Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1872-12-04

ing sort of pity for John.
Ike first part of my journey was
performed without serious trouble.
1t is true had some narrow escapes
from the fires which found every
where, thus proving my mothers
fears not without foundation. But,
on Saturday night-thc night for
out l met with the first of
Il series OF mishaps that promised a
very unfortunate ending to my trip.
The camping out, however, was
not SO disagrccablc IS | anticipated;
for our men on the way up, had cree
ted Il cabin for themselves, and sort
Of stable for the horses. in the latter
L tied Jim, finding hay and grain
enough for y feed, end then bet.ok
myself to the other cabin, where l
made preparations for passinga u COM
Portable night. But could not sleep
at first. Ten thousand dollars in
ones pocket i'll u lonely cedar
swamp, with fires lighting the heavens
above, the suitocatiny smoke rctard-
ing respiration, and you don't know
how many desperate men proving
about for prey. But sleep came TO me
after while, and money, fire, smoke
and robbers were forgotten.
l do not know how long slept, but
| do know that | WAS awakened very
suddenly. Isprang from the heap of
straw, which had been my bed, and,
by the light of the fires which had
burned nearer, saw man standing
i'll the door. His face WAS toward me
"a black face il was, too, but wheth-
er artiticiallv colored or natural,
could not say.
"lf YOU don't want to get burned
up, you'd better get out OF here !"
he said grutiiy. Ten minutes more,
and tine hut will be ablaze.'
l needed no second bidding. l
found that his words were truc-his
warning timely. On three sides OF
the cabin the hungry flames were
yrecdily licking up everything com-
bustibie, and, at one point. were only
Il few rods from where [ stood.
The smoke was sitting, the heat
Was scorcAing. had no time to
waste. The stranger was already on
the move, as l knew by the sound OF
his horses footballs. L was hot far
behind, assure YOU, for my faithful
horse seemed to realize that We were
in peril.
The smoke was SO dense shat
could aot see Il rod ahead, but struck
out boldly, and Il ride Of half an hour
took me out OF immediate danger.
Then, for the first time since my
awakening, l thought of the money.
| quickly clappcd my hand to my
brcat-pockct. IT was empty.
Can You guess my first wish: 1t
WAS that | had been lett to my fate
in that rude hut, for death seemed
preferable TO uishonor. These ideas
dld not remain with me any length
OF time, however, for somewhere i'll
advance OF me, fleeing from his vic
tim, and from the dcvouring element,
was the robbcr. My only desire,
then, was to overtakc him and wrcak
out NV vengeance On his worthless
carcass.
Putting the whip to my horse, l
dashed Oh, making but little pro-
.rcss, however, for the way had never
been travelled before, unless by some
fooiman. Toward daylight tho way
improved. and soon after sunrise
struck IL road. | now moved Oh more
rapidly. By frequent inquiries
learned that was Oh the track Of the
william. but soElc hours behind him
| was gaining Oh him, however. As
the day wancd heard Of him nearer
and nearer. hoped to overtakc hin
before dark, but failed.
did not despair. kept on ant
somewhere between eight and nine
o'clock reached II village situated OIL
the border of the bay, or the lak'
itself, | could not tell which.
rode down to the bay to give III!
thirsty horse Il drink, but liz ha,
only touched his lips to the water
when lie lifted up his head, turnet
sIuarc round, and, with di!ated eyes
swelling nostrils, and elevated ears
gazcd toward the woods which ncari.
surrounded the village. And l, too
tlrncd in the same direction, for
low rumbliug sound, iucxplicable t
me, broke the Sabbath stiffness
Louder and louder it grew as W
gazed, until it was like the noise o
mighty, irresistible waters, swcepin;
toward us. The inhabitants Of III
village were aroused. Though con
scious of some terrible danger, the,
were yet iguorant OF their awiu
doom. Even the domestic animal
took the alarm. aud fed. helter
skelter, tramp!ing many poor un
fortunate under foot i'll their mat
Eight.
But the worst was yet to come.
Dumb with awe rather than lear,
stood facing the mysterious roar
stood alone, FOR ny frigr'ened hors'
had broken away and fed = whil'
iierccr and more terrible became thl
horrid mystery.
But the worst was not yet. .,
Sus;denly-swift as the iightnhlg
fash - burst upon US dcaf0iisl
crash. like ihc uprooting and down
falling of ten thousand forest giants
and with it a sheet of hame-on'
wide lurid sheet of scorching, merci
less, dcvouring fire, cnveloping tn
I village and everything therein -
sickening holocaust. Peshtigo wa
doomed!
! Only when the tornado Of wiut