The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-08-30
Prom a PhiialsbalL, Papsf.
THE GIRDLE or FIRE.

verbally barren, being covered with immense
fnrrzis af pine, ihiergTersed with cedar
swamps, During the dfy summer monihs,
these latter become parohed 10 an extent thar
10 Incredible, and the accidental contaglon
of fre.byand often wfApa immense tracts Of
eonntry In flames, The rApidiy with which
the con6agation when once hndled, spreads
through these rwamps oaH sosrctiy-ebe credit
cd, except by lhdss know how ~ .s5,,ehly the
moss and twigs are dried up by the heat ofa
August sun. Indeed, scarcely SPOT can bo
pointed out In West Jersey, which has not,
AZ one time or another, been ravaged by con-
haFration. ID was bat iow years since that
an immense tract of these pine barrens was
on FIRE, and the citizens Of Philadelphia
can recolleet the lurd appearance of the sky
az night, seen ~ the distance NJ thirty or for
r Ey-miiUTfruu tffr vrrnr--f the -crflsrr-,ie,.-
l,'-i-.- ~ viii ---..-r...--
IL fnll ~ daring deeds and hair breadth e.
cnpcs which have been witnessed during such
times Of peril One Of these tradition, Il J.
our purpose 10 relate, Tho period or our tale
dates far lack into the early history Of the
sister state when The country was even more
thinly settled than NJ present
/ lt was \ sunny morning IN midsummer
when n gHy party was assembled a. tho door
Ola neat house In ono of the lower counties
ofNew Jersey. Foremost IN the grosap ,tood
a tall manly youth ,whoyc frank c6uutcnancc
NJ once attracted the eye By MI. side was n
bright young creature apparently about cigh-
teen years OF are. whose golden trcsses were
ft type ~ the sunny bcquty Of her counte-
nance but now her son bluc eyes were dim
with tears, and she leaned on tho shoulder
Of her mother, who wns apparently equal
/ ly affected The drcss of the daughter
and her attitude of lchvc.iaking, told that
she was n bride, going forth from the home
( Of her chidhood, 70 enter new and untricd
sphere Of life, Tho othcr rnrmhcrV of the
group were composed of her father her broth
crs and sisters, and the hrdcmAds.
"God blcss YOU, my daurhier. and have
you In his holy keeping" 'nid the father ~ he
gnve her his last emtfdcc-"And now fare
well 1"
The laklkisa- -ai2ra. Tho laSt nariina
look Ind bccn taken, md now thc
bridal party was being whirlcd through
tho forest on one or The svectc.' morning, Of
the month OF Joly,
! IL WIS indeed luvrlv Any Their way law
through IN old road which wa. 70 rarely trav-
eled that IL had heroine ovcrprown with rr,s.
nuouE whirh thr thick dcw-drops. rfiucrine
~ the morniur sun, were scattered likc lew.
ol on q monarch's mantle The birds sang
mcrriy ii the trees, or skipped eaiIy
7'FFE II tF7TFFi VEi7fiT FiiJ sf.ii=
ing of the wind, and the occasional murmur
ofa brook crossing The road added 10 the cx.
IhilIaiing influences of tho hour The trav-
ollcrs were oil young aud happy, and 50 they
gradually forgot the sadness Of the parting
hour, and ere they had travelled many miles,
the green arcndes Of that Lowell, old forest
wcrr ringing with tncrry lorrhter. Sudden
", howcvcr,thc bride paused in her innocent
mirth. and, whilc n shade Of palcnoss over
spread her check called the attention or hcr
husband toa dark blafPclond, far on on the
horizonNnd vet Ploomicr and dcnscr than tho
darkest thunder-cloud.
"Tho forest is on fire !" was his instant O.
iaculation "think you not so, Charnlcy ?"
and ho turned to his groomsman.
"Ycs-but the wind is not towards us. and
tho fire must bc miirC from our course. There
is no need for alarm, Ellen" said hc turning
to the BRIDE his sister
"But our road lies altogether through the
forest" she timidly rejoined, "snd then YOU
know there isn't a house or cleared space for
miles"
"Ics-but my dear sis, so long as the fire
keeps its distance it matters not whether our
road lies through the forest or fields We will
drive on briskly, and before noon you will
laugh at your fears. Your parting from home
has weakened your nerves"
No more was said and for some time the
carriage prncecdod in silence. Meantime the
conhagration was spreading with great rapid
ity. The dark, dense clouds Of smoke, which
had at first been seen hanging only in one
spot, had now extended in line along the
horizon, gradually edging around so as to
head OF the travellers. But this was done so
imperceptibIy, that for long time they were
''' h"''N W ~ duN AHt1 nau .lOuf-
neyed at least half an hour before they saw
their danger. At length the bride spoke A..
gnn:
"Surely, dear Edward, the fire is sweeping
around ahead Of us have been watching it
by yonder blasted pine, and can see it slowly
creeping across the trunk"
Every eye was instantly turned in the d-
reetion in which she pointed-and her broth.
er, who was driving, Involuntary checked
the horses. A look of dismay was on each
countenancc 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 altogether
I wish, Ellenwe had listened TO your fears
and turned back haitian hour ago." said the
brother, ''we had better do it at oAee.'
Gg(.o1 boIv, ,,v.- that l. ;r,,.....l.t- %.