The Morning herald., 1878-11-07
AN IOWA CASABIANCA.
sToRY OF A BRAVE LITTLE BoY WHO WAS
BURNED ON THn PHAIRIRs,

sToRY OF A BRAVE LITTLE BeY VINO WAS
BURNED ON THH P8AIRI1s,
From the Ida County owa) Pios....
But the saddest Of our story is yet to come
The next day, Sunday forenoon, another fire
was set short distance from where the one
tue day before originated, and the wind be-
ing in the same direction, and blowing .
great deal harder, the fire was driven paraL
lei with the other. About one o'clockit had
reached Grant township, and was coming ct
furious speed toward the premises of Mr..
B. E. Aiken. Mr.. Aiken's oldest child, o
lad of fifteen summers, saw, the fire sto, m
approaching, and Immediately moauted a
horse and galleped cut into the field 70 try
and save his fathers hay, which was ID inns
minent danger. The boy let the horse 90
and took the blanket upon which he rode
and wet It in the creek and thought to pat
| the fire out while It was crossing. When
the FIRE ncared him It was so hot that he
could not stand It, and started to run ut one
side with the hope OF getting out OF the way
| Of the main head fre, but he soon saw that
he could not get out of its way and knew
that he must face the worst. "a With great
presence of mind the brave little fellow
wrapped the wet blanket arouud his head
and shoulders and turned and ran with all
his might through the fire. 1t was but the
work Of moment and his doom Was sealed
| When he reached the burned region the
blanket dropped from him In pieces, and
with his nailless and almost fingerl-ss hands
he tore the remainder of his burning cloth
ing from his body, except his shoes, which
were crisp tight to his feet, and there he
stood, naked and scorched from head to foot
suffering untold agonies. His father, who
was short distance away, saw the fire as 1t
passed over his son. He ran his horse
through the side nre end was soon at his
sons side "Frank, are you badly burnedP
asked Mr.. Aiken. "No, father, but let's
hurry home," was the reply. Mr.. Aikel.
lifted the poor fellow upon Tho horse and
started to lead 1t home, and holding on to
They had proceeded in this manner but {.
few steps when the suffering boy said, lob I,
father, let me have the reina-I can't stand
II to 20 40 slow" The father obeysd, and
Frsnk ran the horse at full speed to the
house, dismeunted, tied the horse and went
! into the house without assistance. A neigh.
| bor Immediately came to town for Drs. Rob-
, inson and Walker, and in the meantime the
almost distracted parents were bathing him
with tallow, which seemed theonly thing to
afford ease. The doctors did all In their
power to restore the suffering boy Ibut all
was in vain. He died without struggle at
two O'Clock the next morning. He was
burned internally, which caused his death
, 10 suddenly. His limbs up to his kn. es
! ana elbows were 90 badly burned that the
} blood had ceased to circulate in them, and
they were cold and dead long before the pa
tient ceased to breathe. His father who
stood by his bedside until life had ned, fre-
quently asked him to have courage, and the
, brave little would reply, eyes, father, I've
! |got courage, and think / will stand It all
, right" Tho funeral service were conducted
at the hall at this place last MONDAY after
noon by Rev. A. Z. Smith, after which the
remains were taken to the Ida Grove Gene.
|tery for interment. Frank was . very smart
boy for his age, and was highly esteemed BY
the neiphbors and all who ksew him. He
: Was always very kind and obedient to his
a parents. The entire community sympathise
! With the bersaved family in this great mis-.
Il fortune.