The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-07-09

The brothers did not say a word. Int
each whipped up his horse and drove
on.
Farmer Whitley wondered how his
brother could have got the news so
quickly, but he supposed that he must
have seen the smoke from his house.
The horse made better time on the
turnpike, and twice the farmer looked
back to see the tall column of smoke
rising over the woods.
On and on he rode, as fast as the poor
old horse could go. Perhaps there would
vet be time to save the house.
All! what's thatp Smoker He ston.
ped the horse and looked ahead. There
was column of inky smoke rising over
the trees. 1t was the steamer!
He had Just time to turn aside upon
the grass when it came up-four horses
on the full run, and the driver standing
up and cracking his long whip over
their heads. 1t went laundering by.
leaving trail of sparks behind it upon
the ground.
What's thatP A cloud of dust in the
road-a bell ringing furiously. In an
instant the Miscarriage came tearing
along the road, and behind it came a
light express-wagon, full of men and
boys.
1t was his brother from Hazeldell.
with the two boys, Jack and Teddy, and
half dozen fremen.
Farmer Whitley did not stop to ask
how they got the news. He only turned
his horse and followed the frantic pro-
cession amid cloud of dust and smoke
as it raced along the dusty turnpike.
The blazing barn sent up columns of
smoke, and showers of sparks fed over
all that part of the farm.
A load of hay in the fields took fire,
and burned till the wheels of NE hay
cart fell to pieces. Nobody paid any
attention to it, for the house was in
great danger.
Twice the roof took fire, out they
managed to pour water from the attic
window and put it out. At last a spark
lodged on the cornice behind the
chimney, where it was not seen for q
few moments, and very soonA corner of
the house was all afire. Thel there was
the widest confusion. The house would
SO' ANOUIllS SOltlNl SINC-
"Hurrah! Here's the engine!''
1t came up the hill, tore round the
house right through the flower garden
to the well, and in half minute the
hose-cart was there and all the men. In
exactly three minutes they had on
good stream. The house was saved!
The barn was total loss, and the en-
CINE played upon the ruinsto prevent
the sparks from flying.
Farmer Whitley invited his brothers
and the boys and all the firenen to sup
per, for every one was tired snd hungry.
Even the engine horses were let out into
the fields to have roll and bite of
grass.
OF course, they all talked it over, and
said the engine came just in time; yet
there was one thing nobody could I'M
derstand-how did the brothers and the
firemen get the news?
"Wel," said the captain of the fire
company, "the first thing we knew,
your nevies-the little chaps from Ha-
zeldell-came to the station and told us.
They didn't boiler fire in the streets, but
they just said as how you had fire.
Of course, we hitched up and started
right away, and when we were about q
mile out on the road we saw the smoke.
How the boys found it out is more than
| know"
Brother Whitley, from Beechwood,
said:
81 was in the barn, just putting the
horse in, when Emma and Sally came
out with the extinguisher and said your
barn was on fire. l don't know how
they heard of it, unless they saw the
smoke. Even then 1 don't understand
it, for they said it was the barn, and we
can't see the barn from our house,
Sophie and Fred and Jack and Teddy
were solemn as owls, and never said
word.
Brother Whitley, from Hazeldell,
said:
81 was at the post-ofice with the
team when | saw the engine start out.
The boys came along just then and said
1t was your barn, and [ took them up
and the firemen, and started. How the
boys heard of it couldn't guess"
Then it all came out, and everybody
wanted to kiss Sophie. Every one said
she was bright and sensible girl to
call the firemen and her uncles. She
had saved her fathers house by calling
the engine with a heliograph.-GoldeH
Days.