Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1878-10-10

Ono DAY we gave the child, cOlOr'd sphere
Ofthe wide earth, that she might mark and
know 5st. sssS
BY tint and outline all It's sea and land.
She patted all the world old empires peep'l
Between her baby fingers; her soft hand
Was welcome at all frontiers. how she leap'i
And laughed and.prattled in her pride Of bliss
But when we turned her sweet, unlearned eyt
On our own isle, she raised q Joyous cry,
And while she hid all England with kiss,
Bright over Europe fell her golden hair"
Rev. Charles 7ennyso.s Turner.
CHASED BY THE FIRE.
In the coal regions of Pennsylvania there
are railroads called "gravity roads, owe
which long trains run without the aid o
locomotives. - - @>*I &7']4 E':aS 4
The tracks are laid on gentle incline
till they come to steep ascending planes
where stationary engines are placed, either a
the head or foot of the slspe Here strone
iron ropes are attached to the cars, drawing
them to the top of the hills, when they AGAR
| can run down on the other side, controlled
reached. * >,S*s2 6. ~ 80 ~%aa,ss 49,
but sometimes mile or two apart The ont
| on which the loaded car passes is called thu
| "heavy," and the other, where the empty cars
return, the slight track" They are bull
along the sides of the mountain sumits, Civ
| ing the eye grand sweep over board and beau
tiful landscapes. Then, gently descending
| they follow the mountain curves, sometimes
haningg over deep ravines, and sometimes
dashing through dense forests, where thu
trees form an unbroken shade over the track
In the Spring of 1875, John Ward, the hero
of this story was head brakeman on one Of the
| coal trains. During that Spring, this part O
the country was visited by an unusual drouth
Day after day the sun rose clear, and rap it,
| course over cloudless sky. But at length 6
veil gathered over the landscape, through
which the sun shone only like dull red disk
The people said that fore t fires were raging
| in the lumber districts north.
Near the close of day in the month of May
an empty train, noticed cloud of smoke al
| the head of the plane next above them. A
they ran down to the engine-house which
was here at the foot of the slope, they inquir:
ed if the woods along the track were on fire
The engineer replied that they were, but he
thought they could shoot BY without dan.
ger.
The men resolved to try. But when they
reached the top of the plane, they saw they
had no time to lose. The fire was rushing
towards them, and they could feel it's hot
breath Loosening the brakes, they sped down
the track with covered faces and suspended
breath.
But few moments suf1iced to carry them
out OF danger, as they supposed The road
then wound round a curve of two miles
through dense pine forest.
Josh and Dan McChing, wards two COM
paniOns, congratulated themselves on heir
escape; but Ward felt anxious lest this was
but the beginning of their troubles. His
home was in the midst Of the woods some
mill f1r hnr md fo, %l>oA I,
realized what terrible foe fire might be-
come.
Scarcely had these thoughts passed through
his MUD, when the train rounded the curve
and there before them was the fire crossing
their path.
They had gone so far dawn the plane that
it was impossible to run the cars back. They
felt that they had better abandon them and re.
turn, while there was yet chance, to the
engine-house at the foot ofthe slope.
But on rounding the curve again, they saw
to their dismay, that the fire had reached the
track behind them, and was furioue]y burn
ing on both sides. All chance of retreat was
cut off. But the forest where they stood was
cool and green, the underground so luxuriant
and damp that it did not seem possible that
it could burn.
Inc next moment, however, burning twig
lodged in one Of the tall trees near them, and
igniting the pine needles. darted out tongue
of flame.
The men now saw that they must push
tnelr way through the fire in front or perish
With hearts trem bling with fear, they shock
OFT the brakes, aud were about to rush down
the burning track, when woman started
out from the trees, dragging little boy by
the hand, and screamed to them in tones OF
agony:
Stop and take us in!"
Josh Meeting shouted back: 1--WE can't
nnScih1uO +o ball
standing in the clearing ahead, against which
cord-wood had been piled, aud which was
already in flames. But with a firm hand
Ward pressed down the brake, and ordered
the others to do the same, saying:
would you leave woman and her child
to be burned like rats in barn?"
sDon.t yo! see we must get BY that tree
Cling in rage.
Il knows replied Ward, sternl,; "but
they shall go with us, or Wen all perish to-
gether: Quick, quick, my woman! we've no
He dared not leave the front of the train to
help her, for he knew the other men, in their
fright, would raise the brakes and desert
them.
She struggled forward, but when almost
up to the cars, she stumbled and fell. With
bound, Ward sprang to her side, lifted her,
and handed her to Josh Meeting, who stood
in the rear of the ear. He then cought up the
child, and turned to spring in, but the train
was already moving, Josh, made utterly self
ish by his fear, had raised the brakes.
Ward ran with the energy of desperation,
threw the child into Dams outstretched arms,
and then caught the last car, where he hung
unable at the speed they were moving, with
his utmost strength, to do more than keep
his hol5.
In few moments they left the green
woods, and passing through the blazing
brush on either side, were almost blinded
and sutfocated with the smoke and heat
while burning twigs and brushes fell like a
! red hot shower upon them.
Ward felt his hands blistering, yet he held
fast, and looked up to see if the pine-tree was
still standing As they passed under it, the
flames had caught in the long branches, and
it stood pyramid of fire. On the cars sped
Another curve was passed, and they were
again in the midst of q dense green wood.
Dan Nc Ching shouted to his brother to
put down the brakes and succeeded in max.
ing him stop the train. The two men then got
out, and ran beck to pick up Ward, who had
dropped exhausted before the motion entirely
ceased.
They placed him in the Cars, and tt en- al.
lowed the train to run some distance further
till they felt sure the danger was passed
Coming to little stream of water near the
track, they again stopped the train, and gath
cred around the spring, to wash their burns
and rest little.
Here Ward recognized the poor woman he
had saved as Mrs. Stacy, the wife Of a wood
chopper, who was employed t. supply fuel
for the engine house they had just passed.
Her little skanty was just in the path of the
fire. She saw the fire coming, and had time
only to catch her boy and escape to the woods,
where these men had picked her up She had
lost everything, and feared that her husband
had persisted in the flames. He had gone of
with his axe in the morning, which way she
she could not tell.
Ward was filled with anxiety about the
woman and her child. He knew that his two
companions would do nothing for her, and he
must offer her shelter in his own home. But
he had six children and an aged mother to
support and his wife was not one who bore
her burdens lightly.
But the kind-hcarted man invited Mrs. Sta.
cey to accompany him home, and lifting the
boy in his arms when they left the cars, he
strobe on head to show her the narrow path.
y They passed several houses and approached
a prett, white cottsge, With thrill of JOY
Ward listened to the merry voices o. his
children.
In moment more he opened the door on a
bright family picture. The table was spread
and his children were gathered round it, ex.
cept the little twins, who we're all ready in
their cribs, while in the midst of them sat the
old ~ ofhor Soloo;d1v or III o;,