Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-05-08
Hew Susie Went 10 the Fire.

prairie and O deep forest stood, many
years ago, little log-houso. When it
was first built, the many inhabitants Of
the region watched its erection with
wonder and dIsapprobatiOn. The squir-
rels paused in their frisking TO regard
it with bright, cogitatlye eyes. The
birds fitted from tree to tree chatterlng
to each other, and asking what these
strange objects were, and if their COM
ing meant danger to their nestlings.
The prairie wolves howled around at
night, and the deer, three or four at a
time, bounded past, with their antlers
high in the air, as if they disdalned so
homely and lonely thing. The for
est trees tossed their heads and bowed
towards the little log hut, saying, "lt
is very ugly;;" and Immediately ripple
ran all over the prairie grass. and it an
swered, "Quite true;we never saw any
thing so unsighly before" But the
strange beings who had come to disturb
them kept on attheir labors, and soon
the cabin was completed.
Within dwelt little girl by the name
ofSusie. She did not live alone, for
the house was full, with her parents
and older brothers and sisters. But
my story is OF her, the youngest and
the pet Of all. 1t would take long to
tell city girls Of to-day how Susie lived
and knew what 1t was to be happy.
Much as would like to describe them
to YOU, must pass by the woodland
rambles. and keep to myself the secrets
the forest told aud the birds sang aud
the wild bees hummed to her, and how
she knew and loved the prairie flowers
and the wind which chased over the
grass,-I must omit all Tor the sake OF
telling one little adventure which betell
her.
When the Lighthouse had stood ia Its
place three years, and had been clasped
and covered by the clinging arms Of
the forest vines, Susie noticed, one al
ternoon, q great commotiOn in the
household. The neighbors who lived
nearest came and talked with her father
out in the meadow with hurried excited
voices. Her brothers FASTENED to put
on their heavy boots and stout, leather
mittens. While her mother and sisters
went round with troubled faces, all the
men hurried off, together to the prairie
-hew far she could not see in the gath
ering darkness Soon after, the wind'
which came IN slight pufs from the di-
rectiou in which they had gone, brought
with it the smell Of smoke.
Say, mamma, where has papa gone
and what makes everybody look So
frighteneG?' said Susie, pressing close
to her mothers side, with the sobs
coming in her voice.
Susie. dear, don't DO frightened
don't cry, but be mammals little wo-
man. It's a prairie fire, and papa and
the boys have gone to help put it out.
will it come here, mama, will II
burn our house,
NO dear, I hope not. 1t is a long
way of. and the men will burn some ol
the grass not far from the fields. so that
when the fire gets there II will stop be-
cause there will be nothing for it to
burn;and then, lift does get this side and
come near the corn and wheat, they will
beat 1t with great sticks, and stamp On
it. and put it out in that way
Then her mother hurried away 10 see
the coffee was made and food prepared
for the men who would be up all night
Susie stood at the door in the darkness
and looked toward the south, where
abe saw far away, a dull red cream
which sometimes flashed up brilliantly
but more often seemed to her excitec
fancy like a great red snake crawling
toward her home. Out there lay hel
fathers cornfelds, and there came the
dreadful fire, ready TO dovour them.
Then a thought came into her mind
Susie was a courageous little girl, ant
had energy enough for two. Perhap'
she might help put out the fire. Her
mother and sisters were too bnsy 10
notice her movements. Without paus-
ING to think what mamma might wlst
her to do, she ran through the DOOR
ward, aud was soon making her way
across the meadow toward the corn
fields. They seemed long way of
and her feet were teo little to carry he'
fast, bat she trudged bravely on. A
last she reached the end Of the field, and
looked out on the broad prairie.
Susie was little girl, but all her lif'
long never forgot her first view OF
prairie on FIRE. Stretching out of sigh
on either hand was a red line of flame
rising toward the sky, and covering /
with a dense cloud Of smoke. Th'
sparks flew in every direction, ant
many, yes, very many, were brough
by occasional pufls of wind near tt
where she stood. Between her and th'
red snake as it seemed to her, blacl
tigures with clubs in their hands, rush
ed back and forth, looking shadowy ant
giganic against the fire. Susie knew
that these were her father and brothers
with other friends, whose strong ARM
we're battling with the advancing flames
But she soon made discovery which
caused her to forget the distant fires
Some sparks had lit in the dry grass b,
tho rail tence not far away, The gras