Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-01-29

Lfs1> ~ - '1c~/ ing farms in Isa-
TI,\S5-<1 bella County,
Michigan, two
families, named,
respectively, Wilson and Moreau.
TIL. aforementioned consisted of
father, mother and their tive-year old
twin boys, Samuel and Peter; while
Narcisse and Mrs Moreau had but one
child, n girl OF fifteen, called Marie
Marie Moreau--a name almost MS
pretty as was its American French
descended owner.
In addition to remarkable beauty,
Marie possessed the still more precious
gift of II sweet, unselhsh disposition.
and was, moreover, the foremost
among all the scholars attending the
somewhat distant country school.
But, for a girl brought up in the
woods, she was neither very large nor
strong for her age, and the perform
ence of specially daring deed was
the last thing of which any one could
have supposed her capable.
The two log houses of these fam
lilies stood 300 yards apart, in the
midst of cleared fields, and consider
ably more than that distance from any
standing timber, the nearest piece of
woods being a tract of primeval forest
lying over Il quarter mile southwest of
and facing both, so that it seemed
hardly possible for either to be en-
dangered
Up to the 10th Ofthe month, though
the surrounding atmosphere was then
somewhat darkened by smoke waited
from the great oonhagration at Chi
cago, no fires had broken out in the
Wilson-Moreau neighborhood. On
that day, in accordance with
previously made appointment, the
heads of both families drove away to
Farwen village, sixteen miles distant,
to make the final payments on and re
celve deeds of their respective farms,
Mrs. Wilson leaving the twins in
charge of Marie, not another person
living within two miles of her house.
The party set out in Moreau's farm
wagon Mt ten o'clock in the forenoon,
promising to return not later than
nine that same night.
Marie, well pleased at the prospect
of having curlyhes ded Sammy" and
pete" all to herself for whole day,
spent delightful forenoon playing
with and amusing the little fellows,
and in due time prepared in their
honor regular holiday feast, while
discussing which Sammy ingenuously
remarked;
"Me likes muddcr to go way in
big wagon"
$50 does me, chimed in Pete,
" cause us gets lots of pies an cakes
den. -
"I'm rather afraid" merrily said
Marie, that I'm giving you little
rogues too many sweet things; but
you can run outdoors nowand scamper
round while | wash up the dishes"
Gus couldn't have too much honey
and jam, could us, Pete?" sagely OBJ
served Master Sammy.
'Dess not they's awful good" re-
joined Pete, and the pair rushed glee-
fully out.
But the next moment, though fol-
lowed by cloud of dust and smoke,
they rushed still more gleefully in
again, shouting: "Oh, auntie"-as
the youngsters always called Marie
there's a b'u'ful big fire out in the
woods. Mebbe well have 'nudder
Fourth July !"
Much to the twins surprise, Marie
received their joyful tidings with an
alarmed cry, and, hurryiag to the
door, she saw that, Just beginning to
show through the trees, great fire
was raging in the heart Of the forest
and, driven by the southeast gale. was
rapidly approaching the clearings.
On the instant the clear headed girl
realized the danger; for, parched by
a six weeks drought, not only the
grass and stubble but also the upper
soil itself was as dry as Punpowder,
and, helped on by numerous rail
fences, the flames would be sure to
sweep across the fields and destroy
both houses, as well as every living
thing lying in their path. But, she
reasoned, "the very violence of the
wind will keep the fire to northeast
course, and, though wide enough on
leaving the woods to face the whole of
our clearings, it will probably not ex-
tend to any great distance either due
east or due north.
The children, quick to catch the in
lection of fear, had become gravely
silent, and Marie, lifting the trap-door
Of the cellar, cheerfully said:
"Now, little men, you must be brave
and do just as auntie says. The smoke
is so bad that you'll almost smother
up here. Come down to the cellar.
and stay there till L get back, III be
gone only a little while, "