The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-03-04

was peering out of the southern win.
dows.
Following their gaze sight met my
eyes that made me too tremble. A
long line of dancing, cleaning fire
reached half way around the horizon.
The fall had been dry and the prairie
| grass had caught fire miles away and
was approaching the town on the wings
of restless south wind. 1t was now
perhaps five miles away, but its
progress must necessarily be rapid.
In few minutes plows were turning
hasty burrows, barrels of water were
being brought, blankets were in every
adults hands and the entire popula-
tion made ready to meet the enemy.
The wind lulled somewhat and the
blaze was eXtinguished along the
towns borders with comparatively lit
tie difficulty. But suddenly there was
a hoarse cry from the crowd: "Widow
| Gough's@look"
Down in ravine where the tall
slough grass grew as high as a horses
back stood the lame woman's cabin.
Surging to the edge of the bluff, a
veritable sea of flame met the eyes of
the crowd. The cracking grass had
already led the invader to the very
caves and in moment more there
would be only ashes to mark the spot.
shes in therew shrielled voice.
1t happened that Hern's company
was foremost in the crowd, and
woman turned to Wilkes, crying:
"You are strong; go in and bring her
out"
But Wilkes shranll back and Hern
weakly encouraged him by saying:
mo, he must act in"
"Coward!' CALCULATED Jean, and at
that moment Lewis, who had been
little separated from the rest, pushed
to the front I'm go, he said, simply,
and, wrapping his coat around his head
ran through the dancing flames that
were eating up the long grass so
hungrily
1t seemed an age before he returned
and when he did it was with a crippled
form, tenderly wrapped in bed-cloth-
ing, in his arms. He staggered be-
meath his load, and as he reached a
place of safety and set down his
burden fell to the ground just as the
cabin roof tumbled into the seething
blaze.
There was no performance the next
night-the town was too much agitated.
On the second day afternoon Wilkes
came to the Reporter Office.
''Do you print weddin' cards, an
nouncements and such things?"
Certainly" / replied.
How much would a dozen sayin'
that two folks was married cost9
only want few to send to the pro-
fesh."
Going to be married, yourself?"
Looks that way. Hern thinks we'd
better get it through with That gal
needs somebody to handle her." l gave
him prices and he left promising to
come again.
l wondered what turn things had
taken in the troupe and was at the
opera house early that night. l found
Paul alone and told him of Wilkes re-
marks.
Yes" he said, wearily, "they had a
great time here this afternoon. She
swore she wouldn't marry Wilkes and
Hern and his wife are determined she
shall. He won't kiss her to night-see
if he does"
There was indeed marked coolness
between the two throughout the play
that perhaps detracted from the houses
amusement. Jean gave her dance with
less enthusiasm than before and stood
close by Paul during every moment
she and he were off the stage together
Wilkes glowered, but said nothing.
The trapeze performance was prefaced
by a bombasuic speech by Hern, who
called attention to the fact that the
bars were higher and farther apart
than on the opening night and ended
by fictitious but interesting history
of the Parhesi brothers, as he called the
trapezists on the bills.
Paul still limped little and showed
stiffness in his shoulder, but Hern
angrily ordered him to go on.
'Pm afraid I'll fall" he begged.
"No, you won't. We've got to make
money enough to get out of town."
was the rejolnder.
Jean came in dressed in her dancing
costume, and, leaning down, whispered
something in the boys ear. Immediate
ly he rose and went on the stage. The
bars did look perilously high, and as l
stood close TO the girl in the flies she
remarked that there ought to be a net
TO catch the ac tors if they fell
The two men had crawled out TO the
large lar andwere swinging side by side
on l. directly over the heads of the au-
dieuce. Startled faces looked up at them
from every row of seats. Jean and l,
who fully understood the situation,
were more than startled.
Once, twice they performed the pre-
liminary somersaults, turnings, etc.
Then came the piece de resistance of the
entertainment. Wilkes held TO the bar