The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1897-03-05

best land had already been occupied
except what was held by 'squatters.
'SQuattcrS,' you understand. were the
first settlers, the forerunners of civil
iz4tion. who seldom paid any atten
ton to presumption or homestead laws
They were shiftleSs class who dis
liked too much civilization.
kelsey looked around for Il few
days, but could find 10 land that suit
ed him except the farm where he now
lives. This was occupied by Il squat
ter living in a log cabin near where
kelsey's barn now stands. Kelsey
wanted the land, and he thought lit
tie of the moral rights Of the squatter.
He did not know who the sQuatter
was and cared less so he went at
once to the land office and pre-empted
the land.
The squatter was elected from the
land by legal process and Kelsey, with
his wife and one child, took possession.
What was their surprise to. learn Il
little later that the squatter was none
else than Henry Willis. He had come
west to forget his grief, bitterness, and
hate, and to get away from the life
that had ceased to have any charms
for him. When Hattie learned who
the squatter was. she entreated her
husband to restore the land to its
former owner. But lie would not do
20.
willis did not second time diSap-
pear. lie squatted on that worthless
piece OF land across the road" said
Well, Indicating the place with wave
of his hand, and openly threatened
that he would have kelsey's heart
blood. But Kelsey paid no attention
20 him, and the following'spring push
ed forward with the farm work.
That summer was the driest, hot
test, ever known in the State. The
grass cured on the prairies; the leaves
curled aud withered on the trees, the
ground cracked, and many cattle and
horses died of thirst. Prairie fires
were new to us then, and we thought
little about them and took few precau-
tons against them. Henry Willis was
more careful. he plowed circular
strip around. his rebuilt cabin, and
removed the grass within the circle
The weeks passed. and then came
me twenty-ninth day of:7August.
Kelsey had gone to the trading. post
for supplies, leaving his wife and Child
alone. The day was hot and dry as
usual, with a breeze from the south.
About two o'clock the sky to the
south became hay and blush. Willis
watched it from his pillow and knew
that terrible prairie fire was,coming.
In half an hour it would at his cabin.
He looked across the prairie to the
Kelsey cabin, and a bitter smile cross
ed his face. - The smoke peacefully
curled above the cabin. The wife was
unconscious of the danger. What a
chance for revenge! How he would
gloat over Kelsey when he returned
and found home, child, wife, swallowed
up by the devouring pitiless fire
What then would his rivals triumphs
mean? This day would see the wrongs
of a lifetime revenged.
with folded arms he leaned against
his pillow and watched the approaching
conflagration. 1t was an appalling
sight. The smoke filled the whole
southern horizon. Through the clouds
there burst at intervals great tongues
of flame, which shot far up into the
heavens or leaped far in advance. The
fire rushed with the speed of a whirl-
wind. Before it in blind terror fled
rabbits, deer, cattle and horses. Be
hind it lay a black waste with smok-
ing heaps here and there, to bear wit
ness to the ruin it had wrought.
suddenly Willis started. That
woman was the woman he had once
loved. For the dead loves sake why
let her perish. The picture of the
young girl with fair hair, hazel eyes,
and innocent laughing face came to
him. He hesitated for an instant.
Then he flung the harness from one of
his horses, sprang upon it and dashed
across the prairie to the Kelsey cabin.
He would have time to save her. The
fire was yet ten miles away.
Quickly Hattie and her child were
placed Oh the horse and she was told
to ride with all speed for Willis's brok-
Ell ground. There was not moment
to lose. Already the distant roar of
the fire could be heard. The horse,
frantic with terror, dashed for home
followed by Willis running for his
life. Thanks to the speed of the horse
Hattie and her child were saved; but
poor Willis was caught by the out
stretched arms of the fire before lie
had run more than half way cross the
meadow. He lies buried where he
fell"
Ny companion ceased, and l looked
up. Before us little way was the
Wells farmhouse, our destination.
We both were silent until we reached
the gate. Then | turned and looked
reverently back at the .clump of trees
in the distance, which mark the grave
of him who in the triumph of love
over hate gave up his life.