Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-08-30

out the business that brought me there.
She smiled when l told her-a mis-
chievous smile, l thought.
"Thank you, very much, Mr.. Jack.
son; but have no word to send to Mr..
Richards, that know off,
was surprised, and she saw it.
"You have been led into an error, :"
she said, more seriously, "but thank
you all the same. hope you will see
no trouble on the journey. You must be
very careful, however, for fires are burn.
ing through all that region"
You don't know how these words
cheered me. Notwithstanding my eia-
barrassing position, / could not feel
sorry that l went; and, apelogizing for
my mistake, 1 took my leave very much
happier, yet withal, feeling a sort of
pity for John.
| The first part of my journey was per-
formed without serious trouble. It is
true, L had some marrow escapes from
the fires which l found everywhere;
thus proving my mothers fears not with
out foundation. But on Saturday night,
the night for camping out, 1 met with
the first of a series of mishaps that
promised very unfortunate ending to
my trip.
The camping out, however, was not so
dlsagreeable as l anticipated; for our
men, on the way up, had erected a cabin
ior themselves, and sort of stable for
the horses. In the latter I tied Jim.
hndIng hay and grain enough for feed.
and then betook myself to the other
Caoin, where I made preparations for
passing comfortable night.
But l could not sleep at first. Ten
thousand dollars in ones pocket is not
remarkable narcotic, especially when
one is in a lonely cedar swamp, with
fires lighting the heavens above, the
suffocating smoke retarding respiration.
and you do not know how many desper-
ate men prowling about for prey. But
sleep came to me after while, and
money, fire, smoke and robbers were
forgotten.
| do not know how long I slept, but
DO know that 1 was awakened very sud-
denly. L sprang from the heap of straw
which had been my bed, and, by the
light OF the fires, which had burned
nearer, L saw man standing in the door.
His face was toward me-a black face it
was, too, but whether artifcially colored
or natural, could not say.
If you don't want to get burned up,
you'd better get out of here |" he said,
grut1y. "Ten minutes more, and the
hut will be all ablaze."
needed no second bidding. found
| that his words were true, his warning
timely. On three sides of the cabin the
hungry flames were greedily licking up
everything combustible, and at one
point were only few rods from where I
stood.
The smoke was sitting, the heat was
scorching. had no time to waste. The
stranger was already on the move, as ! |
knew by the sound of his horses foot
falls. was not far behind, I assure
you; for my faithful horse seemed to
realize that we were in peril.
The smoke was so dense that I could
not see a rod ahead, but [ struck out
boldly, and ride of half an hour took
me out of immediate danger. Then.
for the first time since my awakening, | |
thought of the money. [ quickly |
clapped my hand to my breast pocket. |
1t was empty
Can you guess my first wish? It was
that had been left to my fate in that
rude hut; for death seemed preferable
to dishonor. These thoughts did not |
remain with me any length OF time,
however; for somewhere in advance of |
me, fleeing from his victim, and from |
the devouring element, was the robber.
My only desire, then, was to overtake !
him and wreak out my vengeance on |
his worthless carcass.
Putting the whip to my horse, dash |
ed on; making but little progress, how
ever, for the way had never been travel. |
ed before, unless by some footman, |
Toward daylight the way improved, and |
soon after sunrise struck road. I |
now moved on more rapidly. BY fre-
quent inquiries learned that was on
the track of the villain, but some hours
behind him. I was gaining on him,
however. AS the day waned [ heard |
OF him nearer and nearer. I hoped to |
overtake him before dark, but failed.
L did not despair. I kept on, and,
somewhere between eight and nine |
o'clock, reached village situated on
the border of bay, or the lake itself.
could not tell which. rode down to |
the bay to give my thirsty horse drink: |
but he had only touched his lips to the |
water, when he lifted up his head,
turned square round, and, with dilated |
eyes, swelling nostrils and elevated ears,
gazed towards the woods which nearly |
surrounded the village. And I, too,
turned in the same direction; for low,
rumbling sound, inexplicable to me,
broke the Sabbath stiffness. Louder
and louder it grew as we gazed, until it
was like the noise Of mighty, irresistible
waters sweeping toward us.
The inhabitants of the village were
aroused. Though conscious of some
terrible danger, they were yet ignorant
OF their awful doom. Even the domes-
tic animals took the alarm, and fled,
helter-skelter, trampling many a poor
unfortunate under foot in their mad
fight. ....
But the worst WAS yet to come.
Dumb with awe, rather than fear, I
stood facing the mysterious roar-stood
alone, for my frightened horse had
broken away and fied-while fiercer and
more terrible became the horrid mys-
terry.
But the worst was not vet.
Suddenly, swift as the lightning's
flash, burst upon us deafening crash,
like the uprooting and downfalling Of ten
thousand forest giants, and with it
sheet of fame-one wide, lurid sheet of
scorching, mer ,iless, devouring fire.
enveloping the village and everything
therein-a sickening holocaust.
! Peshtigo was doomed
| Only when the tornado of wind and
fame struck the village did realize my
danger. Fortunately I was close by the