The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-06-19
Fire OIL a Kansas Prairie.

"Nhat are your precautions against
fire?n Admetus had asked q few DAYS
before.
such as will delight your homeo-
pathic SOUL answered. the Enthusiast.
"a of kerosene, and a bundle of
matches to set back fires with, though
the tire-guards of %ploughed ground
that you have seen all round the ranch
are the ounce of prevention, better
than any cure Then we always keep
a hogshead full of water at the stable,
ready for carting to the spot
IA hogshead OF water! What good
car a hogshead of water do against a
prairie tire?"
'.Oh, we don't put it on with a hose,
assure you. My Imagination gasps
at the conception of managing a
prairie fire with a hose. We dip old
blankets and old clothes in it, or
boughs of trees if we can get them,
and beat the tiredown with them"
The illustration followed soon. All
day smoke had been drifting over Car
neiro, and at night-fall the scouts re-
ported that the whole force had bet
ter be put II The whole force" at
the moment consisted of about twenty
men who had just come in to supper,
and who started at once in wagons
and on horseback. Ponies were or
1ered after dinner for the entire house,
hold, even the ladies riding far enough
to have a view of the exciting scene.
There were no tumbling walls or blaz-
ing buildings, and there was no fear Of
lives being lost in upper stories; but
there were miles upon miles, acres
upon acres, OF low grass burning like
a sea of fire, while in the twilight
shadows could be seen men galloping
iercely on swift ponies, while the slow
wagons crept painfully, lest the pre-
cious water should be spilled, from
every homestead, each with it's one
pitiful hogshead. II seemed incredi-
BILE that such a mass of fame could
ever be put out by such a handful of
workers; and it was only. indeed, by
each mans laboring steadily at his
own r of the great circle, trusting
blindly that others we're at work on
the other side, as of course they al
ways were, that the lurid scene dark
ened down at last.-Atice Wellington
Rollins, IN Harper's Magazine for Juee.
- ~--
aTip-Cat."
A very amusing game is now being
extensively played in London streets.
To play it you require a heavy little
billet of wood sharpened at both ends.
Place your billet on the ground, and
wait till a stranger (if possible a re-
sponsible and corpulent elderly gem
tleman) is within twenty yards of you.
Now strike your billet smartly on one
of the pointed ends with a stick. This
will cause it to fly up in the air, and
you then propel it with your stick in
the direction Of the target (the stran-
gers head). If your aim has
been true the game is won. No points
are scored for a miss, but credit is al
lowed for a hit anywhere on the hat,
body, or legs Of the object. Ricochet
hits may be allowed. 1t is advisable
to select a new pitch as soon as the
game has been won. This beauti-
full sport is technically known as ''tip-
cat" 1t may be played anywhere
aud at any time. 1t is peculiarly suit
able to a wide and frequented
thoroughfare at about 9 or 10 in the
morning. Owing to the vigilance of
the police there is no danger that those
engaged in the sport will be impro-
perly interfered with by malicious or
inquisitive spectators. st. James's
Gazette.