The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-11-01

around US Working her way a little
distance she lighted n match and set
the grass blazing. 1t swept merrily
up over the bank. and when il would
have eaten in toward the child, she
beat it out with one of the blankets.
AT last with white, drawn face, she
crawled to Dolly. The air about them
grew close and hot and burning grass
fell all over them The land here was
low and the grass was mixed with blue
stem, species of grass that grew sew
eral feet high and made intense heat
With the feeble strength at her COM
Inand, Janey brushed the burning
particles away till Dolly, screaming
with fright, sprang into her lap, leav-
ing both exposed to the fiery bath.
BY main force Janey held the frenzied
child down and drew the blanket over
them, but Dolly's frantic struggles
made them slip, leaving Janey's head
and shoulders uncovered. Her hair
crisped and singed and her hands blis-
tered; her face grew hot, then cool.
and then all was dark.
''Am / dead?" asked a weak voice
from among the pillows
mo, daughter, nor near it now,
thank Heaven; but you must not
talk"
But what makes my voice sound so
queer and what ails my head? Where
is my hair?" persisted the thin little
voice
'.Gone up In the chariot of fire,
Jane - answered Tom, coming in Just
And DoTly?" she gasped. as the
awful day of trial came TO memory
Dolls all right; heap sight bet
ter OF an you are L tell you we've
been having time with you the last
six weeks"
''Six weeksI Oh. Tom. is this Oc-
tober?''
You bet; the last day at that
And l didn't go to school after
aIl?''
There was a piteous tone in the
weak voice that Tom couldn't stand
Mother, I'm going to tell her." he
cried, impulsively.
''She must promise TO keep perfect
ly quiet, then"
Indeed, / will be Quiet, mother.
Now, Tom, tell me quick, all about
it
well, 70 begin with, you hadn't got
half a mile away when Colonel Lands
came riding up on the lookout for
but before he got to the trail
the fire was all around him,
knew II was no use to go on
just as quick as the fire passed the
men from Lanes and Colonel Lands
started out to hunt you Dolly had
started home. but the ground was hot
and burned her feet and she Was crying.
and. jimmy cricketsI what ugly
looking young 'un she was. Her face
was as black as my pup We found
you down in the ravine and thought you
was dead. sure. Your curls was all
burned of. and your eyebrows and
lashes and your face and hands all
bIistered- Poor Brete was pretty bad
" burned. too. You broke your ankle
in the tumble. Colonel Landis brought
you home. and here you've been for
six weeks, screeching: Dolly, dear,
you'll get burned. i took care of her,
after all" concluded Tom, loftily.
.'and she had to ride on a mule, too; it
most killed her"
"And the corng' questioned Janey.
the barn. too"
Poor father" sighed Janey, softly.
"Poor nuthin'. Why, Jane, you're
irregular heroine. and Colonel Landis
is going 10 send you to school three
years! Fact! He's got it all fixed,
and he's given father three COWS and
built Us another stable, and there's
the sPankin ist black pony in the sta
bic all saddled and bridled, all fit for
a fight"
Tom, you're exciting Janey," re-
monstrated the gentle mother.
'And he's yours, and Colonel Landis
says If he was to give you his gold
mine in Arizona It wouldn't pay you
for saving Dolls life. What did you
say. mother?" grinned Tom, as he
danced . Jig about the room. satisfied
70 quit his story.
What does it all mean. mother?''
gasped Janey, in wild-eyed amazo-
ment. Tom had ratified his story off
so fast that the weak brain hardly
comprehended the half that had be-
fallen her.
at is true, just as Tom has told you,
dear" replied her mother, land here
is Colonel Lands to see you
Words are a poor return for all you
have done for me, Miss Janey, but
wanted to thank you in person for
saving to me all that makes life worth
living Dolly is all have in the world,
my one treasure, and / shall not for
get that you risl1ed your life for her.
| brought the little maid with me to-
day She wanted to see you very much.
she said"
II just wanted to tell you. Miss
Janey, that the rabbits weren't burned
q tinty bit and I've got 'em every one
right now, but they're pretty big. I'll
give you one all for yourself, even if
you did make me sit on q nasty, vet
blanket"
Mrs. Janey Landis has that rabbit
yet 1t is stuffed, however, and occu-
pies prominent place in her cabinet,
and, strange to relate, people do say
that she makes an excellent step
mother. In her palatial city home,
however. there are no prairie fires to
fight, for which Colonel Landis, Dolly
and Mamma Janey are dutifully thank
fun. Y. Evening World