Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1883-11-01


white and motionless then with &
bound she was at the well. Hel
course was decided upon. If only
time and strength were given her,
Drawing two pals of water, she laid
a large bag in each, and then, getting
some matches, hurried out beyond
the stable. She must fight fire with
fire. That was her only hope; but a
strong experienced man would have
shrunk from starting Il back fire in
such a wind,
She fully realized the danger; but
it was possible escape from otherwise
inevitable destruction, and she hest
tated not an instant to attempt it
Cautiously starting Il blaze, she stood
with wet bag ready to smother the
first unruly flame
The great fire to the southwark was
rapidly approaching. Prairie chick
ems and other birds, driven from their
nests, were flying over, uttering dis
tressed cries. The air was full of
smoke and burnt grass, and the
cracking of the flames could plainly
be heard. 1t was Il trying moment.
The increased roar of the advancing
fire warned Indy that she had but
very little time in which to complete
the house and barn; still, if she hur-
ried too much, she would lose con-
troll of the fire she had started, and
with it all hope of safety.
The heat WAS intense, the smoke
sutiocating, the rapid swinging ofthe
heavy bag most exhausting, bat she
was unconscious OF these things. The
extremity of the danger inspired her
with wonderful strength and eudur-
ance. Instead of losing courage, she
increased her almost superhuman cx-
ertions, and in another brief interval
the task was completed. None too
soon, either, for the swiftly advancing
column hid nearly reached the way
erng, struggling, slow-movin5 line
Lindv had sent out to meet it.
1t was a wild, fascinating, half ter
riblc, half beautiful scene. The
tongues of flame, leaping above each
other with airy. fantastic grace, seem
ed, cat-llkc, to toy with their virtues
before devouring them.
\ sudden, violent gush of wind,
and then with great cracking roar
the two fires met, the flames shooting
high into the air as they rushed to.
gothcr.
For one brief, glorious moment
they remained there, tapping the air
with their fierce, hot tongues; then
suddenly dropping, they died quick
" out; and where an instant before
had been a wall of fire was nothing
but "a cloud Of blue smoke rising
from the blackened ground, and here
and there sickly flame finishing an
obstinate tuft Of grass. The fire on
each side meeting no obstacle, swept
quickly by, and Lindy stood gazing,
spell bound, after it, as it darted and
Dashed in terrible zgzag lines farth-
er and farther away,
oh, Indy" called shrill little
voice from the house. Elmer had
just awakened.
yes, IN coming Lindy answered,
turning. But how very queer she
felt There was roaring In her
ears louder than the fire had made;
everything whirled before her eyes
and the sun seemed suddenly to have
ceased shining, all was so dark
Reaching the house by great effort,
she sank, faint, dizzy and trembling
upon the bed by her brothers side,
Elmer, frightened and hardly
awake, began to cry, and as never
did anything in a half way mann'r
the result was quite wonderful. His
frantic shrieks and furions cries
reused his half fainting sister Us ef-
fectually as if he had poured u glass
of brandy between her lips. She soon
sat up, and by and by color began to
return to the white face, and strength
to the exhausted body Her practi-
cal nature and strong will again as
serted themselves, and instead Of
yielding to feeling of weakness and
prostration, she tied on her sun-bon-
net firmly, and gave the chickens
l,,;, t.,,,o r.. lr),,o,1 J,,,n