Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1851-08-06

der blasted pine, and can see it slowly creeping
across the trunk"
Every eye was instantly turned in the drec-
ton in which she pointed-and her brother who
was driving, nvoluntarily checked the horses
A look of dismay was on each countenance as
they saw the words of the bride verified. There
could be no doubt that the fire had materially
changed its bearing since they last spoke, and
now threatened to cut off their escape alto
gether.
81 wish Ellen, we had listened to your fears,
and turned back half an hour ago." said the
brother, we had better do it at once,"
"God help us-that is impossible w said the
husband, looking backwards; "the fire has cut
| off our retreat!"
1t was as he said. The flames, which at first
| had started at point several miles distant and
at right angles to the road the party was trav-
cling, had spread out in every direction, and,
! finding the swamp in the rear of the travellers
parched almost to tinder by the drought, had
extended with inconceivable velocity in that
quarter, so that dense cloud of smoke, beneath
which dark lurid veil of fire surged and roll
ed, completely cut off any retrograde move
ment on the part of the travellers. This vol
ume of flame, moreover, was evidently moving
rapidly in pursuit. The cheeks, even of the male
members of the bridal party, turned ashv pale
at the sight
"There is nothing to do but to push on"
said the brother; "we will yet clear the road
before the fire reaches it,"
"And if remember" said the husband, there
is a road branching off to the right scarce half a.
mile ahead we can gain that easily, when we
shall be safe. Cheer up, Ellen-there is no dan
ger. This is our wedding morn-let me not
see you sad"
The horses were now urged forward at
brisk pace, and in few minutes the bridal par
ty reached the cross-road. Their progress was
now directly from the fire; all peril seemed at
an end and the spirits Of the group rose in
the merry laugh was heard, and the song rose
up gaily on the morning air. The conflagra-
ton still ragged behind; but at distance that
placed all fear at defiance; while in front, the
fire, although edging down towards them, ap-
preached at pace so slow that they knew it
would not reach the road until perhaps hours
after they had attained their journeys end. AT
length the party subsided again into silence, oc-
cupying themselves in gazing on the magnificent
spectacle presented by the lurid flames, as, roll
ing their huge volumes of smoke above them,
they roared down towards the travellers.
"The forest is as dry as POWDER" said the
husband; 81 never saw conflagraton trav-
ell so rapidly. The fire cannot have been kind
led for many hours, and it has already spread
for miles, Little did you think, Ellen" he said,
turning fondy to his bride, when we started
this morning, that you should so narrowly es-
cape such peril"
"And as | live the peril is not yet over!"
suddenly exclaimed the brother. " See-see-
fire has broke out on our right, and is coming
down on to us like whirlwind! God have
mercy on us!"
He spoke with an energy that would have
startled his hearers without the fearful words
he uttered. But when they followed the direc-
ton Of his quivering finger, shrek burst from
the two females, while the usually collected
husband turned ashy pale, not for himself, but
her who was dearer to him than his own life
A fire, during the last few minutes, had started
to life in the forest to their right, and, as the
wind was from that quarter, the flames were
seen ahead shooting down towards the road
which the bridal party was traversing, roaring,
Kissing, and laundering as they drew near.
"Drive faster, for heavens sake !-on the
gallopw exclaimed the husband, as he compre-
hended the mminency of their danger.
The brother made no answer, for he well knew
their fearful situation, but whipped the horses
into run. The chaise flew along the narrow
forrest-road with a rapidity that neither of the
party had ever before witnessed; for even the
animals themselves seemed aware of their per-
il, and strained every sinew to escape from the
fiery death which threatened them.
Their situation was indeed terrible, and mo-
mentarily becoming more precarious. The fire
when first seen, was, at least, n mile off, but
nearly equi-distant from point in the road the
bridal party was traversing; and, as the confa-
grafton swept down towards the road with
velocity equal to that of the travellers, it
soon became evident that they would have bare
ly time to pass the fire ere it swept across the
road, thus cutting Of 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 go faster"
81 will do my best" said the brother, lash
ing still more furiously the foaming horses
"Oh, God that had turned back when Ellen
wished me!"
On came the roaring fire-on in one mass of
flame-on with a velocity that seemed only
equaled by that of the flying hurricane. Now
the flames caught the lower limbs of tall tree,
and in an instant had Kissed to its top-now they
shot out their forky tongues from one huge pine
to another far across the intermediate space
and now the whirling fire whistled along the