The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-10-16
Gauntlet or Flame.

Mcssrs. LenoX and Perry have for
some time been in the mountains at the
head of Magpic, Montana, getting out
timber for large stable. The noun
tains in tile vicinity Of Magpie were
recently set on fire by a party of pros
pectors, and the fire ragged over
quite an extcut of country. About
O'CLOCK on the afternoon Of the 14th
ult., Court Sheritt"s wagon and team
started down the canyon loaded with
fence poles, and few minutes later
Leon and Perry followed with Il heavy
load Of hewn timber. They had got
fairly in the canyon when the wind
suddenly increased to lively gale, and
before they could realize the extreme
danger of their position the whole
mountain was in flames. Putting
whip to their horses, they commenced
race for their lives. 10 turn back
was impossible, the mountains rising
almost perpendicular Oh each side of
the canyon. Their only hope lay in
outstrlpping the fire, which was now at
their very heels. Judge of their sur
prise and CONSERVATION OH discoYering,' ;
few rods ahead, the wagon which had
preceded them completely blocking up
the road, the driver having abandoned
1t to save his horses. What was to be
done now must be done quickly. Perry
was on the point Of giving the horses
the whip and tearing his way through,
but the Colonel, with the cool head of
an old soldier, suggested throwing off
the load of fence poles and clearing the
road. Both set to work with O will,
and IN few seconds had the poles un-
loaded, the wagon uncoupled and
tunibled down the side Of the mountain.
The roar and cracking of the flames
and the booming crash of falling tim
ber was sufficient to strike terror to the
hearts of older mountalneers than those
who had only been in the country a
few months. So exhausted were they
with the intense heat and the severe
eX ertiOns Of the last few moments that
they had barely sufficient strength to
chamber on the wagon and again COM
mence the frightful race. The fire in
meantime had got ahead of them, and
putting the whip to their row maddencd
horses, they began running the gauntlet
of fire. Trees were falling in all drec-
tloas around them; the atmosphere
was thick with smoke and impregnated
with the fumes Of burning pitch, max
ing 1t almost suflocating. Both faces
were teginring.to wear the picture of
despair. All hope Of eyer getting
safely through had almost died within
them, when Perry Glanced to remark
that the Colonel's wife that night would
probably be widow. The words acted
like magic on the Colonel, who, rails
Ing to his feet with "not by long
sight," began urging the horses to re-
newed exertions with the end of a
binding chain, the horses literally tear-
ing thcir way over fallen trees and
burnt timber for a distance of half a
mile, when they emerged into small
clearing where the fire had taken a turn
and again gone up the mountain. With
the exception of some slight damage to
the wagon and a few bruises them
selves, they arrived safely at the Ferry
SO far is 1t from being true that men
are naturally equal, that no two people
can be half an hour together but one
shall acquire an evident superiority
over the other.
Time goes at It's own gait. and you
cannot kasten 1t by using the "spur Of