Evening star., 1897-05-01

to the Mason and Dixon line. there Is To-
Gated a school for boys-a temple Of learn
ing famous the country over for its ad-
mirable system, Its military discipline and
for the results of the moral training which
| is given the youthful life within its en-
vtronment.
The school is sitrated on a splendid es-
| tate of nearly thousand acres, about half
| Of which is covered with a heavy timber
| growth, the other half being devoted to
| cultivation and to the purposes of school
| life: but 1t is of an incident that occurred
in the wooded section that shall tell you.
must first explain. however, that the
school buildings are located near the east
ern end of the property, SO that between
them and the western limits distance of
| about mile intervenes.
| 1t is customary to allow the students
here full days holiday on Saturday.
The day is free to them to use they
will, within bounds" unless, indeed, for
| an infraction of the rules or failure in
study, an unlucky lad is forced to per-
| form some task as a penance, which Is
made all the more irksome by the shouting
of his mates outside at play.
One Saturday morning early in certain
| spring, three students agreed to make
scout of dense strip of woods that marks
| the western boundary of the estate, and
| quickly made their way to the point of
\ Starting. The plan of action was to locate
| squirrel nests, which were quite likely 10
hold young at that season, make capture
and keep the little ones as pets.
The boys spread out, moved forward and
kept close watch for signs. Every now
and then one of the beautiful little crea-
lures would start suddenly from almost
under their feet, scurfy away, glide up
sturdy oak or chestnut like flash. and
leaping nnnbly and gracefully from limb
| to limb and from tree to tree. would not
pause in it's dash for liberty until a dis
| tant and invisible refuge yielded safety
| from its pursuers.
After exploring a considerable stretch of
| the wood, and having several such alarms,
one of the boys, a tall lad, named Jallette,
| cried out, and dashed after a bushy tail
of gray, which rapidly grew smaller and
| smaller in the wild flight of its owner;
| but, alas! 1t was not SO fortunate as its
brothers and sisters had been in conceal
| ing itself, for it was plainly seen to scram-
| BILE up a large, dead, hollow tree. from
which it did not emerge, proof sufficient
that the frightened animal was trapped
| The other boys had had several such races
themselves during the walk, and did not
! participate in this one, thinking that un-
doubtedly it would end as the others had
| in failure-so they leisurely picked their
way, and reaching a PROSTATE oak, seated
| themselves upon it for rest and talk,
leaving Jallette to manage his own anair
Now, the latter, when he had treed his
game, conceived tue lued VI SlhOhihS thC
| squirrel out Of the hollow in which 1t had
taken refuge, and hastily gathered lot
| of dry leaves and twigs, which he piled
| together at the base of the tree. 1t was
In early spring, as have said. and the
increasing heat Of the sun had driven away
the snow and dried up the fallen leaves
and twigs throughout the woods, until
they were almost like tfnder. The ques-
ton of starting the fire could be easily set
tied by the striking of match. though
Jallette knew there was rigid injunction
against the students having them in their
possession-an injunction, I am sorry to
Chronicle. that was too frequently dis
obeyed If he at that moment had any
thought of the rules he allowed his eager
ness to capture the squirrel to drive II out
of his mind, and, lighting the match, he
touched 1t to the leaves, and cast it. still
burning, behind him.
The wind was blowing in an easterly
direction, but no thought of the wind or OF
the dry condition of the leaves under his
feet seemed to enter his mind; he was too
intent upon his task SO he looked up In
surprise when Travers shouted:
whats that fire for, Jallette?
And cried back: why, to smoke 'em
OUT
But Travers and Strong thought 1t some
thing more than that, and came running
toward him, Strong yelling:
mo, no. It's caught the leaves behind
you, jail. Put 1t out
The latter turned quickly, and with con-
sternation saw that the fire had really
was rapidly advancing, being fed by the
dry leaves. By the time his cry OF a4arm
had died out, Travers and Strong were
there, and all pitched III with VIII 10 eA-
tnguish the flames by stamping them out
but in vain. When they succeeded in one
spot the fire was burning in another they
could not reach and when they ran to
that spot 1t was burning In Still others
out of their reach, so that they soon saw
it was beyond their control.
"Great heavens" suddenly cried Strong
''its going straight toward the barn, and
if we don't stop it the whole business Will
burn up"
1t was too true. for in the clearing just
off the edge Of the woods and in direct
line of the fires advance stood the i'm
mense barrs, stables and hay stacks. Even
as he spoke, the area of the fire grew
larger, and. almost paraiyzed with fear.
JaIlette screamed to Strong, who was the
best runner in the school:
"The school bell; run, Strong, ring the
alarm and yell as you 60"
Strong knew he had a mile to 20 be-
fore he could reach the bell. but was off
Travers worked desperately and apparently
to little avail, the former wailing, "Oh!
what have done? It's all my fault"
Shut up" shouted Travers There's
no time for crying. Keep working"
The rising smoke had now attracted the
attention OF some of the workmen connect
ed with the school, and they came on the
run, fetching rakes, pitchforks, hoes AMI
Strong's yells had also aroused those with
in the sound of his voice. and, luckily, a
student who happened to be In the study
room of the school had noticed the smoke.
and realizing that something extraordinary
was happening. had dashed to the great
bell, which was soon changing out the
alarm, Fire"
When Strong heard the bell he turned at
once to go back to the woods, and was as
founded to see what progress the fire had
made even in this short time, and 1t was
very apparent that unless stopped soon,
nothing could save the barns and hay.
WE'LL with the ringing Of the alarm,
those students and teachers who were In
the buildings ran out, and soon from every
quarter of the place came workmen, stu
dents and teachers, carrying all sorts of
implements, for it needed no messenger to
tell them that serious confagration had
started in the woods. Arriving at the
scene, the head master Immediately gave
the command Fall m," and in an instant
the students were formed into a long 'line
Of battle" The heat was intense COM
pelling the lads to drop the visors of their
heavy winter caps. The roaring of tine
flames, the cracking and swapping of twigs
and limbs Of trees, and the thick smoke
made a scene never to be forgotten.
The head master and commanding officer
conferred for an instant, and the boys who
were eager to enter the fight against the
10 OF ffya al