Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1894-07-19

him. The rain was coming down in
great sheets; it seemed to him he had
never before seen it fall so heavily.
| He was saturated, soaked and drip
ping, and chilled to the very bone.
Again he heard that awful cry, but
could see no one. Rushing hastily
forward in the direction from which
it came he suddenly found his way
barred by huge tree that. struck by
the lightning, had fallen in the path.
Beneath it, it's terrible weight lying
square across his body. lay man.
After an instant Jared recognized him
as Sam Baker, tramping farm hand,
who had been about the village for
few weeks, and had finally gone to
work for one of the neighboring
farmers. He had been blowing in
the field below when the storm came
up, and had stupidity taken refuge in
the clump of trees on the hillside,
leaving his pillow in the furrow and
his horse still inspanned to brave the
storm alone.
The tree under which he stood had
been struck by lightning, and had
fallen upon him. 1t was smoking "a
little where the branches forked-
only the dampness keeping it from
burning. "Get it off. get it Off" the
poor fellow shrieked as he saw Jared.
The boy was old for his years and UNI
commonly quick of wit, but his
strength was wholly inadequate to
move the tree. He pondered an in
slant. amid the roars of the storm and
the screams of the tortured man, and
then rushed down the hill and across
the half-plowed field, with its muddy
burrows, to where the patient, lum.
boring, old, white pillow horse stood,
head down and his low-set, mongrel
tail turned to the storm. To unspan
him from the pillow and lead him up
the hill was but the work of minute.
The reins had been heightened with
rope, and taking this Jared twisted it
and Topped it firmly about the tree,
hooking the singletree into it. Sam
saw the iGea and it's dangers. IF
you drag that tree across me-" he
groaned, you'll kill me. 1t must be
lifted.
Jared saw that his words were only
too true. Something, however, must
be done. Sans shrieks had ceased,
but he was still grooming in agony,
only failing strength hushing his
cries. Down on his hands and knees
Jared got, putting his puny shoulder
hn t,.In nj Of hn al
his boys body been half as stout as
his heart he would have lifted. When
all was ready he gave the old white
horse the word to 60 forward. The
chain frightened and with strength
born of his extremity the boy raised
his back, fairly forcing himself be-
meath the tree, giving it an upward
impetus as the horse dragged it for
ward He was not able to lift, save
for single instant, but that served
to carry it free from Sans chest and
head, and when it fell from the mans
body, Jared, too, fell forward with
strange, suffocating sense of OPP
preston in his chest. After minute
he rallied and staggered to his feet
Sam was unconscious and lay upon
his back, the rain beating down upon
his face, and mingling with the blood
that flowed from dreadful wound in
his breast. 1t was plain, even to
Jared, that he would die if help was
| not quickly brought. 1t was mile
| to the village, and he felt sick to
death himself, but, gathering his
little strength, pulled the harness
and tugs from the horses shoulders
the collar was beyond his ability to
move-tied up the reins and clambered
upon his back.
The awkward creature was unused
to being ridden, and he started, swirl
ing and plunging. Jared tucked one
arm under the big collar, seized tn e
| reins in the other hand and dug his
heels into the horses sides. A sharp
| flash came just then, and the quickly
following thunder clap added to the
animals terror. The big, lum boring
| brute sprang forward with lunging
| attempt at a run, which finally settled
into laundering, three-cornered gal
| lop as he tore down the hill, sending
the damp earth up behind him in
great clods from his enormous hoofs.
| At every rise Jared had all he could
do to keep from going over the ami
malls great chuckle head; at every
impact of the shovel like feet upon
the ground the breath seemed about
to leave the boys body, but he clrng
grimly, urging his ungainly steed on
as though death followed behind
One by one the familiar land
marks were passed on the road tc
the village. Straight down the single
street he rode, and pulled rein in front
of the one store that was trading place
postoffice, clubroom and genera
lounging stand for the whole neigh
borhood.
"There's that young imp, the Sim
pick boy, on my old Bill" shouted
Farmer Briggs as Jared fairly threw
himself to the ground, while the still
frightened brute rushed on agair
relieved of his rider. ''Drat that boy
Look at that. He'd orter have ever,
bone in his blamed body broke TO
lettin' that horse run off" and h
wrathfully started for the door just a
Jared entered