The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-05-12
GOOD FOR EVIL.
An lll-Treated Burro saves the Life OF Its
Cruel Master.

Cruel Master.
There was hardly a breath of air stir
ring and the torrid sun beat down on
the sandy road as if it had made up its
mind to burn il out of existence. All
around was the sandy plain of Arizona
and as far as the eye could reach in
any direction it met no soothing patch
of green except such trees as rose
above the adobe walls of Tucson. On
the road man and a burro could be
seen. The two trips to town obtained
nothing for Santiago-nothing more
than the mescal he had drunk-and on
the way he beat the burro nearly
every step of the way. 1t was not late
and the sun was still trying TO consume
the sand by heat, but the little beast
went along and paid little attention to
the blows from the club Santiago struck
him with. He probab bly, thought that
his master was not responsible, so he
Just switched his tail as if he was both
cred with flies
When they reached the small dilapi-
dated adobe structure that was called
home, San tiago threw himself down on
a straw pile without stopping to draw
water from the well for his faithful
servant The burro brayed several
times to attract his masters attention,
and at last the man got up and drew
three buckets of water and left them
where the beast of burden could drink.
The animal did not take more than one
and then went to see what he could find
among the straw to satisfy his hunger.
Ii IL IL L.
burned into his brain and made him
nervous. He could stand it no longer
SO he tried to get up, but fell back, and
then concluded he would smoke a cigar
cite. With great difficulty he managed
to roll the tobacco and paper into de-
sired form and lighted it. The smoke
soothed him, and soon his eyes began
to droop and everything got hazy.
In few minutes there was small
blaze, and still the man slept soundly,
unconscious of his danger. The flames
came closer and increased in size. Soon
they were seen by the burro, who gazed
at them strangely a few moments and
then came to the conclusion that his
master was in danger He forgot all
about the cruel blows, and only thought
to save the mans life He ran UP to
him and commenced to drag at his
clothes with his teeth; but all in vain,
as the man slept on. The flames were
within a foot of him now. and an occa-
s;onal tongue would lick the mans
hand But he was past all sense of
feeling and never moved. In few
moments more he would have been
burned to crisp.
The burro saw it was impossible to
wake his master, SO he ran for the
water that was standing in the buckets.
1t was hard work to carry one of them
as the handles were only thick wire,
and it was with difficulty that he Sc
cured hold. But by setting it down
several times he got to the fire, and by
this time the flames had reached the
mans hand, which was badly burned,
as well as the end of his shirt sleeve
The burro set the bucket down near by
and pushed it over. In an instant the
flames around the spot were extin-
guished but little fire still burned
near by 1t would soon spread and
things would have been az bad as ever
fbdt tue Jul - al sOi VIC otiltt DGthtL
of water and with difficulty dumped it
on the last of the fire. All danger was
now passed and the faithful animal re-
turned to his straw.
Santiago did not wake up until morn
ing. He saw at once that there had
been a fire and that his hand was badly
burned. How he was saved was none
of his busiuess-it was an act of Provi-
dence.
He got up and started for the house,
and as he was passing the well the lit
tie burro was standing near by and
brayed, hoping that his master would |
give him some water. But Santiago's
hand hurt him and he was in bad |
temper, so instead of water he gave the |
animal hard kick, and emphasized |
his action with curse. San Francisco !
Call