The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1897-01-21

tn matter? what's TIL matter? What's
tn mattor?"
When they dashed toward the barn,
it presented to their eyes it's usual ap-
earanco-solcmn, rather mystic in tho
black night. The Swede's lantern. was
overturned at q point Some yards from
III front OF the barn doors. 1t contained
wild littlo conflagration of its own,
and even i'll their excitement some of
those who ran fclt~a gentle secondary
vibration of the thrifty part of their
minds at sight of this overturned Ian
tern. Under ordinary circumstances it
would have been u calamity.
But the cattle in the barn wero
tranpling, trampling, trampling, and
above this noise could BIO heard hum
ming like tho song of innumerable bees.
Tho old man hurled aside the great
doors, and II yellow flame leaped out at
one corner and sped and sped and waver-
ed frantically up the old gray wall. 1t
was glad, terrible, this single flame,
like the wild banner of deadly and tri-
umphant foes.
The motley crowd from the garrett
had como with all tho pals of the farm.
1hNy hth6 tHSiItSClEcS Uuo VIGIL, III
was leisurely old machine, long dwell
ing III Incidence. 1t was in the habit of
giving out water with Il sort of reluc-
tance. The men stormed at it. cursed
it, but it continued to allow the buckets
TO be filled only after the wheezy wind
lass had bowled many protests at the
mad handed men.
With his open knife Ill his hand. old
Fleming himself had COMO headlong into
the barn, where tho sitting smoke
swirled with the air currents. and
wherc could be heard in its fullness the
terrible chorus of the flames laden with
tones of hate and death, Il HYMN Of
wonderful ferocity.
He flung blanket over an old mares
head, cut tho halter close to the Manager,
led the mare to the door and fairly kick
cd her out to safety. He returned with
the Same blanket and rescued one OF the
work horses He took five horses out
and then came out himself with his
clothes brayely on fire. He had no whisk-
crs and very little hair OH his head
They Soused five pailfuls of water on
him. His eldest son made "a clean miss
with tho sixth pailful because the old
man had turned and was running down
the decline and around to the basement
of the barn, where We're the stanchions
of cows Some one noticed at the time
that he ran very lanely, as if one of the
frenzied horses had smashed his hin.
The COWS, with their heads held in
the heavy stanchions, had thrown them
selves, strangled themselves, tangled
bn,pSn Al.
ingenuity of their cxuberant fenr could
suggest to them.
Here, as at the well, tho same thing
happened to every man save one. Their
hands went mad. They became incapa-
Bile Of everything save tho power to rush
into dangerous situations.
The old man released the COW nearest
the door, and she, blind drunk with
terror. crashed into the Swede. The
Swede had been running to and fro
babbling. He carried al empty milk
pail, TO which he chung with an uncon-
scious fierce enthusiasm. He shrieked
like one lost as he went under the cows
h0ofs, and the milk pail, rolling across
the floor, made flash of silver in the
gloom.
Old Fleming took 1. fork, beat off the
COW and dragged the paralyzed Swedo
10 the open air. When they had rescued
all the cows save one, which had so
fastened herself that she could not be
moved an inch, they returned to the
front Of the barn and stood sadly, breath
ing like men who had reached the final
point of human effort.
Many people had como running. Some
one had even gone TO the church, and
now, from the distance, rang tho tocsin
note of the old bell. There was long
flare of crimson on the sky, which made
remote people speculate as to the where
abouts Of the fire.
The long flames sang their drumming
chorus i'll voices of the heaviest bass.
The wind whirled clouds of smoke and
cinders into the faces of the spectators
The form Of the old barn was outlined
i'll black amid these masses of orange
hucd flames.
And then came this Swcde again,
crying AS one who is the weapon of tho
sinister fatcs: ''Dc colts! De colts! You
have forgot do colts!"
Old Fleming staggered. 1t was true !;
they had forgotten the two colts in the
box stalls at the back of the barn
Boys. he said. II must Try to get 'cm
ont. They clamored about him then.
afraid for him, afraid of what they.
should see. Then they talked wildly
each to each. why, it's sure dcathr'
He would mover get OUT why, it's
suicide for y man to 90 i'll thorcr' Old
FLEMING stared absentmindcdly at the
open doors. The poor little things, ;"
he said. lie rushed into the barn.
When the roof fell i'll, u great funnel
of smoke swarlned toward the sky as if
the old man S mighty spirit, released