The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-09-08

Not sign OF 1ather or the wagon
.sCome. put your dress over your head,
Lou painted Ruth, whose hands were
smarting with pain
There was not moment to be lost.
They must flee somewhere, for the house
was already ablaze. An awful yellow
glare lit up the dense darkness, and on
| every side the crash of falling trees filed
the air with terrible din. On they
rushed through the blistering heat.
scarcely knowing where, Ruth still bear
ing her precious burden, and the children
clinging to her in wild despair.
How long they pursued this headlong
flight no one knew. All sense of time
was lost; it might have been minutes, or
il might have been hours. Suddenly
Ruth lost her balance. She gave utter
ance to one piercing shrek but she never
let GO her burden, and then she slid
down, down, down. The terrified chill
dren screamed as they rolled over and
rover. and then all was silence and dark
ness.
Ruth was the first to recover. 80
"Mother?"
I'm safe The children?'
40, where are we?'' moaned the lit
tie ones, creeping on. stheir hands and
knees toward the familiar voices. They
managed To reach the sheltering embrace
of mother, who lay unhurt amid her
wrappings just as she had slipped from
the stanch arms that saved her life.
Ruth began to feel around; for even
the ghastly light of the flames had van
iShe,l, and not an object was visible in the
thick. deep gloom. Brambles and briers
and low bushes upon all sides. With
each turn the dry twigs and leaves
cracked, and in attempting to move the
girl found her clothing caught upon
/ thorns shat projected on al sides. 1t was
with difficulty that she managed to ex-
tricate herself bruised and benumbed as
/ she was, but it was necessary to explore
/ further. The ground felt hard and clay
ey, and was covered with stones. Turn
| ing halfway round, Ruth found a little
clearspace, and creeping forward, soon
came TO rising ground. Catching hold
of bush she pulled herself little way
up the slope, when an idea of their sit
uation suddenly flashed upon her,
why we re in the creek-the dry
creek down by the meadow lot, she
called ont. Where are you all. / have
! lost YOU
Here" replied her mothers voice
not three yards away. us Scott with
thee? Harry and Lou are Safe
NO answered. Ruth, aghast, has
tening with all possible speed to her
mothers side.
Where is the child?-' she cried, inn
mediately calling aloud with all her
strength, Scott Scottr'
But no answer.
He must have hidden somewhere
when the darkness came,' was the
mothers despairing conclusion
L. 4
the awful story.
..If | could save himr' And with
silent prayer for strength, she once more
dashed into the sitting smoke.
Hour after hour crept by; it seemed to
the terrified children as if they must
have sat there for days; and they were
so hungryi and Ruth never would comet
Presently, after long waiting, the
darkness began 70 lift somewhat and
they could see each others faces. Little
by little the gloom cleared away until
the whole atmosphere was of a dusky
hue. And still they waited. At length,
starting mp with an exclamation of JOY
rs rapid footsteps approached, they
heard their fathers voice:
RUTH Hair
Here, roared Hal. starting to his
feet.
In moment more Mr.. Leonard
bounded down the steep bank of the
creek. and with him Jake Murphy, who
had started from the village TO warn Mr..
Leonard, reaching the farm just as that
first overwhelming darkness dropped
upon the village.
They had found shelter in the old well,
Mr.. Leonard was overtaken in his
preparations for flight, and could not
reach the house before it burst into
flames. When the crisis was past. almost
wild with grief and despair. he COM
menced a search for wife and children,
fearing at every STEP. TO come upon their
lifeless bodies For a moment he stood
overcome with thankfulness as he found
them unframed.
But two were missing. Mrs. Leonard
hurriedly told,of little Scott disappear
ance. and of Ruth's effort to save him.
The two men fastened to the root
house 1t was still standing, though
blackened aud .charred. and no sign of
life appeared. The door was tightly
closed, and upon opening it sight met
the fathers eye which almost over
powered the strong man. There lay
Ruth. white and still, tightly clasping
the little fellow to her bosom.
them out of the dark building. Both
were unconscious, though they bore few
traces of the fire. Might there not yet
be chance of life2
Quickly the men bore the motionless
forms to the creek. All the remedies
which they could obtain were applied.
but it seemed in vain; the loving ones
could do little but watch and wait.
At last Ruth stirred, and slowly
opened her eyes. The brave heart once
more began to beat, though for many
long, weary day the blistered hands and
arms refused to move. But Ruth was
spared.
Little Scott lay there for hours, until
it seemed that the family must lose their
baby, when he wonderingly gaEed around
upon the anxious group and inquired:
..Did you try to cook me for dinner?'
All the pent-up feelings found vent in
a fearful laugh, and then the laugh
turned to joy, and the joy to thanksgiy-
ing.
When the flaming hurricane had swept
onward in its mad course of destruction,
and the sun, which had risen in such
fierce glory, sent a last sickly glimmer
through the murky air, it revealed the
little village of Greenville waste of
smoking ruins. But the fire had merci-
fully stopped upon reaching Farmer
Leonard's grassy meadow, and thus had
the fugitives in the creek been saved.
The strong men set to work with a
will 1t took but few hours to raise
little shed for protection; and day after
day his prospects frightened, as the time
" aid and sympathy of friends helped
him to rebuild his ruined home.
1t would have been hard to find hap
pier household than this reunited family.
Slowly strength returned to Ruth's
wounded arms, and a sweet peace shone
through the gray eyes as she once more
become able TO enjoy the blessings which
had so nearly been taken from her.
Her great opportunity had come, and
ithad found her ready.-Harper's Young
People.