River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1898-02-17

NO reserved seats, come T1RDt III,
welcomed the storekeeper as he took
the tickets at the door. The crowd
obeyed and filled the front seats, the
back seats, and overlooked the aisles.
"Now, ladies and gentlemen" an
nounced the storekeeper, when all was
ready, 1--WE will present the great drama
of the time of Washington, as is most
appropriate on this occasion"
The curtain rolled up (again a sheet
on pole), and the simple incidents that
had been chosen to give representa-
tion of the life of the first president
were one after another called forth.
There was nothing but peace until the
act where the meeting of the hero and
CORVALLIS occurred. Then as the
two rivals came on the little stage there
was a howl of delight from the men
present, for each knew how matters
stood.
Borden looked daggers at Glade, and
as his turn came tG~speak all realized
that he was putting strange senti-
ments into the mouth of Washington
when he said: You may be as good
man as the rest of us, but you are not
so brave"
CORVALLIS colored, and the store
keeper remarked to his wife: "Blest
| if | don't think Borden struck home
| that time"
But Glade responded, with due cour-
tesy: 1T remains TO be proved as to
| that" and then went on with his set
speech.
The play was long and the audience
was evidently weary when the final act
came The rivals were on the stage and
| there was a chance for some more repair
! tee, which was likely to BE given, when
suddenly there was a sound from the
outside of the house that caused the
heart of every auditor to sink with an
| ill-defned fear. 1t was a whinny of ter
ror from a score of horses throats.
Quickly the people rushed from their
seats and to the windows and doors.
What they saw was something that is
never without its message of alarm for
the ranchman and the settlcr-the
prairie was on fire.
In an instant almost the house was
emptied. The women were crying and
the men were trying to calm the fright
ened horses. One by one the wagons
were hurrying off, the owners anxious
to get home or at least out of the reach
of the danger.
| 1t was high time!
Like a sea of flame the onrushing
blaze was sweeping across the dry sod,
| licking up the long grass of the ravines
and making quick work of the crisp
covering of the higher lands. The wind
had risen and was bringing the attack
ing army onward with rapid pace.
/ There was no chance for the school
house to escape. In a scrambling, push
ing mass the people left the place and
their wagons and horses were dotting
! the fame-lighted plain. Two men
found themselves side by side quarter
OF mile from the building, each on his
| broncho and each galoping toward the
north,
AS they mounted little swell in the
prairie the blaze Lighted their faces.
From each came an exclamation: Dor
den!" "Glade!"
Il thought you were with her." de
manded the former, angrily.
Il thought you were the one"
For an instant the two men glared
| at each other and then the test came.
Borden looked straight in the face of
the Englishman and then at the sea of
flame sweeping up from the south and
whose breath was hot in their faces.
WELL" he demanded, (which shall
it be? This is the time to prove which
is the true representative of bravery"
"Oh, it's not that sort of question:"
pleaded the other.
1T is Just that sort of a question.
! There is a chance for the one who rides
! into that blaze to come out alive-and
/ only a chance. 1t will be at the school
house in moment, and the race there
| is no small thing in itself, even if the
horses will take it,
"We'u go together" after a little
thought.
VERY we'll" The horses heads were
| turned and the rivals went toward the
long line of leaping flames, each deter
mined to make the other weary of his
| undertaking. On and on they rode,
| the horses becoming wilder as each
Whit of the wind brought them a
1 stronger smell of smoke.
Finally the Englishman began to fall
behind. His horse was not so unruly as
| Borden's, and there seemed no reason
/ for his retrogression.
Come on, Corvallis" called the
ranehman. and the cut was felt by the
laggard.
Faster and faster rode the frontiers
man into the thick of the smoke and
was lost to the sight of his comrade
! With head bent low and notrils shielded
I in the folds of his cloak, he steered to-
ward the schoolhouse whose black form
( rose out of the flames.
Finally the door was reached and
with a shout he called TO the teacher.
! Was she there? He remembered that
] she had gone to the rear of the building
when the alarm was given. She might
have thought there was no danger in
I staying in the schoolbouse.
He leaped from the horse. Into the
building be ran and to the rear. What
was that-a sobbing? Leaning over
pile of curtains in the corner be took
/ from them a bundle of humanity that
was very frightened and very thankful
/ to see him.
rs it you, Lizzie?" he questioned.
( "Yes-aud Jimmie
| "Who is that?"
The widows little lame boy. |
/ thought he would like the show and
1 brought him. He is too heavy to carry
and we had to stay here. What can we
! do?"
! For an answer the strong man lifted
/ the woman in one arm and the boy in
\ the other and rushed to the door.
Throwing them TO his saddle he babe
| them cling for their lives. The fire was
already around the yard and was eat
ing its way to the building. The in
tense heat had made the shingles smoke
and in 4 few minutes the whole struc-
ture would be pyramid of blaze.
1t was no easy task to control wild
and excited horse in the midst OF a
fire and also see that two helpless
charges did not fall from the back of
| the animal But Borden with his SUI
perb mastery of horsefiesh did it, and
the gait that they took through the
wall of flame was something marvellous.
Had the riders been living little near
er 10 civilization they would have called