New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-08
Curtains, POrtieres,
Panels, Cushion Squares,
Piano Scarfs and Doilies.
: Look. father"

Startled the elder man did so.
Good God, Mort She's a-comin, an comm
c beat Ill., too! We got [ race q save any
thing
And race they did, but the fire was racing,
too and when they drove their painting horses
into the dOOr-yarJ the flames were only a few
miles away and coming down at lightning speed
While Tom and Roy saddlcd their ponies and
rounded up The live sock, Mr. Benedict and tl,e
space of time, put into the two wagons every
thing that it possible TO save, after Which
Hal and George saddled their ponies, joined
Tom and Roy with the herd and the whole pro-
cession, headed by the two wagons driven by
Mort and his father, moved on at rapid pace
Then, and only then, did Mort notice that
there was no sign Of human life about the
Walker place. His heart gave leap.
Bess he Ha SAID s4arp mo GGqI yaun shSy
The girls eyes oponed wide Oh Mort.
haven't heard or seen sign Of EN- all day
Take them reins. I'm goin back an see.
He eaped from the wagon ana ran Dach, notlns
as he did SO how hot the air had become and now
near the big wave Of smoke was.
Mrs Walker, singing sofIy a. she hustled about
the kitchen, was bit startled to see who her
unannounced visitor was.
Mis- Walker, where's all your men-folks?
No. didn't come fer trouble-only ths praulo
fire only IA Iitle ways of, an comm down IKE
Mrs Walker sank into chair "Oh, heavens:
An la'her sick abed an all tn boys over t"
Berry's on q breakin bee"
Good Lord Amt l glad come baclss
"0h, Mort They're all loose in the paster
Git what things We wantuh save tgether real
quick They amt no spare time And Mort
tore out Of the house like a mailman, and down
70 the pasture, not noticing that Nellie had
entered the kitchen and was staring at him open
Both Mr.. Walkers wagon teams were composed
Of animals usually us docile as lambs; bur To-
day, punched together in a corner Of the pasture
they smiled the coming llames and II seemed TO
put wild imps ino their numbering carcasses, and
il was a long, trying time before Mort could catch
TWO of them, swear, pray, Try As he highland
the great fire rolled swiftly nearer The wind
had shifted from northeast 10 northwest. Mort
saw with sinking AZ his heart that there was
an even chance of getting cut of from the river
Mr. Walker was on n feather he'd on the floor Of
the wagon and Mrs Walker crouched beside him.
Nellie ran back into the house for the family
Git up! Clk," The heavy whip came down
hard on the horses TANKS and the race was be-rH.
Faster came the flames the biow of smoke
rolled over them, now and then dropping ,feathery
arass-cinders as it passed: they could hear the
roar of the fire and feel It's hot breath whenever
the wind increased in velocity-and jim River
so far away
Nearer came the great wave of flame; the air
was dense and sufocating. Mort in his frenzy
dashed the running horses necessarily. ours
ing. praying. saying he knew not what. Mrs,
Walker wept ard prayed; Mr. Walker now and
then gave feeble moan; Nellie. on the seat oe,
side Mort, kept her lips, tight closed and SAID i,l
as the wagon bounced and lurched
Mort looked at her; her silence angered MN.
Cit oh'n tn seat" he roarcd How aye
think | en- drive with you sittin thar ~
The girl obeyed. and fell, rather than climbed
back into the box. ,
Mort Benedict's rccolectiors Of what occurred
after that are very dim He remembers driving
deeper and deeper into the terrible neat ana
smoke. of tearing through volume OF lame !nat
seemed endless-hame that burned his eyes, ms
nostrs his throat, and scorched his HAIR ana
cycbrows-then, with final leap the horses
dashed down the slope into the shallow riVer'
and he knew no more.
When Mort awoLe, he could not for some time
realize where ne was, and lay for some minute;
trying TO remember. Oh, yes: he was IN VIII
Rcrry's room He remembered the antlers on
the wall and the white curtains at the WILLOWS
Some one came in softly from the next room
WHO is it?" he asked.
II was Nellie, and She came ana leaned oIe,
him Its me. Mort. I've ben here al IN
time | thought We knew me- sometimes. You've
len sick. IN , , oo .,
She sat down on the edge of the bed ana put
her hands on his shoulders.
II We want me 10, Mort
lie drew her face down To Ills, mt put her az
arms length, presently
But how about tn fcud, Nell :"
They amt no moro teud, Mort IL -
rcfcLum i'm the San Francisco AIgOnaut.