Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-06-06

csIiad \. district as the place was
caiied' the men had been out al ni,ht
anu ~ AZ noon none had returned.
/ me schoolhouse stood on the risa 30
ground that, in any other part ~ ne
country, would have been called the
Dahk OF the stream; but here. where
streams were only heightened mud.
notes. and the grass-tangled bottom rose
nnperceptlbly into oak-coyered ridgas
one scarcely knew when lie was well npt
ot river bed; in the spring this sarna
school house had stood a foot undar
water. Now it was directly in the natb
81 a huge natural fuse, and the fire Green.
ing along 1t not more than mile awav
through sheer abstinence and pettish.
ness julia refused to dismiss her school
untii the scholars, alarmed at the pr.st
/ columns Of smoke that the rising ,.ipd
swept over them, declared their inten-
lion OF going home, whether or no
some ran out into the middle of "tbe
cfik, and from .hege f&ncjed thew could
see RED flames cleaning ferociously: in
SANITY tile children We're panic stricken.
ana ran about crying, in ainlless con.
fusion.
/ Then Julia's real womanliness and
strength rose TO the surface, while
tne petty willfulness disappeared. She
brought order into the childish ranks
babe them secure their books and pron.
critics and file out quietly, leading them
herself through the woods, where the
4 winding footpath led most of them to
tier homes. She saw that every one
was safe in the care Of parents, then
composedly, but quickly, made her way
to the Cleaver homestead, where she
boarded.
She found every door open and not a
soul In sight. Looking out from the
back porch, she could see on the right
the big barn full Of hay, tine sheds.
wagons and farm machinery clustered
near; on the left, the schoolhouse. still
safe; before her and across the plowed
helds, an arm Of the woods, through
Which the clear space Of the creek could
! be dlscerned, and a little more to the
right, and farther away, the sweeping
clouds of smoke pouring up and onward
with huTying density.
/ Voices in quick, broken shouts fell on
her ear, and grasping her straw hat she
fastened out in that direction. She
found mother, sister, daughter and
younger children eagerly 6inging down
the fences, scattering the rails widely
over the bare ground.
"We must get tile fences down before
the fire comes, cried Mary Cleaver, tho
eldest daughter, as she saw Julia APP
preaching. "Tm glad you've come, and
its lucky your dress IS wooden. The fire
is raging so that the little space of
burned ground around the fences won't
stay it at all, an if it once gets to run
min through them, barn, horses. hay,
home and everything must GO"
"Where are the menY'
"Oyer at Johnson's settlement. fight
ing like beavers and dead tired out Three
houses and barns have gone up already. +"
The hearty, rosy checked girl, in short
worsted skirts and mans coat and hat,
tossed huge knotty rail over her shout
der and locked at the little schoollna am
~ iIti a oH l''IAHA all AAI SbS ELufl4 ~
that sort Of thing for an hour or two:"
Julia fancied she could hear the roar Of
the on coming flames, and already the
air was sitting; but, for answer, grasped
a rail in her 1.-THE Dung arms, and flung
itou as lightly as the stouter girl had
done.
How she worked Her sleeves were
soon torn from the round, white arms,
and they were quickly rasped and
scratched until tiny red streams ran down
to her wrists. In her excitement she
flung rails about that she could not have
lifted in ordinary moments; even the
Cleavergirl looked at her admiringly, and
suggested that "she take it easier" But
there was little time for rest. a red
fame leaped over the tops Of the trees,
herean there, and burning cinders were
falling around them; one more line Of
fence must be, at least, partly scattered
before there was safety, 1t was farther
out and directly in the way of the thick
est rain OF fging cinders. But the two
girls, one SO slender, wlllowy and quick,
the other strong and steady, attacked it
with undaunted spirit, and just as the
hot breath of the devouring monster
stirred the hair on their brows the fire
bait was rendered harmless.
Julia was painting with exhaustion and
wondering if she was going to faint,
when Mrs, Cleayer came up with the
frantic cry of:
"Where is little jeanette? Where in
the world is the girl? Have you seen
herr"
Jake, the slow, old fashioned 12-year-
old. made his mother understand after
a while that Jeanne had gone in the di-
recJion of the fire" cause she wanted
to see it burn"
THAT DARN child She amt afraid OF
nothin'. Shell be burned aliveF' And
the woman tried to run and find hel
youngest born; but WEAKNESS and emo
ton overcame her eageruess and she fell
helpless to the ground,
Mary hastened to her mothers side
and no other woman or child dared ven
. ture nearer toward the surging storm OF
flames and smoke that was bearing dovr
upon them.
Only Julia. She looked forward il
dread but for one moment, then calling
up every reserve of strength and cour
age, she paused like a bird ready fo
eight, thinking which was the hes
course, and with the grace and speed o
a deer spraug through the bushes, call
inr J9nnettc's name. Toward the RICH
the tire was not 50 near, and in that di
rection Julia flew, pecring under ever!
)ush and behind every log for the miss