Connecticut western news., 1892-08-18

one sea O great red, roarin flames Ieap1n and twistin and shootin up into the very sky and rollin after ye like waterfall.
 "Wal, that's the kind O thing poor old Jack and the other two he'd got at their heels, and I reckon them hosses didn't want much spurrin! But though they went like the wind the fire gained on 'em, for you want start O twenty mile to race it fair. However, they war still putty we'll ahead and lookin out wit,l all their eyes for the fust sign O the clearin round the ranch, when all in a minut the gals hoss gives just one gasp and tumbles over. Down jumps old Jack like lightnin and had her up in his place almost afore she knowed what was wrong; and then he turned to Granger, who was a-lookin as if he'd more'n half mind to ride off and let 'em shift for themselves, and says:
 "'I can't talk sweet to her nor make lying promises to her, but I can die for herl Could youY
 "How grand he must ha' looked saying them words, and how orful t'other feller must ha' seemed beside him! I reckon the gal felt it, too, for she held out her arms to him and cried:
 "'Jack, Jackl for Gods sake I'm sure the horse'll carry us both-come!
 "Jack answered nary a word, but kissed her hand and gave her hoss one cut with the whip. Away it went, and away went Granger alongside, and poor Jack war left there alone to diel
 But I'll tell ye one thing-if ever l meet that cuss os Granger agin, I'll skin him alive with this var bowie, you see eff don't!
 "Wal, it was touch and go with them other two; fur afore they cud git to the clearin the fire cum so close that their clothes war putty nigh singed off 'em with the fyin sparks. However, they did git hum at last, and the folks made an everlastin fuss over 'em when they found 'em alive after all. But when the old dad took his darter in his arms and thanked God that she was spared to him, the gal bust out a-cryin fit to break her heart and sobbed out:
 "'Don't, don't, papa. I'd sooner have died fifty times over than have been saved sor
 "And Granger, who was the only one thar as knowed what she meant, looked bout as happy as wolf in trap.
 However, he warnt the man to be beat so easy, he warnt ; and couple nights arter, when the gal had begun to straighten up bit arter her scare, he cum around to whar she was sittin' in the verandy, and he commenced palav- erin her agin. She looked up at him for a minute, as if she didn't half un- derstand what he war aimin at, and then she clasps her hands with a sort O shiver, and cries out, in voice that warn't bit like her own:
 "sNever say another word like that to me-neveri I've allowed the bravest and noblest man that ever breathed to throw away his life on me-oh, the mis- erable coward that I wasp
 "She'd hardly spoken, when Granger giv' jump and screeched out:
 "Gracious heavenl there's his ghostr
 ''And off he went like forty hurri- canes; and that was the last O him.
 ''As for the gal. she looked around to see what had skeered him so; but the nex' minute she felt mighty like makin tracks arter him. For there, not ten yards off, lookin white and ghostly enough in the moonlight to ha' fright ened blind jackass, stood the fgger of Jack Houlston!
 "Whether she war gwine to faint or to run or what thar ain't no sayin, for fore she cud fix to do anythin at all the ghost had his arm around her waist and giv' her kiss as didn't feel very ghostly. "'Oh, Jack, are you really alive after allY says she, clutchin his arm with both them little hands O her'n, as if to be sure that he was actilly thar in flesh and blood.
 "'Yes, darlin,' says he, kissin her again.
 "And then he told her how he'd man. aged to sarcumvent the fire. When he war left behind arter they'd rode of he'd nary hope of 'scapin, and his idee war to save hisself from the pain O burnin alive by blowin his own brains out.
 "Jist then his eye fell on the dead hoss, and lucky thought cum to him | Quick as lightnin he out with his bowie | ripped open the karkiss, scalloped out | all the in'ards, and then got inside and lay snug, like bar in holler tree.
 "He hadn't more'n jist got fixed III fore the fire cum sweepin right over him, hissin and roarin like Old Nick and makin everythin so hot and choky | that he felt as if he cudn't bar 1t half { minute longer, but he thought O hel and he put through somehow. An( then when the fire had gone by and al war clar he cum out ag'in.
 "There ain't no more to be said. They war married bout a month arter that and they're comin down hyar to have look at us all some time this summer and eff we don't give 'em the very tales kind O blowout when they do com, may be sculped by the fust Injun meet! And now let's liquor, for talk in's dry work. Buffalo News. l Can't Be Done.