Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-11-17
HIS LIFE FOR A FRIEND.
DEATH IN A PRAIRIE FIRE TO SAVE
COMPANIONS LIFE.
A Pathetic story in Which an Outcast of
the Plains Is the Hero Who Yields Up
His Existe nee to Bring Happiness Into
Two Lives-His Memorial.


know right we'll an old fellow by the name
of Kramer. He was the richest man, the
most intelligent man in the country, and
the people on the ranches thereabout called
him king X ramer," and would bow down
and worship him almost l had upon one
occasion spent the night with the old man,
had met his v life, fine, intelligent woman,
three or four handsome, stalwart sons, and
whole bevy Of charming daughters.
How long have you lived here, Mr..
Kramer?" said l, as we left the breakfast
table.
Thirty yea :, SIR" said he; thirty years
the first day of next month since married
and brought my wife here. There wasn't
much here then but little shake shanty
and bit of fallow land behind, but we
have got along. God has prospered us.
Yes sir, thirty years come next month, and
let me see, W hats today? Why, we must
be getting really the anniversary dinner,
and" added he old man little sadly,
abbot must ne preparing the memorial
sermon"
you didn't know had one son who was
n preacher, did your" he continued, as we
walked out on the broad piazza and looked
out over the broad acres teening with
wealth for the old man. YES, sir, my
oldest boy, ABBOT is a minister lie has
gone east just now, but he lives with us
and breaches in the little chapel out there
in that clump Of timber. Put on your hat
and come with me over there, and PlI
show you the finest bit of architecture in
the west, and tell you a story about the
man to whom we built the chapel as a me
mortal
81 told you awhile ago that it was thirty
years since l married and came here to
live. how | saved from daath hat
is what am go ng to tell you.
81 was working on ranch, a few miles
below here, and had raised enough To buy
a bit of land, build a little shanty here and
get me pony and small stock of pros
visions. ] had to work pretty hard for it,
for money came harder in those days but
| didn't mind that. for l was working to
get the dearest girl the sun ever shoue
on. She was old man Grayson's daughter
and lived in the county above here.
CHASED ~ A PRAIRIE FIRE
1.-Two days before we were to be married
/ set out for Grayson's. The old man knew
how poor / was but he liked me prette
well, so he agreed to set us up with a
wagon and team as a bridal present, so /
struck out on my pony. 1t was early when
started and l travelled pretty nearly all
day by myself 1t was a right lonesome
kind of thing to do, can tell you, but |
don't know whel her to be glad or sorry
when, along about dusk, man rode up
from the rear and Joined me-
He was a long, loose jointed, kinder
bangdog looking fellow | thought, and
felt sorter dubious when he proposed that
we join company, but l was pretty well
armed, and besides there was nothing else
to be done, so / consented. His name was
Tom Abbot.
AS we lay around the camp fire after
supper was over i told him about my love
for Louie, about my wedding, my prospects
everything, in fact, and / finally went to
sleep with my head in the fellows Lap
1.-The next day rs we logged along over
the parched, dry grass l noticed ;.nout
noon that Abbot began to sniff the air like
hound on the track of game. Finally he
stood up in the stirrups and craned that
long neck of his, looking back whence we
had come. He settled down in the saddle
kinder slow
I'VE must have left a spark smolder-
ing back yonder at camp he said calmly;
the prairie is on fire.
My GodP i cried, my blood running
chill at the horror. / knew the long stretch
of dry grass that lay behind us and before
us; / knew the nature of prairie fire. and
how little chance Of escape lay for us in
CDe front OF us nell 5h Jury.
Abbot looked nj me little scornfully,
l fancied, but his tone was very pitiful
when he said:
Poor fellow, dc you think Your little
nag will make its'
No. said, called to my senses by the
mans GOODNESS and trying to be calm my
self. My pony is sorry little fellow, but
could not afford to get another
HIS LIFE FOR AN ACQUAINTANCE
Already could smell the smoke and
hear in the distance the mad roar of the
flying flames.
Its all up with us, Abbot said.
oh, Louie, my poor darlingr
For moment the mans eyes flashed,
but he said very calmly as he slipped from
the saddle:
"'You had better change horses with
me, lad; mine will take you through
And leave You here to perishs No,
my God, man, save yourselfp | cried
There's a woman at the other end
waiting for you; for me Understanding
Cor
$50 saying he set his big hand in my
collar, dragged me from my horse and
onto his, giving her a cut that sent her
flying across the plains faster than the
wind or fire or smoke | never cut the air
SO fast before nor since, but of course it
could not last forever
II felt the hot glow, the smoke blinded
my eyes, the roar of I'll e wind blown flames
filled my ears How long we ran this race
with the flames ! cannot tell. I heard the
splash and felt the cool waters rise up
about me when my horse struck he rivers
ford. After that got on know not how
i seem now to have been conscious of Moth
ing till Louie was bending over me and her
arms were encircling my hot cheeks"
The old mans eyes He'd with tears.
THE next day were married." he
went on, land by and by, when we came on
home, we found in the fires track little
heap of bleached bones hat crumbled at the
touch. That was the last of Abbot, but
when our first boy came along named
him Abbot. And by and by we built this
little stone chapel as 4 memorial to the
brave man who gave his life for u.s.
Philadelphia Times.
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