The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-09-19

LOU, Will lcaI III buelr nedTUS, Uudb
night, before retiring, John Ward and
his wife went out and climbed high
rock, near the house, where they could
see if danger threatened. But around
them was only the green, dewy woods,
and above, the clear, peaceful starlight.
Feeling relieved, they sought the rest
both SO much needed.
The next morning, q messenger came
to the little village to say that the fire
was spreading with fearful rapidity, and
that help was needed to fight it back.
The men of the village responded to
the call, and all day and nearly all night,
in company with larger force, they
fought the fearful confagration.
But, famed by strong west wind,
although baffied and driven back at one
point, like an unrelenting foe, the fire
pushed forward its columns in another,
and often, before the men were aware,
they saw the flanks of the battle turned,
and themselves almost surrounded by
the flames.
Ward at last became alarmed for the
safety of his family, and returned home.
He found the greatest excitement pre-
vailing in the village. The fire had
attacked the other side of the mountain,
and they feared it would sweep over and
come down upon them.
Ward saw that the wind was still
carrying the flames in an opposite direc-
tion; yet he told his wife to dress the
children in their thickest woollen gar
ments, so that they might be prepared
for any emergency. Then, completely
exhausted, he lay down to rest.
Ha hoI cloy,f h,,f Co., -.
Mrs. Stacey came running in, with q
report from the lower houses that the
fire was approaching from another point.
They were in danger of being hemmed
in, and must make their escape at once.
Old Mrs. Ward begged her son to
leave her, urging that her life was nearly
ended, at best, and that she would only
retard their flight.
But he positively refused, and catch
ing up the two children, while his wife
took the twins, they all started to follow
the rest of the inhabitants. Mrs. Stacey
had taken the baby, and with her own
little boy, was already in the advance.
For over mile the old mother walked,
aided as much as possible by her son |;
but of necessity, their progress was
slow. The exertion proved too much
for her. She sank to the ground ex-
hausted. Her son assisted her to rise,
and urged her to make an effort to keep
up little longer; but she begged him
to leave her and save the rest of the
family.
The flames were drawing nearer and
nearer. They could hear the cracking
and the crash of the great trees as they
FOL a mi, 10 ln @1,1 ,1,
to run on by his side; but terrified by
the awful scene, they clung screaming to
him, and refused to move. For time,
in his desperation, he tried to carry
them all.
But bho fire was advancing 30 rapidly,
he saw that he must abandon his mother,
or the whole family perish. She now
earnestly pleaded with him, for the sake
of the little ones, to put her down and
flee for his life. She was not afraid to
meet death. 1t would be but moments
pang, then heavenly joy forever.
With groan of agony, he acquiesced,
yet drew her as far as possible out OF
the direct line of the fire. Then, clasp
ing her in his arms, he cried, go mother,
how can leave you?"
"Go, go, my son. As you have
been faithful to me, may God deal faith
fully with you and yours. Don't grieve
that you left me-"
am describing an actual occurrence.
1t seems almost impossible that gen.
erous, dutiful son could leave his aged
mother to die by the cruel torture of the
flames, but the safety of his own chill
dren and of his wife appealed to his
heart, and at the moment it seemed to
him better that one should be left, rather
than that the whole family should per-
ish.
Ward started forward, but before
passing out of sight turned for one
more look.
His mother was kneeling, with hands
clasped and eyes raised in silent prayer,
The approaching flames illumined her
pale face, but it was calm and peaceful.
He stood like one in trance till his
wife, who had pushed ahead, besought
him to hasten on. She didn't know
which way to go, for the fire seemed to
be everywhere. His mother also saw
his hesitation, and motioned him away.
Ward could hardly endure that last
last sight. He turned desperately away,
came rapidly to his wife's side, and
placing the children at her feet, flung
himself into tree to obtain more ex-
tended view.
After glance round, he sprang down,
and told her there was but one chance
of escape. That was to climb to the top
OF the mountain, where there were some
barren lodges on which there was moth
ing to burn.
1t was desperate struggle on the
steep rocks, over fallen trees and
through the brush. But the children
had become more accustomed to the
scene; and as they got further from the
fire, their courage returned, and their
own practice in mountain climbing aid
ed their parents. At last they reached
the summit in safety.
But it was sad, exhausted group
that gathered there. The little ones
cried with hunger and thirst; and on
that barren rock the parents had no
means to satisfy either. All day long
they looked down from their high perch
into what appeared like a gulf of fire.
Now it ran along the ground, now leaped
from tree to tree, then, as if driven by
it came on in one broad sheet
of flame, the roar increasing till in terror
the children covered their eyes and
stopped their ears. -
The parents also felt as if the awful
grandeur of sight and sound was more
than they could bear; for they hardly
dared to hope that they were safe above
it.
Ero,, chic ,,oo;tion Shav uara arousa