Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1893-12-22

Rad determined to save the dumb crea-
lures If possible, and repaying each
one of the twins parting kisses with a
hearty word of cheer, she caught up
bride and hurried out to the field
Here she found the instinctvely frig hit
ened animals huddled close in fence
corner Letting down the bars and
slipping the bride on one of the horses,
the practiced girl sprang to his back,
and, after some trouble, succeeded in
driving the whole herd down to the
Pine river, lying somewhat south OF
east and nearly mile away.
Then, through binding smoke, she
rode at full speed back to the house,
intending to carry the children also to
the river. But by this time the front
of the forest was roaring sea of fire.
The boundary fence had caught, and
great masses of burning leaves were
whirling over into the fields, kindling
fresh fires wherever they fell. The
heat was sitting; in few short min
utes more the dwelling would be
wrapped in flames yet the good horse
might yet save the three young lives.
Sliding to the ground, Marie threw
the reins over post, dashed into the
house, jerked pair Of blankets from
her own bed, soused them in tub of
water, folded them saddlewise on old
Dicks back snatched up the children,
set them astride the horses shoulders,
and mounting behind them turned TO
fly.
Too late On glancing toward the
way whence she had just come, she
saw, to her dismay, that escape in that
direction was cut off, an advanced
tongue of ever widening flame having
already crept across the path, while on,
and fearfully close now, came waves
of fire, projected from the forest.
What was to be done? The heat was
becoming intolerable and the horse
frantic. She could no longer hold the
boys to their seat; she and they would
be thrown and, perhaps, killed on the
spot
Oh" moaned the brave girl, "why
did not save the children at once and
let the poor cattle go?"
"Will us be burnt up, auntie?" pitt.
fully asked little Pete, as she scram-
bled off the plunging horse with her
precious charges.
NO. no, my pets, you shall not be
burned!" exclaimed Marie, for sudden
by there had flashed across her mind a
| possible means of salvation.
Dragging the blankets to the ground
and freeing Dick from the bride, she
struck him sharply across the quarters
with it, when the intelligent beast
wheeled about and galloped away, for
tunately due north, now the only safe
point; for, though he might run before,
and at first outstrip the pursuing
flames, they would quickly cross the
intervening space and catch the I'M
broken forest to the northeast of the
farms.
Connecting Moreau's with Wilson's
house was lane, sixty feet wide,
bounded on either side by rail fence,
and little way beyond Wilson's there
was as our heroine now recollected, a
milkhouse, chambered deep in the slope
of solid clay mound. Could the three
reach this all would be well, as it was
absolutely impervious to fire, and by
the time both houses and barns were
consumed, the grass and rallied flames
would die out and leave the fields pas
sable for further flight if necessary.
Raising Pete in her arms, the girl
wrapped him and herself in one of the
wet blankets, enveloped Sammy in the
other and, bidding MIN hold tight to
her, set off down the lane.
But before they had gone one-half its
three hundred yards of length, the
fence on the left caught fire, driving
them over to that on the right.
little way farther they struggled
on; and then poor Sammy, not having
wit enough to keep the protecting
blanket properly before his mouth in
hailed the pungent smoke and sank
senseless to the ground.
Marie uttered despairing cry. The
place of refuge was yet fully one hun.
dred and sixty yards away. She could
not shield and carry both children al
once. Must she abandon the uncon
scious boy? No, thousand times no
though fractions of seconds were pre-
cious and the danger appalling.
Bravely she rallied her senses; and
knowing that quite close to the earth's
surface the air was comparatively free
of smoke, she laid herself fiat down
with little Peter in Der arms, rolled
Sammy over and over, mummy like, il
his blanket, secured it about him with
half dozen wire pins, snatched from
her hair, and in an incredible short
time was again on her feet
Now she told the trembling Pete t
clasp his arms about her neck, while
with one hand she held the blanket be
fore his and her own face and with the
. other dragged Sammy, like wool
sack, along the ground.
Twas desperate work for young
girl, as the dry grass on the left side O
the lane had taken fire and the hea
and smoke had so greatly increased
that only by drawing every breath
through the saturated cloth could lif,
be sustained: But Marie never faltered
. Nerved to unwonted strength by tn,
heroic resolve of her own undauntet
soul, she managed, despite her doubl,
burden, not only to keep moving bu
actually to quicken her pace to run
; just as the flames took possession o
the whole lane and beat fiercely agains
the house she passed beyond the latte
into small plowed field leading to tn,
mound, barely eighty yards away
| There was no fire under foot here, bu
the heat was greater than ever, ant
J the almost exhausted girl found it well
| piuh innoSSibla IN drn ~ Sap,n,u,c ohm u