration swept
down towards the road with velocity
equal to the travellers. il soon became evil
dent that thsy would have barely time to
pass the fire ere it swept across the road,
thus cutting off all escape. Each saw
this, but the females were now paralyzed
with fear. Only the husband spoke.
Faster, for Gods sake, faster he
hoarsely cried, see you not that the fire
is making for yonder tall pine-we shall
not be able to reach the tree first unless
we 60 faster
Il will do my BEST said the brother,
lashing still more fnriously the foaming
horses. 'Oh. God! that had turned
back when Ellen wished met
On came the roaring fre-on in one
mass of flame-on with velocity that
seemed only equalled by the flying hur-
ricane. Now the flames caught the lower
limbs of tall tree, and in an instant had
Kissed to its top-now they sho. out their
forky tongues from one huge pine to
another, far across the intermediate space
and now the whirling fire whislled
along the dry grass and moss of the
swamp with rapidity which the eye
could scarcely follow. Already the fierce
heat of the conhagration began to be felt
by the travellers, while the horses, feeling
the increase Of warmth, grew FESTIVE and
terrified. The peril momentarily increa-
sed. Hope grew fainter. Behind on the
other side the conAagration roared in pur-
suit, while the advancing flame in front
was cutting off their only avenue to es-
cape. They ,cere girdied by fire. Fas-
ter and quicker roared the flames towards
the devoted party, until at length despair
seized on the hearts of the travellers.
Pale, paralyzed, silent, inanmate as
statues, sa, the females; while the hus-
band and brother, leaning forward in the
carriage and urging the horses to their ut.
most speed, gazed speechlessly on the APP
proaching flames. Already the fire was
within hundred yards of the road ahead,
and it seemed beyond human probability
that the travellers could pass it in time.
The husband gave one last agonizing
glance at his inanimate wife. When he
again looked at the approaching flames, he
saw that during that momentary glimpse
they had lessened their distance one half.
He could already feel the hot breath Of
the fire on his cheek. The wind, too,
suddenly whrled down with fiercer fury,
and in an instant the forky tongues Of the
advancing coniagration had shot across
the road, and enlwined ,hemselve around
the tall pine which had been the goal Of
the travellers hope. He sank back with
groan. But the brothers eye cleaned
wildly at the sight, and gathering the reins
tighter around his hand, he made one last
desperate eilor, to force the horses onward;
and with one mad leap, they lifted the
carriage from the ground as if it had been
a paything, plunged into the fiery fur
mace, and the next instant had shot through
the pass.
Charnly gave one look backwards, as
if TO assure himself that they had indeed
escaped-he saw the lurid mass Of fire
roaring and whirling across the spot
through which they had darted but mo-
ment before and overcome with mingled
gratitude and awe, he lowered his head on
his breast and poured out an OVERLOOKING
soul in thanksgivngs to the Power which
saved them from the most dreadful Of
deaths. And long afterwards, men who
travelled through that charred and black
ened forest, pointed 10 the memorable
scene where these events occurred, and
rehearsed the thrilling feelings Of those
who had been encompassed by the The
Girdle Of Fire.
An Artful Dodge.
"a. : r.. 4 4 l..