The Press., 1893-03-02

hung low away CO Gne nOfGnWeSG, that her strangely and made her hesitate about starting on her long walk. She expressed fears of a cyclone to her uncle, but he assured, her that he had not spent dozen years in the far west to al- low an electric storm to cheat him into the belief that cyclone was brewing.
 Its but steady blow that will last two or three days, Natalie," said her aunt, coming out on the stoop and shading her eyes with her hand to survey the outlook. "Tornadoes are more frequent in thesa parts than cyclones, though there is no call for anxiety from that source to-day either Go on to school, and even if the worst comes to the worst, you can take refuge in that dugout that we mothers in- sisted on having prepared for just such emergencies"
 II thought that sod-covered cave served only as receptacle for fuel" answered Natalie.
 "They do use it for that purpose in win- ter, but it is much larger, than it looks. and, if necessary, quite a respectable number of children could be crowded in to it, even when half full of coal and kindling."
 Regardless of her brave words, when school time approached, Mrs. Holmes deemed it wise to keep the small children at home, so Natalie set out on her morn ing journey accompanied only by her cousin Jack and Nellie White, neigh bor's daughter. Many other mothers had kept the wee ones in the home nest, too, so that when the roll was called only twenty-five pupils responded to their names, instead of tbe usual number, some- thing over forty. The forenoon passed away much as other mornings had done, and except that the wind continued to increase in violence as the day advanced, no perceptible change took place in the aspect without. But shortly after the noontide hour, Natalie was seized with such sense of foreboding that she could scarcely attend to her du- ties. The high bank of red clouds along the distant horizon troubled her. Ii seemed to grow higher and higher, and to deepen in color as she watched it through the dusty atmospher; then, all at once, she detected little tongues of flame shoot. ing upward from a hundred different points. With blanching countenance, she now realized that an awful prairie fire was bearing down upon them, and that the little frame school-house was surely doom ed to destruction. They were two miles from the river, and there was no use ir trying to outrun the devouring flames that were leaping like fiery demons from earth to heaven. For few moments she stood as if transfixed, her eyes riveted on the wall of fire moving majestically forward then the cries of the children aroused her, and with a desperate effort to con trol herself, she spoke calmly and firmly to them. That sod-covered dugout mus be their refuge now, and she at once be gan preparations to lead her little flock thither. She had found out it's use just il time. ."E '.
 There's very little danger, Natalie, said her cousin Jack, in a very importan way. "You eastern women are easil, scared. We can manage the fire withou the least difficulty. Just look at the fire brake plowed all around the schoolhouse and if that does not do the business w, can start back fire. Give me handful InA g.. earnest" ...
 "But, Jack, there is not match in th house, and the fire is out,' insisted Nata lie, land as for the fire-brake, it is utterl. useless in such storm of fiame.as i sweeping down the valley"
 "We'd better leg it for the river, then, said, Jack, much of his bravado gone.
 We cannot outrun the fire, Jack, an' we must try to keep together" urged Ma talie. "Take the water pail and the din ner pails, and carry water from the sprinI to thoroughly drench the sod-house, bot inside and out, then leave the pails al filled in the cave. While you large boy are at work, I'll try to get the childre all packed into the only place that prom ises us the least protection --.
 By this time the children had becom
 panic-stricken, and nothing but Natalie , firmness and self-possession could hay controlled the restless spirits and brough l order out of such dire confusion. AS
 was, some of the little ones clung to tn . desks, crouching in terror, until they wer
 fairly torn from their dangerous place and carried. shrieking and fighting, to tn
 refuge that had been provided for them.
 The roaring and cracking flames dre,
 nearer and nearer, and at last passed owe
 them. They heard the school-house ia
 in with a mighty crash, but they dare
 not open the iron door for breath eve
 of the heated air, for fear of the flame
 being communicated to the dry fuel ths
 lay in dangerous proximity to the mout
 of the cave. .taH '
 "Oh. teacher, am choking to death,
 "I can't breathe" and II am dying (
 fright" are specimens of the cries tha
 continually distressed poor Natalie, ,thoug ; putting self aside, she went among tn terrified children, trying bravely to sooth
 and quiet them. Gently she bathed tn
 burning faces of the little ones, tearin !. up her cambric apron to secure soft cloth { with which to apply the cool water ths !, her thoughtfulness had provided. Man : of the children would undoubtedly hay
 been suffocated, but for this wise fore thought. In less than an hour the dangt was over, and then the prisoners venture out of their living tomb, not a hair ( Numerous unsolicited testimonials dail
 received by it's proprietors clearly demon
 otrato tho fact th of tha rennta tinn of D]