The Osceola times., 1885-10-24

- iuiious rusnlng river, and be-
siues, that way was thick smoke and
nre' she was carried with the crow,
oeWiloered, lost, but even in that awfnl
moment filled with joy that she had her
| fathers papers. "''
Inc hre marched on with ranid
strides, driving before il the multitnJe
Oh homeless wanderers, among them our
poor grace 10 the lake shore they
went and as the hot breath of the flames
ioilowed them even into the water far
out as they could stand, till the water
came up TO their necks. Even ,brrs
many were sutiocated, and quietly dron-
pea into the water and were not missed
urace went as far as she could and
keep her head above the water She
thought with pang that the papers
Mmoulu M os wet but they were tied, aud
anyway they would not be burned 10
she iried to take comfort, though an
awiul fear had come Upon her that EN-.
should never see her parents again.
Ihen' too, she remembered that No
one knew she had gone, nor where m
look for her, and though she had
thought only OF being brave. She found
she had been foolish. "But The nansr.
are SAFE and papa will be glad" was
.he 'hoGsn ut that always came 10 COM
fo.t her despair,
AT last after hours Of agony and ter.
ror and distress, with groans ana cries
ana prayers in strange confusion. such
as no one can imagine who did not pass
through itwhen many thought the world
was burning up, and all had little hone
OF getting out alive, the fire burned itself
out IN that part of the city and swept on
to the north,
1t was late in tie afternoon before the
weary, hungry, fainting fugitiyes ven-
lured to crawl out of the lake, wiring
what water they could from their
! clothes, and set out TO find a spot on
earth where was no fire. if such spot
there was.
Grace joined in the rush over the
heated earth, water pouring from her
clothes at first, but soon dried in the
heat around her. Home and papa's
package was her only thought now. but
where was home? As soon as she reach
ed the payements she saw that she was
hopelessly lost. Where was Dearborn
street, Where Clark street?
All was alike unrecognizable. Every
house was burned, lamp-posts, street
signs, all leveled with the ground. She
looked upon a smoking and steaming
wilderness, and as she turned her face
towards where her home should be. and
saw the vast wall of fire marching stead
lily on, she knew she had no home in the
world. And where then were father
and mother? The awful desolation that
swept over the poor little soul in that
terrible moment is something too horri-
BILE for you to imagine. BE thankful
that il is. She would have sunk under
the weight of her despair but for the
thought OF the precious package. For
that she moved OIL must save it"
her constant thought, Papa will be
dishonored without it''-aud the poor
tired feet hurried on she knew not
mere.
From that part of the city the only
way Of eaching the West Side. where
was 70 fire, was over certain bridge
Gradually the stream of people, of
whom Grace was one, drew near that
bridge, in whose narrow passage horrors
was taking place all the time. The
broad street had hardly room for flying
people in wagons and carriages of every
sort, when then the way grew narrow
there was terrible struggle for place
Heavy wagons piled high with furniture
crushed ruthlessly into carriages of peo-
pie; furniture fell and blocked the way;
vehicles were disabled and abandoned; /;
frightened horses let loose TO trample at
their pleasure; people with loads thrown
down; feeble women pressed to the wall.
All the worst oi;luman passions were ht
loose, and men became tends in the
mad struggle for safety and life.
As Grace reached this place, almost
crushed by the crowd, strong man be-
hind her spoke kindly.
MY poor lad" he said, you'll be
killed in that JAM hold on to me-" and
with great difficulty he raised her above
the crowd and stood her on the narrow
rail next the water.
Now, hold on to me,n he said, and
went on, fighting his own way, while
Grace, nearly dead with terror, and es-
pectirg every moment to fall into the
water, held wildly to his neck. Once or
twice she slipped, but his strong arm
caught her, and at last, after hours, AS
it seemed to her, they reached the other
side, and he lifted her down.
"My boy" he said kindly, you look
delicate to be alone in this mad crowd;
won't YOU come with me?'
Oh, how Grace longed to do so. but
fear restrained her. He thought she
was boy, and she could not explain,
because it might endanger the precious
package.
"Oh. mol" she said hastily, ''I must
find papa, but thank you more than l
can say for helping me over the bridge" "
shuddering as she spoke.
ayes, little man." said her friend.
'you'd hardly have come over alive II l
hadn't seen YOU"
'Papa'll thank you, too" began
Grace, and then. fearful that he or some
one would suspect she had valuables,
she turned hastily and ran down side
street
But where should she go? That was
the West Side. and free from fire, but
she had never been there, knew no one.
and the streets were full of flying peo-
pie. She could only go with them, for
they all seemed going one way. o
So they were, and after long walk
in which she many times nearly fell with
fatigue. she reached the end of her jour-
new the place where half aciiy was col
.ected in misery and despair. II was a
vide, bare prairie, with hundreds--yes'
thousands Of people, some with house
ful of furniture and goods. some with
nothing in the world but their night