The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1890-11-13

center and OF deeper hue there. 40 1t
its heart were . scowl and . menace,
that its mission was ruin.
''Sir, sir-r-r!s she stsmmered ~ she
mot old John. Tho Are viii soon be
upon rs! Young John is not here. Help
mo harness Jim into the plow!"
"W-w-what?'' he stammered in reply,
50 dazed that he was like one palsy
stricken. ::
Hannah few out of the house and,
quickly embarrassing Jim, attached him
to the plow. Fat Mrs. Tutherly was
better in an emergency than one would
have supposed. She now came up
bravely. like an old-fashioned Dutch
cruiser at . critical moment in the bat
tie hour.
''You drive the horse, Mrs. Tutherly,
and I'll hold the plow, and We will make
a furrow all about the buildings Oh, If
Mr.. Blasland would just help and burn
the grass on the prairie side of the fur
row!'
Hannah was more deferential in her
style of address than was the house
keeper. The latter was plain and per-
emptory. Here, here, old John! Como
and help!" she screamed, in the same
breath giving tho order: ''Git up
there lively, Jim! Up with ~,
git-t-ti'
She resumed her command to the
ranchman: Burn the grass all outside
the furrer! Quick, sir. quick! We will
all be burnt to cinder If you don't fly
round! Git up there. Jim! Faster, old
boy!'
After this last equivocal order, the
fat housekeeper, rosy and putting; skill
fully steered Jim down the east side Of
the farmhouse. Hannah guided the
plow, the muscles swelling in her firm,
shapely hands and along her barred
brown wrists. Her eyes glanced down
ward to see that the plowshare was run
ming right, and then they we're lifted to
the heavens Those deep eyes OF blue
were filed with prayers reverent sup
plication.
God help us, God help us!" she mur-
INJURED. Behind the plow tottered the
old ranchman, kindling the grass out
sido the furrow, and leaving q rapidly
widening space of black. fre.ravaged
ground between the ranch buildings and
that awful oonfagration driving over
the prairie.
"Now the north side!" said Hannah.
"The east side is OF the most conse-
quence. Ready"
'Git up-up-up, Jiml Come on, old
john" screamed Mrs. Tutherly. The
smoke was now all about them, but
Hannah would say: THE east side is
safe! Thank God!' and press stubborn
ly on.
But whore was young Jobn3 More
than once Hannah had prayed: &C I'd
keep himr' Had he been overtaken by
that awful fire. scorched, suffocated,
burnt to death? He was some hero
out on the prairie. His horse was swift
His pluck was great He knew cne
prairie; but there was that terrible
engine Of fame, without wheels, yet
rolling on, the horrible dragon of FIRE,
without wings, yetsteadily fyirg! Who
could escape all this?
The north side had been furro we'd and
burnt over, when Hannah caught the
quick beat Of horses hoofs, and on came
beautiful brown Betty. bring, Ing her
master, young John!
Thank God!' he shontet ps he
leaped from Betty's steaming back,
kissed Hannah, and then seizine the
plow-hand,es cried: T.eave this vest
side and 60 for the south side! Quick!
Run, Hannah, fast, and be firing the
grass up in the southeastern cornerr'
There was o crouching form that soon
appeared, torch in bis wrinklcd hand.
His face was blackened by the SCOT of
the burnt ptAirie. He don't see me!
He don't notice me. He kissed kerE I've
been scorched and singed. They don't
notice me-" muttered old John.
They did notice him when the, work
Of saving had been completed, when out
of wide, blackened waste rose up the
uninjured buildings, safe behind that
long, protecting iurrow. They found
him lying insensible at one exposed
corner, an expired torch in his hand.
The heat, the excitement of the un-
usual effort at his age, had overcome
him. They carried him to his bed.
What did he murmur at last?
NOBODY cares for me here" he
moaned. "Send for my John!"
"Your SOM" asked young John. The
sufferer bent his head in assent.
Nobody cares for me here" he then
murmured again. "Send for himr'
I'VE will; but we care for you. grand
pa" said Hannah. I'VE are your Johns
children"
'W-w-what?" asked the old man, the
faded brown eyes opening wide in as
constituent 1872
'"Yes, grandpa said yourg John,
"Hannah and I-we-we are brother and
sister; and-and-we thought If we
came, sometime it would come abou,
that we could tell you, and you would
hear us, and you would be reconciled te
father and be willing to see him, and"
The old man here broke in with q CRY
that came out of beart once more ten.
der and sincere: Thank God! Bless
you, bless you, and send for my Johnr
my John" came, and the coming
wrought wonders in the old father. - |
Edward A. Rand, in Golden Rule.
Mafrimoaial StstIsticsL
In 1883 thirteen per cent of all the
men married in Pennsvlvania noarr;od