Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-06-02

"Were you not frightened?" asked
Edith, as she helped Milly change the
drenched clothing.
eyes, Edie, I was" she answered,
soberly, "and prayed little prayer !;
but didn't forget to cling tight"
At length the time came for the Bos-
ton aunt to go home. 1t was arranged
that Edith should accompany her father,
as he drove with his sister the thirty
miles to the city, where she was to take
the eastern-bound train. They were to
remain a day in town for the purpose of
shopping, returning on the third. As
Mr.. Morgan kissed hispet daughter good
by he said playfully: "Now, Pussy,
you must take good care of things while
papa is gone"
Il will, papa, was the earnest reply.
81 dislike to go away" continued her
father. Everything is very dry and
there have been fires west of us; but
Patrick and Hannah are faithful and
you are worth a half dozen any day."
"Don't worry, papa, dear" said Milly,
gyaly. "Just go and have good time.
We shall be all right"
The morning of the third day was clear
and pleasant. A breeze from the oppo-
site direction during the night had blown
away the smoke. and with it went the
fear from the heart of the poor old
black woman. Pat, too, was in good
spirits. though, in his way, chad been as
lugubrious as Hannah. So they all went
to work with good will. Pat was re-
shingling barn; Hannah was baking;
for she declared she must do "heaps Of
cookin'" before "Mars' Morgan and
Miss Edith should come and Milly
was acting as little maid Of all work to
the sable cock. She washed dishes, but
tered pie plates and cake-tins, occasion
ally leaving her work to dart into the
sitting room, to assure herself that every
thing was in order for the Homecoming
of her loved ones.
Gwine to ride up in de chariot
Sooner in de mornin'
she sang. But bark What was that {?
A cry of terror or distress. She flew to
the door, followed by Hannah. They
saw Patrick crawling toward the house
on his hands and knees.
"The prairie is on fire he shouted,
adding, Immediately: " Howly mother,
be merciful for it's helpless I am in
tirely."
The prairie was indeed on fire,
though at some distance. Pat, from his
perch on the barn, had spied it, and,
in his haste to get down and give the
alarm, had slipped on the ladder and
fallen to the ground, severely spraining
his ankle.
"You must burn a sthreak, Miss
Mily, and just as quick as ever We can,
for the fire is a-comin' like an express
thrain."
Milly understood had often
heard of it-and already the matches
and some bits of paper were in her
hand
"Where, Pat?" she called.
"Out forninst yon wire fence. III
dhraw water, and Hannah must carry it
Ill We, to shp~inkle the ground this side
yer fire." And Patrick dragged him
self painfully to the well.
Milly did as she was told and every
thing succeeded bravely. The fright
had a wonderful effect on Hannah's
rheumatic limbs, and she carried water
on the double quick.
On came the great fire, nearer and
nearer. Milly could hear the roaring
and kissing Of the fame, the trampling
and snorting of horses, and the below
ing Of cattle, as they raced for life.
At the right and left of her fire they
passed, but the child scarcely noticed
them. She dinly saw, through the
smoke, several gaunt prairie wolves
dash by; but it seemed perfectly natural
and she had no thought Of fear. She
was saving her home.
With wet blankets she whipped back
the fire, when it threatened to come
where it should not. At last she had
the satisfaction of seeing so wide a belt
of burnt land between her home and the
great fire that she felt sure they were
safe, and she started to seek a refuge
from the binding smoke in the house
her efforts had saved; but, borne on the
wind, far up in mid-air, came sailing a
blazing mass of straw, and, to Milly's
horror, it fell on the house roof. With
almost superhuman swiftness she ran
toward the new scene Of danger. Up
the stairs she darted, catching, as she
ran, broom. From dormer window
she climbed out on the roof, and with
broom showed the flaming straw
to the ground, where it was quenched
by Pat.