Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-09-18
Running to the Firc.

20, they aint none now but maybe they
will be, and Tommy Herrick ii. runs to
'em, and his pa let's him, and tie lots Of
fun! May ~ Please, papa, want to
awful !" and the boy paused for every lack
of breath, and waited with great anxiety
for his fathers answer.
~Certainly, certainly; hut don't bother
any more," and with Sigh Of relief tho
tired gentleman threw himself back upon
the sofa, aud stretched the red covering
oyer his head again, while Fred, delighted
>b6youd thanks, rushed out to tell
Tommy Herriok Of his success, and to,
listen with longing ears for tho sound Of
the bella 49, = =
But no bells rang. That day passed
and many others, yet the city was not
visited by the dreaded scouree. Fall came,
aud amid apples, melons, grapes, aud sll
ths lessor fruits ofs the season, Ffed found
pleasures ON every hand: and forgot biz
wish ~ that even whom Tho great bells did
send their warning notes abroad they did
not call it back to him. Tho matter had
passed from papas memory tho very
moment the boys question was answered.
Mamma never knew Of it; and 20 time
went on aEd winter came overcoass aud
mittsns, sleds' and snow.balls took up tho
little boys attention, aud he had no
thought Of ever running to tho fires that
80 often rage by night and day in that time
Of year. ,'- 8.5$.J ~
It was December. The chill northeast
wind had blown I'LL day, bringing with it
the flying snow fakes, and as night settled
down the storm grew more and more
furious, and great drifts blockaded paths
and doorways up and down the town. Tho
street-lamps threw but faint and fitful,
CLEANS through the darkness, and solitary
pedestrians fought their way ho,neward
with aching fingers snd frostchilled
forms.
Fred sat by the open grate and gszed
at the glowing en,bers. Suddenly out OF
tho brilliant GOALS there came memory
back to him, memory of the permission
which papa had given 90 long, lond ago
and he had never yet taken advantage Of
it, he had never been to o FIRE!
The longer he meditated, tho stronger
the desire grew. ~" O, il there was only
fro to-nightw and the boys eyes danced,
in anticipation Of the fin it would be to
plunge into the deep snow aud face the
lying storm! How grand, TOO, in this
fierce wind! o, q fire would be jolly if it
could only come tonight! But is1everie
was broken BY mamma's call, Fred,
come It's bed time!" and away he went
to- be tucked warm and coy in bis nest,
there to dream out the fancies that filed
his little brain. ,*'ts
= The hours slipped by. Twelve, one,
half-past one. A distant clangor sounds
through tho night air. Nearer and nearer
it comes louder and louder until the
: boys chamber is filed with the wild crash
ofthe frightened bells, ind Fred springs
from his bed to see the snow all aglow
with the strange red light, to see tho flying
sparks drifting away overhead, to hear the
uproar outside, and to know that there IL
really fire! go. :,
How quick he dressed Had it been tho
breakfast bell which called the boy from
-his bed an hour would hardly have been
time enough to make his toilet, with
mamma's help, too but now, within ten
minutes, he was creeping from his room
in. ,.overcoat and tippel, pants tucked
in boots, and a warm cap! ted tight over
his ears.
Down the broad stairway, through the
dim hall, and with turn Of tho key the
front door opened and closed, and Fred
was running to fire. -
Tie wind whistled around the corners
and tossed the drifting, binding snow in
hi eyes the cold pierced through over.
= coat and coat, chilling his body the
strange: wierd light Jared up and down
in the night, cut he kept on. Men passed
him, great rough men, swearing US they
ran the engines ploughed their way
through tho deserted roads be heard tho
distant cries Of the firemen,3 but still he
kept on. More than mile in and out OF
the winding be ran, until, ut q sudden
turn, tho burning building burst upon the
sight in al its wierd and fearful beauty
1t was a wooden tenement. house, six
stories high, and Gro Fred reached the
spot tho flames had wrspped it il a
bia ing robe. How the fro leaped from
open window to window, or crept sloua
the trembling root! How tho wind sucked
IN and out The doorways, aud then rushed
roaring away as if in terrible pain, carry
ing great clouds Of sparks riding GU th<
dun colored smoke! How the engines
ratified. the water Kissed, and tho 6rsmer
yelled! OFT was = wild storm and y will
IRE. but little Fred enjoyed it I'LL.
= IN notwithstanding tine efforts made t,
overcome it, the devouring element va
con9neror, and within IN hour the grea
roof fell with mighty noise, sending ,
blaze Of light to the very sky; and the,
the FIRE died down, the crowd move,
noisiiy away, and soon Fred found that b,
was almost the only one left in the street
One good look 1T the ruins and he woul.
60 too.
Crossing the street, he pushed bis wa,
toward where the house had been. Dull
red Goals, - great smoke and charret
tlmbers were all that remained. As the
boy gazed upon the desolate scene, q or,
came to his ear, a chiid's cry. He started
and turned about; there it was again
What could it be-? Moving cautiously
along, the sound became more and more
distinct, until, close under an old shcd and
wrapped in rough blanket, that smelled
strongly Of smoke, Fred found o little
baby lett thore to die. or forgotten by
some half-crazed mother whose sholtor
had that night been destroyed: The great
heart Of the boy grew tender rs he lifted
snc TaSScu Dunule Ill HIS arms, ana with
soothing words to the little waif he turned
ut once and started for home.
1t had been hard work coming to the
fire through the deep sIow, the storm and
the darkness it was doubly hard return.
ing yet Fred Roundercd bravely along
Once or twice he fell, but with IN unwav :
ering courage rose nnd pushed on again.
At last the corner was reached; which
WY should he turn, up or down? lie
debated the matter for some time, hut ut
length, growing cold and worried, started
harriedly of III what no thought was tie
right direction. Was it right? On, on,
turning hero and there, following, ~
nourly az he could remember it, the course
that he had come, The little boy waded
through the pight and the snow. But the
streets all looked strange; tho great
houses loo'ncd up glooiaily. on either
hand, the storm grew thicker, and only
the wild wind answered when he called,
lie had really lost his way!
Crying with terror, staggering through