The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-11
TIE BURRo SAVED HIS LIF2.
And For This Heroic Act the Beast
Was Rewarded With Kicks.

And For This Heroic Act the Beast
Was Rewarded With Kicks.
From the San francisco Call.
There was hardly breath of air stirring
and the torrid sun beat down on the sandy
road as lift had male UP its mind to burn
it out Of existence. All around was the sandy
PLAIN OF Arizona, and as far as the eye could
reach in any direction II met no soothing
patch of green except such treeJ as rose
above the adobe walls OF Tucson. On the
road a man and q burro could be seen. The
two trips to town obtained for Santiago
nothing moro than the mescal he had
drunk, and on the way home be 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 probably thought that his
master was not responsible, 30 he Just
switched his tail as II be was bothered with
flies.
When they reached the small dilapIdated
adobe structure that was called home, San
tiago threw himself down on O strawpile
without stopping to draw water from the
we'll for his faithful servant. The burro
brayed several times to attract his
masters attention, and at last the
man got up and filled three buckets
of water and left them where his
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.
Santiago laid down while tho mescal
burned into his brain and made him nerv-
GUS. He could stand it no longer, so ne
tried to get up, but fell back, aud then
concluded he would smoke a cigarette.
With great difficulty he managed to roll
the tobacco and paper into desired form
and lighted it. The smoke soothed him,
end sooA his eyes began 60 droop and every
thing got hazy.
In few minutes there was a 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 con-
ClusiOn 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 q
foot OF him now. and an occasional
tongue would lick the mans hand. But he
never moved. In few moments more he
was passed all sense Of feeling and would
have been burned to a crisp.
The burro saw it was impossible to wake
his master, go 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 diff
Guilty that he secured a hold. But by set
ting it down several times he got to the fire,
and by this tins the flames had reached the
mans hand, which was badly burned, as
we'll as the end of bis shirt sleeve. The
burro sec the bucket down near by and
pushed it over. In an instant the flames
around the spot were extinguished, but q
little fire still burned near by, 1t would
soon spread and things would have been as
bad as ever. But the burro ran for the
other bucket Of water and with difficulty
dumped it on the last of the fire. All dan
ger was now passed and the faithful ami
NAL returned TO his STRAW.
Santiago did not wake up until next
morning He saw at once that there had
been fire and that his hand was badly
burned. How he was saved was none Of
his business-it was an net Of providence.
He got up and started for the house. and
as he was passing the well the little burrO
was standing near by and brayed, hoping
that his master would give him some water
But SantiaRo's hand hurt HIM ana he was
In q bad temper, so instead OF water he
gave the animal hard kick, and empha-
sized his action with q curse.