Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-06-02
A Race for Life.

an advanced tongue or fork in two receding
TANKS. aud in high wind so rapidly do
the dancing, curling, cSIeering flames leap
from point to point Of the dry grass, that il
is sometimes difficult for swift horsemen TO
escape. The sight, especially in The night,
is always beautiful. beyond Descriptions
But after a while we become familariLed
to it, and look upon il without emotion, as
all Of US learn to do upon the glorious sun,
the most splendid object in nature.
At the time refer 10 | had been two or
three days drive to The town Of C,
with my horse and buggy, and was on my
return home. All day noticed signs indi'
eating fire on the prarie-masses Of smoke
in the distance, lying like white clouds up
on the horizon, and a hazy atmosphere
but these gave me no trouble so long as
they were FAR away; and, busy with my
own thoughts, for hours I would pay no
attention TO them whatever. AT length, az.
ter some Of those periods Of abstraction,
observed with some apprehension that the
conhagration was drawing near, and had
actually worked around in my rear, until il
had crossed the path by which had tray-
eled that all behind me was fast becoming
a smoking sea Of fire, aud for the first time
the thought of danger, that might be over
taken, or possibly surrounded, occurred to
me.
My horse was a powerful one, but not
very feet, nor yet fresh; but without the
loss Of a moment | applied the whip, and
quitting my direct route, bore to the left be-
cause that placed me more squarely before
my enemy. Soon the tongue of FIRE, the
advance guard Of my terrible foe, became
distinctly visible on my right, at about two
miles distance, as near as ! could Judge,
stretching on with speed that was really
ffightiul. l knew the struggle was to be
with that, and pushing my horse to the ut.
most, kept my eye fixed upon it, like the
willy racer, intent on measuring the power
Of his antagonis, before the final effort
For a few minutes the result was in doubt
but no; long. Snews Of flesh were nc
match for the wing Of the wind which bore
on that fleet and terrific column Of fire
And became satisfied that il was outstrp
ping me. and almost with feeling Of in
difference; for thought for the moment
that my last hope was gone, and was brac
Of life. 1t was now twilight, and as the dal
departed. and the shadows of night fel
round, the Gordon of FIRE seemed to magni
| fy its splendors aud its terrors, and like
vast serpent. TO extend itself behind and OF
both sides, aud to be closing up its folds t.
encircle me. | was no stranger on tina
part Of the prairie its general localities
though one portion is very much like anoth
er, were familiar TO me and in recalling
them to mind, recolected little ruggei
mound or hill, some twenty or thirty feet il
height, and was satisfied that was no grea
distance from it. With my hopes reyive
little, taxed my sight 10 the utmost o.
every swell OF ground that passed, and a
length detected the faint outline Of the EN-
inence in advance. But the fire was max
ing for it too. aud the subtle leaping tongu
on my RICH, hand, now quite ahead Of me
already seemed almost between US, and pre-
pared with a single leap TO cross my pat
and secure its victim. Still with my a
most exhausted horse, / pressed on, with q
energy and despair so mighty as almost {
themselves to wreck the powers OF life.
have not recovered from the effects Of th'
mental struggle to this day-but as you II
doubt conclude, the mound saved me.
the race for life, was obliged, as it wei
to place myself side by side, with that giaI
and awful sword Of fame, and for the la
half mile, the contest was doubtful. hop
less aud dreadful But God neWed n
7 horse with an unnatural strength, as
seemed to me, and guarded his footsteps
D that every effort told and at last dasht