The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-10-16

| Mr.. and Mrs. Donley, set at work. They
chose low spot where water had stood
in wet seasons, and began throwing out
the earth on all sides. Mother could
not help laughing to see Mrs. Donley
| shovel, though she would not allow us
children to laugh.
by noon they had dug great hole
twenty feet in length BY ten in width.
and with the heaped up earth around it,
it was fully six feet deep.
During tho afternoon, small. straight,
green logs were prepared and laid over
the hole close together. and then fresh
earth was shoveled upon these to
| depth of more than foot The only
entrance to this singular cellar was
narrow doorway, dug aslant down to it.
| at one end
| A week passed. and then there came
| high wind which blew for two or three
| days. The smoke at times was very
dense. and the odor of burning pine
wood was very perceptible. The third
night father did not go to bed at all,
| but remained up and out-of-doors
| watching. During the afternoon he
had set barrel in the fire-hole ana
filled it with water. We retired. and
at length fell asleep. although We knew
| that both father and mother were in q
state of great anxiety.
| Late in the night mother walked us.
Get up" she said, dress yourselves.
and each take all your other clothes in
| q bundle
As soon as We had opened our eyes
i VIC hot str nlyy liDh
side the house. We heard the wind
blowing, and heard also low, roaring
sound. When we had dressed and taken
our clothes, mother babe us come with
her to the fire-hole.
/ Father was there already, engaged in
putting his pillow and some other tools
| into the hole. We found that he had
driven in the oxen and the COW. They
were tied up by their heads at tho
farther end Nearly every thing in the
house bad been carried in, and the
| place was nearly filled.
The doorway, except one little hole
just big enough for US to slip through,
had been covered with boards with
fresh turf over them. Father had
board and some turf ready to stop up
this last little hole. They had dropped
the straw-beds and some other articles
into the we'll, and covered that over in
similar manner.
On getting out -of-doors we were near
ly dazed by the glare of the fire, which
we could see streaming up over the
dark tree-tops. All around to the west
and north the heavens were ablaZe with
| l;nh
borne from afar and filled our hearts
with strange awe. Occasionally. too.
loud crashes rcsounded as great trees
fell. or rocks exploded from the terrific
heat
Father and mother were very calm,
although they had been awake all
night.
Soon great sheets of fire could be see n
to float up into the sky. The air was
, growing hot, and smoke, in heavy vol
umes. drove across the clearing
''It's coming nearer" heard mother
say. in an awed tone.
YES" father replied, lit will soon be
here now
Several deer went bounding across
the clearing. One of them passed close
, to Us. Many other smaller animals
, were scurrying by. Two creatures
which looked like large, shaggy dogs
came near and stood, painting. with their
long red tongues out, and looking at us.
suppose they were wolves One of the
last things that mother did was to run
to the house for Molly, the cat, which
she fetched out in pillow-tick to put
in the tire-hole.
Meantime. the terrible roaring was
J getting londer-nearer, and soon could
/ see fire through the woods, close down
to the earth.
''lt's time to 60 in.' father called out
Then mother crept in, taking Mollie
in her bag, and the rest of us followed.
: 1t felt cooler at first in the hole for
outside the heat from the fire had be.
: come very uncomfortable. Soon father
crept in and lighted the lantern. lie
, then put the piece of board in position,
and reaching out one hand put sods and
earth on it outside. leaving an air hole
: no larger than his hand.
: Inside we were all snugglcd together
among our furniture, dishes. tinwarc
and other goods, and by tho faint ligh,
Of the lantern could see the cattle a,
the further end Of the cellar. The roar.
ing of tue fire had strange, revcrber
} atory SO md down under ground.
You must try not to mind it, if il
grows very close and hot" father sale
to lis. You must try to bear it bravel,
. and keep from crying. will leave +;
little h:le open, SO that We shall no
I smothc: "
| Then very soon after he said that
a there ca ne sound as If gusts of hcay'
wind wee striking on tue low roof owe
/ our hea IS. and we heard a frightfu
Il cracklins and the crash Of trees fallin,
Y near b.; Brilliant flashes of ligh
+ strcameo in at the little hole near which
: father stood. and the sense of awful
9 heat out :ide was borne in to US.
Y We painted for breath.
q After \ long while, father said tina
Q he hopec the worst of it was past. H.
: told us hat, OF course, the house an
r barn NUT have been barned.
Q Afters while he enlarged the hole a
the cntrs nee, and let in more air. W
= did not venture to go out of our place u
r refuge. however. till about eight o'clocl
Q the folio wing morning.
A strange spectacle was then pre-
: scented To our ayes. The forest on al
I sides. far and near, was gonc-burne
n away! - intense had been the fire an
| so fervent the neat. that the trees. ex
cept very few of the largest tre
G trunks. had lesa entirely consumed
Q There WAS An open country, with bar
Q hills and valley, sn every hand. Gu
clearing had he.sr burned over, and O
+ oar hous. and tstrs there did not remai
$ a single :.-ari
y Nor Has II s.se ~; c.uch smok.
> Every thing G.. ia t>.,t.f q had burned oi
RAPIDLY aud cpIh pietely Our little gar