Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-08-17
LTNDY

"Oh, daddy I" called q clear, girlsh voice.
"Yes, Lindy what's wanted Z"
"Ma wants TO know how long it'll be fore
you're ready"
"Oh, tell her I'll be at the door by the time
she gets her things on. Be sure you have
the butter aud eggs all ready to put into the
wagon. We're maxim too late start to
town"
Butter and eggs, indeed As If Lindy
needed a reminder other than the new dress
for which they we're to be exchanged.
"Elmer and can go to town next time,
can't we, ~ she asked, entering the house.
eyes, Lindy; l hope So, was the reply.
"But don't bother me now your pa is com
ing already, and haven't my shawl on yet.
Yes, Wilbur I'm here. just put this butter
in, Lindy; I'll carry the eggs in my lap.
Now, Lindy, don't let Elmer play with the
fire or run away"
And in moment more the heavy lumber
wagon ratified away from the door; the
children stood gazing after it for a while in
half-forlorn manner. Then Lindy went in to
do her work, Elmer resumed his play, and
soon everything was moving along as cheer
fully as ever
After dinner Elmer went to sleep, and Lin
dy, feeling rather lonely again, went out-of-
doors for a change. 1t was a warm autumnal
day, almost perfect counterpart of dozen
or more which had preceded it. The sun
shone brightly, and the hot winds that swept
through the tall grass made that and all else
it touched so dry that the prairie seemed like
q vast tinder-box. Though her parents bad
but lately moved to this place. Lindy was ac-
customed to the prairies She had been born
on them, and her eyes were familiar with
nothing else yet, as she stood to-day with
that brown, unbroken expanse rolling away
before her until it reached the bluish-gray of
the sky, the indescribable feeling Of awe and
terrible solitude which such a scene often in
spires in one not familiar with it stole gradu-
ally over her. But Lindy was far too practi-
cal TO remain long under such an influence.
The chickens were "peeping" loudly, and she
remembered that they were still without their
dinner.
As she passed around the corner of the
house with dish of corn in her hands, the
wind almost lifted her from the ground. 1t
was certainly blowing with greater violence
than during the morning.
Great tumble-weeds went flying by, turning
over and over with almost lightning-lke rap
idity then, pausing for an instant's rest,
were caught by another gust and carried along,
mile after mile, till some fence or other obsta-
Gle was reached, where they could pile up in
great drifts and wait until brisk wind from
an opposite direction should send them roll
ing and tumbling all the way back. But Lin
dy did not notice the tumble-weeds. The dish
of corn had fallen from her hands, and she
stood looking straight ahead with wide.open,
terrified eyes.
What was the sight that so frightened her !?
Only line of fire below the horizon. Only
line of fire, with forked flames darting high
into the air and cloud of smoke drifting
away from them. beautiful relief, this
bright, changing spectacle, from the brown
monotony of the prairie.
But the scene was without beauty for Lindy
Her heart had given one great bound when
she first saw the red line, and then it seemed
to cease beating. She had seen many prairie
fires had seen her father and other men
fight them, and she knew at once the danger
her home was in. What could she, little
girl, do to save it, and perhaps herself and her
little brother, from the destroyer which the
south wind was bringing straight toward
them
Only for a moment Lindy stood, white and
motionless then with bound she was at the
well. Her course was decided upon. II only
time and strength were given her Drawing
two pals of water, she laid large bag in
each, and then, getting some matches, hur.
ried 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 back fire in such wind.
She fully realized the danger, but it was a
possible escape from otherwise inevitable de.
struction aud she hesitated not an instant to
attempt it, Cautiously starting blaze, she
stood with a wet bag ready to smother the
first unruly flame.
The great fire to the southwark was rapidly
approaching. Prairie chickens and other
birds, driven from their nests, were flying
over, uttering distressed cries. The air was
full of smoke and burnt grass and the crack
| ling of the flames could be plainly heard. It
was trying moment. The increased roar of
the advancing fire warned Lindy that she had
but very little time in which to complete the
| circle around the house and barn still, if she
hurried too much she would lose control of
| the fire she had started and with it all hope
of safety.
The heat was intense, the smoke sufocat-
| ing, the rapid swinging of the heavy bag most
| exhausting, but she was unconscious of these
things. The extremity of the danger inspired
her with wonderful strength and endurance.
Instead of losing courage, she increased
| her almost superhuman exertions, and in an
other brief interval the task was completed.
! None too soon, either, for the swiftly advanc'
| ing column had nearly reached the waYering,
struggling, slow-moving line Lindy had sent
| out to meet it.
It was a wild, fascinating, half terrible, hall
beautiful scene. The tongues of flame, leap
ing above each other with airy fantastic grace
seemed cat-like, to toy with their victims be
fore devouring them.
A sudden violent gust of wind, and ther
with great cracking roar the two fires met
the flames shooting high into the air as they
rushed together.
For one brief, glorious moment they remain
ed there, tapping the air with their fierce, hot
tongues then, suddenly dropping, they dice
quietly out and where an instant before hat
been a wall of fire was nothing now but {
cloud of blue smoke rising from the blacken
ed ground, and here and there a sickly ham'
finishing an obstinate tuft of grass The fire
on either side, meeting no obstacle, swep
quickly by, and Lindy stood gazing, spell
bound, after it as it darted and flashed in ter
rble zigzag lines farther and farther away.
ooh, Lindy !" called shrill little voic'
from the house. Elmer had just awakened.
''Yes, I'm coming" Lndy answered, turn
ing But how very queer she felt? Their
was a roaring in her ears louder than the FIR
had made everything whirled before he
eyes, and the sun seemed suddenly to hav
stopped shining, all was so dark. Reaching
the house by great effort, she sank, faint
dizzy and trembling, upon the bed by he
brothers side.
Elmer frightened and hardly awake, bega
to cry, and, as he never ulu anything III
halfway manner, the result was quite WOE
derful His frantic shrieks and furious erie
reused his half-fainting sister as effectually a
if he had poured glass of wbiskey betwee
her lips. She soon sat up, and byand-by co
or began to return to the white face an
strength TO the exhausted body. Her pract
cal nature and strong will again asserted then
; selves, and instead of yielding to a feeling Q
weakness and prostration, she tied on her SUI
bonnet firmly, and gave the chickens the
long delayed dinner.
But when, half an hour later, her fatht
found her fast asleep, with the glow from u
) sky reflected on her weary little face, he lool
ed out of the window for moment, plctu
ing to himself the terrible scenes of the a
7 ternoon, and then down at his daughter g
brave grill" he murmured, smoothing u
. yellow hair with his hard brown hand
j brave girl !"-AugtSt 50. Nicholas.