The morning call., 1894-09-30
O,tt lo{ The Heast oj The
UrNAce
furnace /

otherS, deserves it, for she, weak child
OF Il, by her bravery and devotion saved
the lives of her younger brothers, though
at terrible loss to herself. She lies with
oandaged eyes, scorched. bistered face,
! arms and shoulders, suffering in silence
pangs which might make strong men
Shrlek with agony, her only concern SEEM
lngly being for the rescued little ones who
owe life and safety to her courage.
John Herrold. farmer in the hills back
! OF Santa Cruz some ten years ago, got
: tired Of life in the Golden State, and de-
clded 10 return TO bis old home in Mime
sofa. Securing a number Of acres of land
on branch Of the Griadstone River, ten
or twelve miles above Hinckley, be built
a little house and settled down to clear his
land and make home for himself and his
family. He worked bard, and in the ten
years since be settled there he had cleared
nearly the whole Of his land. had planted
it, harvested his crops, and was beginning
to consider himself a fairly weIi-to-do
farmer. Re was reasonably cOntented with
his home. and his wife hoped that at last
he had found a place where he might be
! willing to remain. Three children had
u been born to them, Maggie, the eldest, be-
ing years old when they left California.
The others, boys, were born 10 Minnesota,
and were and years Of age.
Though Herrold mad cleared the timber
almost entirely from bis farm the forest
still surrounded them on all sides, as they
had no near ueighbOr. but they cared little
for that. Early IN the morning of the
first of the present month Mr.. Herrold
found it necessary for him to drive to
g Hinckley 10 procure some needed articles.
and his wife wishing also to make pur-
cbaseS decided 10 accompany him.
Maggie was a womanly little thing and
the mother had no misgtvings at leaving
the younger children ID her charge for the
day. With many cautions she left them,
little thinking that before she again
looked upon their innocent faces both she
and they would pass through scenes of
terror which might we'll turn the strongest
brains. The children stood watching
their pareuts drive away. They looked
after them until they we're hidden behind
the forest trees. then returned to the
house TO perform the simple tasks left
them to do.
Several hours passed and the children
had finished their work and sat down on
the doOrSteps to rest and talk about the
presents mother might bring them from
the city. The house was a plain un-
painted wooden structure, TWO stories
high. 1t stood on slight elevation, quar-
ter of mile hack from the Ii tie river.
which was hidden from them Uy fringe
of trees. Back of the house ran the road
over which the parests had driven away in
the early morning, and on the other side
of the road was the big barn crammed to
overf1O wing with hay just made and stored
away for winter use. Other farm build
lngs clustered together nearer the lhouse.
and a narrow strip of garden in front
glowed and blRZed with its wealth of flow
ers, for both Mrs. Herrold and Maggie
were passionately fond Of flowers and had
each year added to their stock of floral
treasures until their garden was a wonder
TO the eyes of the few lumbermen who
came that way on business or pleasure.
Sitting on the steps looking at ana talk
ing about the flowers the three children
for while thought of nothing but what
lay before them, but suddenly Beniy
looked across the garden toward the trees
which hid the stream and cried:
Why. Maggie, Just see that big smoke
Maggie looked at the dusky cloud. which
was swiftly rising above the forest. aud
told the boys that it must be fire in the
forest far away on the other side of the
river. perhaps as far off as Hincklev
They watched the last darkeDing smoke
cloud and wondered II it really was from
fire in Hinckley, and if so. whether their
parents would see the fire and have soma
stirring story TO tell on their return. But
soon the wind began TO blow fitfulIy and
Maggie was frightened Uv the smoke
WHICH U6RAu 10 SIOW udIker and settle
lower above the trees. She remem hered
stories her mother had told her of fires
which had swept through the forest with
TesiStesS force, destroying all before the
flaming wall, leaving nothing but black
ened stumps and dull gray ashes, where a
few hours before had stood tall slim trunks,
with lightly tossing limbs, covered with
glossy foliage.
She thought that by some chance the
forest must have been fired, aud wondered
how near the flames would come 10 the
little clearing. She aid not really fear
that 1t would reach them, but she wished
her mother was there to encourage than
with words of cheer. The boys were too
young to understand that there was any
danger and Maggie was wise enough to
keep her disQuet to herself. The wind
grew higher and the smoke came creeping
on until the sharp acrid odor almost
chOked the children.
They ran around the house ana a cry
OF fright broke from Maggie's lips. So
buslly had she been engaged in trying to
account TO the children for the snake be-
fore the house that she had given no
thought TO what might be happening on
the other side OF them, but now she was
terrified to see tall swaying columns of
smoke rising above the tree. tops scarcely
half mile distant, and now and then
flaming banners of ruddy fire streamed
high up through the smoke aud then fell
again 10 be replaced by others higher and
broader than the first.
Alone with TWO helpless children Younger
than herself, surrounded by rapidly ap-
preaching flames, God on Y knows what
thoughts fitted through the mind of the
child. She knew that danger was creep
ing nearer with every moment. Which
way should she go TO escape? The little
boys had followed her around the house
and they broke into frightened screams as
they saw the wall of fire which was swiftly
sweeping toward them.
''Oh, mother, mother" cried the fright
eDed girl as she clasped her arms around
the little ones who had been left in ner
care.
Though the fire was on all sides CT the
clearing it was much closer on the side
opposite the stream Than it had vet ap-
preached on the side across the little shall
low stretch OF water
The fire leaped forward through the tree
tops and in moment it broke out into
plain sight and the trees on .tbe edge of
the clearing were smoking, then blazing,
and In an Instant the grass began 10 blaze
up nercely, the fences caught, and the
flames were eagerly licking at the shreds
Of hay which peeped out of The cracks and
ctevices of the barn.
Maggie waited for nothing more. Ii the
barn caught nothing human could save
Che doomed house, so without trying TO
save anything except the precious lives
IeIt In her charge she graspeG the hand of
tue trembling boys and ran swiftly toward
Tue stream. Down beside the little river,
scarcely more than a brook. was a shed