Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-03-07

blaze, for it takes very, very short
time for prairie fire to travel great
distance: even a horse cannot run so
fast
20, why didn't papa pillow sooner"
said poor Da. But there was no time
for regrets or talking. Something must
be done and at once.
Here, Bunchie, you sit right down
there, and don'tyo stir till 1 tell you, "
said the boy, in such tone that the
frightened little girl did not dare to
disobey. She sat down on the door
step, and Ony coming along just then
with his black face and fore feet spot
ted now, just like the rest of his
mothers family, and with the bib
dangling between his feet and tripping
him at every step, Bunch threw her
arms around him and Rugged him
tight till he squealed and struggled, SO
that she bad to let him 60, when he
sat down beside her and began to lick
the milk from his feet.
In the meantime Da had run as fast
as he could go to the horse-shed. He
knew that the only thing that he could
do was to get with Bunch on the horse,
ana when the fire came near to ride
straight through the flames on to the
burned ground beyond. If his father
and mother had been at home, they
might have fought the fire back with
wet brooms and sacks. But he could not
do it alone. All he could do was to
save darling Bunch, aud perhaps him
self. He found the horse all right, and
hurried with him back to the house
Then he tied Bunch on to the horses
back with a blanket, and told her to
cover it over her head and keep
still. Then he sprang up behind her
clasped his arms around her, and
catching tight hold of the reins, drove
straight into the roaring, leaptng
flames. Brave boy as he was, he shrank
from the scorching heat as it slnged
his hair, burned his hands, and almost
blinded and choked him. But on
went the horse, leaping up high to
get above the flames, and bounding
over the prairie with terrific speed,
brave Da and little Bunch clinging
breathlessly together upon his back.
The farmer and his wife left Val
loosa in good season, and drove home
ward. AS they came near home they
saw the smoke, and the farmer began
to wish he had put out his guards the
28th instead of waiting until the Both.
When they came still nearer they saw
that it would be only with the greatest
speed that they could reach home and
fight the fire back from their house.
The sheds and barns must go. But
where are the children? O, why did
| leave them?' said the mother in
agony, as they FASTENED toward their
house. They drged the horses on, am
got there just m time to beat back the
fire from the house at great peril Of
their lives, every minute thinking OF
the children, but not having time to
look for them. Soon the fire swept by
leaving desolation where before had
been plenty, and then the anxious
father and mother saw slow y coming
toward them the gray horse, with al
most every hair burned off, carrying
on his back what looked like a very
big bundle, but proved to be Bunch
all safe and sound, and Da very much
burned, and with y throat so dry that
he could not speak for many hours
But they were safe, and that was
enough. And what is this coming to-
ward them, this little scorched object
on four lame legs2 1t is Ony! Ebony
no longer, though, but rusty brown,
with one ear nearly gone and no tail
left to speak of-lame, half-blind,
Onyl
He had followed Bunch, of course,
as he always did, and here he was
home again. But what was this
around his necl2 A string and rag
The remains of the calico bib that
Bunch had tied around his neck 50
long ago, before the fire came. Poor
little faithful Ony! He was never
quite the same lively fellow again
for he had to limp about, instead of
trotting along, and would often run
into things, too, for one of his eyes
was entirely blind The piece of a
bib was kept rs a relic, and for a
long time it hung over the ''Home
Sweet Home" motto on the wall as a
remainder Of what Ony once had
Ham, EAnl 4 Nbanr