Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-06-14


 when the folks walked, twas to find the flames so clost to the cabin they saw twere bound to burn. But that warn't the worst. The fire had ketched in a solid ring round the cabin, and there didn't seem no way for the folks to git out 'cepting to walk right thro' the flames.
 "There warnt no time to lose, nuther, for the place were a gitting smaller n smaller. So the Pullet, she snatchod quilts and soaked em and wrapped the children in 'em, fixing all three head of children sos they could run. Then she climbed up on the ladder to see where the flames was thinnest. Hard choic- ing, it were, she said but there warn't TO time for fooling. So she told the two oldest to hole the quilt over their heads, and when they come to the fire to make @ break till they didn't feel the heat.no more. Then she took the baby all wrapped in quilt. She might got out all right, for these yer piney woods aint thick, and the grass don't git high enough to make high blaze, but sho were small, and the baby were heavy, and something or other must have tripped her up, for she fell just as she reached the edge, and the quilt come off from the little un s head.
 ''She thouget they was safe, but afore she could get up, a blazing branch fell from tree over their heads, right down across the baby's eyes. Of course, it didn't take the Pullet second to snatch it off-but-and-well stranger, ye know the rest. I tell ye, friend, when come homo and found everything in the world purity hard. But when 1 had to believe that my little Sudie had lost for always the light out of her two bright eyes, I'd have been glad to sec million of dollars burn clean up afore my eyes, and never lifted finger to save it, if'd have brought back her sight. But there aint no good of hoping for any such happening, for the best doctor in New York reckoned sh'd never see no more.
 "When We got roof over our heads Onct more, we lived on mighty sim ra- tions, and in two year we'd saved enough to take me and the little girl to the big city. But l came back with my heart a heap heavier than it was when we set out. l must have hoped purity strong, but never sensed it till that doctor had looked at her eyes-and then looked at me.
 ''He didn't say one word, but jest reached out his hand; and I took it ir both of mine, and l never said nothing
 too. I never wished l were a 'ooman but Onct, and that were the time, for il 'peared to me like my pore ole heart C break if I didn't find letout somehow
 and what the girls call a good cry 'uc done me a powerful sight Q good. But beinS l were man. l jest SOt and hclC hard onto that there kind hand till Studio put her little fingers up on my face, and I had to choke down the hurt and speak l to her. Pore little girl she warnt olC 1 enough to sense how much that look l were meaning to her, even if she coulC
 have seen it. Well, I've been eyes to nel 1 ever since, and I've seen more'n the las1 | five year'n ever saw in my whole life 1 time afOre.
 "Look down in that there bay heac | over yon! It's the head of a big ham
 mock, and if ye don't say it's enough
 sight the purtiest place ye evcr sot eyes
 on, then I'm plumb out O my reckonin' | There's where Sudie and me,-but hyel
 they come in the oN-cart now, and vel see for yerself how she loves her ornery | ole dad TN. Y. Ledger.