The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-11-08


and set upon poor Luke tho driver,
scolding and clamoring like SO many
crows. The boy stood and stared i'll
helpless perplexity and anger.
He saw no way to get out Of his pre-
dicament. He could not 60 on. He
could not make his beasts back up tho
hill. Once he caught sight Of his chief
tormentor standing in the doorway OF
the old house that had stopped him, but
the exultant rascal laughed and lodged
ont Of the way.
No person present seoMcd sensible
enough to extricate tho victim from his
difficulties, or cool enough to hear any
explanations. Everybody shouted, and
asked questions, and threatened, and
poured chorus Of abuse upon help
less Luke.
At length some one called ont that The
hay must be unloaded. Men from the
neighboring streets began to arrive at
the scene, and one Of them happened to
DO the local constable.
It was now almost dark, and Luke's
situation was miserable enough. Dis.
tressed for tho danger to the propertyin
his charge, he was trembling by this
time for his own safety, too.
The gamins who had trapped him
darted shrieling round the cart, call.
ing: "Ho, here's Hinckley's tavern ~
md mingling with tho crowd, succeeded
in starting fight. A man climbing the
load to help throw of the hay was hit
by stone, aud shouted angrily to the
constable to "arrest that boy !"
The constable, confused by the tu-
mutt anu darkness, grabbed Luke
roughly by the collar, without stopping
to make sure whether he was &" that
boy" or some one else.
"I mint to blame !" screamed tho un-
lucky farmer lad, struggling to get
away. "It's them fellows that cheated
me, and told me- to drive into y
A louder uproar drowned Lrlke's
voice, and with furious exclamationstw two
men leapcd off tho cart almost upon the
heads Of tho constable and his pris-
ouer.
Just then bright glare shot into the
sky, accompanied by smoke. Some one
Of the boys had put a lighted match to
the hay! It burned with alarming ra-
pidity. In few moments the whole
load was mnsI OF flame.
The people nade wild dashcs ut the
wagon to drnw it back from the house,
but their efforts were vain. The blazing
load was immovable.
|. Only one man had tho courage and
presence OF mind to hastily unyokc the
oxen and set them free. A few minutes
more, and the old house was burning in
half dozen places.
BY this time the town bells began
ringing the alarm. All Parsons street
was in imminent danger, il not the whole
town. The weather had been dry for
long time, and tho breeze blew in from
the sea. A hundred hands were throw
ing water, but their labor did nothing to
stay the flames.
The engines came laundering and
Gathering down ; but the street was 80
narrow that much time was lost before
they could reach the fire.
Meantime the officer, called off by
creator matters, had quilted his hold
upon Luke, and tho lad, half wild with
terror, crept through hole in the board
fence which protectcda sort Of side yard
to the burning house. He jumped down
some rocks toward lower street, amid
shower Of sparks, and in his flight
turned sharp corner and found himself
in brightly.lightc garden.patch, with
two or three very small sheds on the
further side.
In the very center OF this garden stood
an old man with bucket in his hand,
p,Ie rs ghost, and trembling like
leaf from head to foot. He was hatless
and shocless, md tho yellow glare Of the
fro streaming full upon him, made him
look like spcctcr.
His lips moved, and Luke heard him
groan, and mutter:
"The powder! the powder Oh,
Lord, forgive us! Oh, Lord, protect
us i" ...', ss4l
"Powder! Where is it?" cried tho
boy, forgetting for tho moment every
thing but tile present danger.
Z" It's mine, said the old man, "and
it's stored over there in that shed with
the hole in the door. They'd put me in
Jail if they knew I had il; but I got it
cheap, anl I marked it 'Herrings,' and
brought it home in tho night. Oh, dearl
and now it'll blow up the town, md kill
all tho peopls.l SEQ the fire come down!
Oh, it's kctchedl It's kctched !"
1t was true-the shed was burning u
little on the roof. Hero WIS peril in
deed. With n feeling OF desperation
that ho had never known before, Luke
leaped towards the building, crying:
Bring ME water from the well there.
Get that tin kettle Hurry Hurry"
Ruuning upon the roof, lie stripped
of his coat, aud with the garment in his
hauds succeeded in smothering the small
fumes. But now several houses were on
iirn. Sparks nnd embers were flying
everywhere in the hot mir about him, aud
fell upon the dry shingles md kindled
now flames faster than he could extinguish
them.
The shed seemed doomed, but Luke
the farmer boy, parched with heat, aud
every moment increasing his risk Of
life by horrible explosion, fought the
fire with fierce and reckless courage.
He drcnched his jacket in every pailful
Of water tllat the trembling old man
brought him, and beat it about him on
the burning roof, and threw the rest OF
the liquid in splashcs upon the flames.
AL this time he was shouting: "Help!
hclpl powder powder "
"Don't holler powder" shrieked tho
old man. above the noise "theyll put