Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-02-01

pracuced girl sprang 10 his back, and +.
after some trouble, succeeded in driv-
ing the whole herd down to the Pine river
nearly mile away.
Then, through binding smoke, she rode
at full speed back To the house, intending
TO carry the children also to the river But
by this time the front Of the forest was a
roaring sea of fire The boundary fence
had caught, and great masses Of burning
leaves were whiting over the fields, kind
ling fresh lires wherever they fell. The
heat was sitting; in few short minutes
more the dwelling would be wrapped in
flames. yet the good horse might yet save
the three young lives
Sliding To the ground. Marie threw the
reins over post. dashed into the house,
ierked pair of blankets from her own
bed, soused them in "A tub of water, folded
them saddlewse on DicN's back, snaiched
up the children. set them astride the horses
shoulders, and mounting behind them
turned To fly.
Too late On CHANGING toward the way
whence she had Just come, she saw to her
dismay that escape in that direction was
cut OIL, an advanced tongue of ever widen.
iug flame having already crept across the
path while on. az fearfully close now
came waves of fire. projected from the
forest.
What was to be doneg The heat was
becoming Intocrable and the horse frantic.
She could no longer hold the boys 20 their
seat she and they would be thrown and.
perhaps killed on the spot.
"Oh, moaned the brave girl, ''wby did
| not save the children at once and let the
poor cattle goy'
"Will us be burnt up auntie?" pltifully
asked little Pete, as she scrambled off the
plungipg horse with her precious
charges.
mo, no, my pets, you shall not be
burned" exclaimed Marie, for suddenly
there had flashed across her mind posi-
bic means of salvation.
Dragging the blankets to the ground and
freeing Dick from the bride, she struck
him sharply across the quarters with 1t,
when the intelligent beast wheeled about
and gslloped away, fortunately due north,
now the only safe point; for though he
might run before, and at first outstrIp the
pursuing flames they would quickly cross
the intervening space and catch the un
broken forest TO the northeast Of the farms.
Connecting Moreau's with Wilson s
house was lane, sixty feet wide, bounded
on either side by rail fence, and a little
way beyond Wilson's there was as our
heroine now recollected, a milkhouse,
chambered deep in the slope of solid
clay mound Could the three reach this
all would be well, as it was absolutely i'm
pervious TO fire, and by the time both
houses aud barns were consumed, the
grass and rail fed flames would die out
and leave the fields passable for further
flight If necessary.
Raising Pete in her arms, the girl wrap
ped him and herself in one Of the We,
blankets. developed Sammy in the other
and bidding him TO hold tight to her, sci
off down the lane.
But before they had gone one-half its
three hundred yards Of length, the fence
on the left caught fire, driving them over
To that on the right.
A little way farther they struggled on, and
then poor Sammy not having wit enough
to keep the protecting blanket properly
before his mouth inhaled the pungean
smoke and sank senseless TO the ground.
Marie uttered despairing cry. The
place of refuge was yet fully one hundred
and sixty yards away. She could no.
shield and carry both children at once
Must she abandon the unconscious boyI
No, a thousand times no, though fraction:
of seconds were precious and the danger
appalling.
Bravely she rallied her senses; anC
knowing that quite close to the earth
| SUI llNC Alli al was COhi pau oNlNtIN llNN "
smoke, she laid herself flat down, will
! little Peter in her arms. rolled Sammy
over and over, mummy like in his blanket
secured it about him with half dozeI
wire pins, snatched from her hair. and il
an incredibly short time was again on he
feet
Now she told the trembling Pete t,
clasp his arms about her neck, while will
one hand she held the blanket before hi
and her own face and with the other drag
ged sammy like Il woolsack, along tn
ground.
TO BE CONTINUED
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