The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1896-07-16

pine into the ground and burning the
gas which rises from them. Well, a
stream of white oil from that spring
gushes out upon the waters of the lake,
where it floats constantly in great oily
islands. This oil will burn as well on
top of the water as anywhere, and you
Just set two or three of those islands
on fire and there will not be an Indian
within sight of it."
1--WE had better do it tonight, then.
for the postmaster told me that the In
dams were on the warpath."
But when Mr. Bancroft came in, he
thought differently.
"There is another regiment ordered
here" he said. 'They will be here the
first of July and that is tomorrow"
But, perhaps, Tullia would like to
see the water all in Il blaze, and boiling
and steaming from contact with the
flames? 1t is sight!' persisted Ida.
"And meantime the Indians"
"Are having a pow-wow in Buffalo
Canyon, which will last them week,
| say, girls, Wen set the lake on fire
the Fourth of July. 1t will be novel
celebration for Tullia."
And so the subject was dropped, and
Tullia retired to her room shortly after.
ward to dream of Indians uutil she
awoke from very fear of them--to think
of the Fourth of July which was so
close at hand. and to regret the Fourth
of July which had been so closely con-
nected with her folly of a year before.
ha fnr hn n 11npiSinU
which did not come, and was obliged
to listen TO Wills jests concerning the
newset of suitors which he would soon
be obliged to entertain with the same
apathy until the morning of the Fourth
was at hand, and Will padded out into
| the lake to set fire to the naphtha
islands which nearly covered it
This was an exploit of some danger,
but he accomplished it successfully,
and by dusk on the Fourth of July
flames fifty feet in height were leaping
up from the face of the water, and the
Indians were fleeing from the vicinity,
convened that the white sorcerer, the
bad medicine of Southern Idaho, had
really set the world on fire this time.
1t was a wonderful sight, indeed
the bright red flames which ascended
almost to the sky itself, leaping from
place to place on the surface of the
little lake, as one island of naphtha
after another burned out, and went up
| in smoke.
Mr.. and Mrs Bancroft, with Tullia
not far away, were seated on their
porch LOOKING out at their unique cele-
bration. when the clear notes of
''Marching Through Georgia" came to
their ears from the distance, growing
every moment more and more distinct.
Its the soldiers said viii Bancroft,
attracted by our bonfire. You'll prob
ably have an opportunity, Tullia, to get
a peep at your future divinity"
Tullia made little grimace in reply,
and they were all silent until the music
ceased and the shoutsland even the con-
versation of the soldiers on the other
side of the lake were distinctly audible.
Il think I'll go over and see them,"
said VIII, at length.
He did so. and Ida and Tullia. feeling
secure enough now, admired the leap
ing flames until they were weary, and
then retired to rest.
There was rap on the door of
Tullia's room just before breakfast,
and Ida put her head in at the door.
Company for breakfast" she said,
land news from home"
Questions were useless, for the patter
of Ida's retreating feet sounded from
below now, and thinking that perhaps
a letter awaited her. and that some mil
itary man had remained over night
with Will, Tullia went down to the
breakfast room.
There stood Burse Denthorne!
Here is gentleman" said Will.
"who has purchased tract of land ad-
jacent to mine, and together we are
going to bring thef naptha from the
spring before the public during the
coming year"
Burse came over to Tullias side and
kissed her. just as if there had been
no trouble between them.
And Tullia, to have saved her life,
could not keep from crying.
"You knew that he was coming" she
accused Ida.
81 did not know that he was coming
last night" replied Ida, frankly. but
we expected him soon. He has been in
correspondence with Will ever since
you have been here"
Having seen the folly of her declara-
ton of independence the year before,
Tullia was very compliant now.
And a great naphtha refinery is going
up near Will Bancroft's residence, as
well as Queen Anne cottage, where
Tullia expects to reign as Mrs. Burse
Denthorne.
/ t..~a.$ No,,n%;oc IN = =, oIand