The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1889-12-21
SAVED BY 4 STEER.

cliLS through Lake Township, in a
county of Eastern Dakota, and had in
Quired who was its best known and most
equitable citizen, the answer in almost
every case would have been Emmett Car
len, and almost any settler could have
pointed out on the level prairie, from his
own door, the house and buildings OF the
young Norwegian upon the crest of "Tip-
Top Knoll" at the head of Rush Lake.
Emmett began life in Lake Township
rs many other NOrsemen in many other
regions of our new West have done, with
no possessions save change of clothing,
but. Mt the end of few years, he had,
by his thrift and industry, secured and
improved a new farm and placed himself
on the sure road to comfort and plenty.
At the time of which write, however,
il was not so much his thrift that made
him a marked man, but certain daring
cool-headedness which he had always
displayed when courage and intrepidity
were demanded.
Once, at his own great peril, he had
carried food and extra clothing to a
school teacher and a half-dozen small
children who were confined in a little
school-house, nearly a mile from any
habitation, by one of the fiercest biz
yards ever known in that region. This
happened during the first year of his stay
there, and while he was working for his
board and attending school with the lit
tie ones whose lives he had saved.
Strangely enough, he was again to fig
ure as the rescuer Of two of these same
children from another sweeping storm,
one even more terrible than the dreaded
blizzard. a storm of fire, as it swept over
the tall, dry grass of the unbroken
prairie.
To this exploit, however, there wa:
another party, Emmet's big steer
"Comet," without whose aid, indeed, thu
children must have persisted.
This animal was quite as noteworthy a
his master. "Comet" was huge, long
legged, long-horned steer. For tive
years Emmett had only his help in pillow
Eng and cultivating the "Tip-Top" home
stea,i, except that the breaking of so'
was done by hired "breakers."
The young Norseman hitched his stee
to heavy cart, and drove him to marke
at the small Nbut ambitious town Q
Boomerang, eight miles distant. I
winter, when snow fell and the road
were good, light sled took the place q
the cart
Before the sled Comet soon gained
local reputation for speed upon the road
His gait was steady, long-stepped trdt
like that of an elk, and nearly, as swift
At any rate. it was soon an admitted fac
that there were no horses in the neigh
borhood that could pass Comet in trot
ting match. This was abundantly prove
by MANY races along the road to tow
and back, where the drivers of the team
or single horses had tried and failed t
ego by" the feet steer.
One day in October Emmett We
blowing. The day was one of thos
common to that season in new prairie re
gions. smoky, with a strong northwes
wind smelling of burned grass, a fir
dust of cindcrS sitting down, and the SUI
shining through smoke and dust with
dull red glare. But as Emmett In
some time before burned broad .sfil
break" around his sfanty. grain and ha,
stacks, he noted these evidences of IA!
ing fire without uneasiness. They can
at some time every autumn.
1t was about the middle Of the afte
noon that little Jake and Lib Walk
came into his field, bringing some crair
bags which Emmet had lent their faith
to use during his threshing the week b
fore.
Walker lived at the foot of Rush LAX
about mile from the school nous
where the young Norwegian had text
lessons in English, and these little fe
lows. Jake and Lib. had henn his schno