The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1893-03-04


Is done?" shifted Pink. THAT other
man will run us out. l haven't any
head for practical matters, India"
Your whimpering is passed over
without notice. Did you ever think
practical matters are just like piano
KEYS; If you don't touch them with
you make discords. We
can't have a piano for about four years
vet. But when we get home, I'll take
down the banjo and PUNK you tune"
and if we succeed in making pa
per here, what outlook does it give us?"
Honor. influence. home. seat in
the senate for you or 10 if you hit the
popular need, and care for it. In time
a trip to Europe. All the time, ex-
change of prods with other minds, and
a chance to push what is good and pun
ish what is mean. At summer resorts
the well-nurtured young lady may now
be entering grand hop, but am go
ing home with ink on my finger, and
the assurance in my soul that in some
vast future larger battles will be given
me to fight, and shall come off victor"
Past midnight, however. the assist
ant saw her former victories crumble
before her eyes. Pink's shouting
struck her through the ear like dag
GER She crossed great change while
leaping over the side of her bed. The
Office was on fire, but 10 was not in it,
for 10 bad walked Pink and run off to
others for help.
India passed through nightmare OF
throwing clothing on, finding every
thing inside ont or upside down. She
was running across the open prairie
with her brother, the streets rang with
cries of fire, and all the inhabitants OF
town SO slightly built turned ont
with terror. A crowd was already
passing pals of water from hand to
hand
1t was too late to do anything but
confine the fire, if possible, to the one
crumbling block. There was at the
time no wind. and the pals were made
to do vigorous duty. In went the roof,
sending up a constellation which put
out half the stars.
This is too bad, sis, amt it now?"
said human voice through the tumult
to India's ears Mr.. Bonebrake, the
stock farmer, was there, his whip in
hand ready for driving home.
II was settin' up with hogs to ship
tonight" he shouted, land was one OF
the first to see the fire. 1t bust out all
at once full blaze"
"I'm afraid you won't get your paper
tomorrow" said India.
.sPshaw. You'll lose considerable,
won't you?"
Burning up there is all that my
brothers and ! have except u little
cheap furniture. There goes what
have worked for SINCE we were left
alone in the world"
"Pshaw! No insurance.!
I'VE were to insure the latter part o.
this week. Every dollar was needed
before. But / would like" said thu
assistant, shaking her finger at the fire
ito get the better of that!
"Pshawl'' groaned Mr.. Bonebrake
with full western sympathy.
"My brothers," said India, feeling
her heart swell in proportion to the ca
lamity, twill take that old fire for |
mere candle, though, to light them Oh
the road. And I'll help"
"What'll you do now?"
"We'n have to get presses some way
and start the paper again"
''Got any backers?"
mo"
Eyes, you have, )" said Mr.. Bonebrake
rising also to the occasion. He pushes
through the crowd abruptly, and go
, upon a high platform in front of one O
the stores In the midst of the roar o
fire and human lungs, he began t
shout a speech, saying he did not in
tend to do so, but pluck was pluck. ii
was burnt out once himself. and had
: tornado tear him down another time
And these young people was bound t
| make it go; they had the rattlesnake
KILN grit into 'em, and who'd stan
: by to give them another start?
When people understood what h
, was talking about, they began to cor
1 suit a..nong themselves The banke
: leaped upon the platform. He was
: man of few words, but remarked ths
( the Chronicle was an institution of th
E town, and for his part he would nc
e have it destroyed; he would head
paper at the bank in the morning
!. Mr.. Bonebrake shouted to him to hea
. it now, and the banker took out h
' notebook and did SO. Israel Bonebrah
e adding his name and his hundred
with an eager hand. Somebody calle
!. out that a new man had come, wei
v hecled to start another paper; but til
. popular voice replied:
Throw him in the fre!'
y Other well-to-do citizens sprang upo
. the platform, and put their names ar
= contributions upon the paper. Thel
. was a crowd raging to contribute. II
public-spirited enthusiasm was so gree
that cheer after cheer for the Chronic
arose, while the fire which had d
= stroyed its outward presence anon