Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-03-24

thick. rough slices cut from a hickor,
log. The horse usually attached to it
he was the only being attached in any
way TO the unlovely thing-was dig.
nified. conservative animal, full OF
years, and which no amount of persua-
sion, either oral or fagellatiye, had ever
been known to induce to accelerate his
progress to anything faster than a
stately walk.
1t had been an unusually hot sum-
mer. AS the train swept along the lake
shore noticed the vegetation appeared
very dry and parched, and that the
little pools, which always flashed like
gems from the rocky soil along the edge
/ of the lake, had disappeared. The yell
Lowered swamp lilies that fringed the
marshy ground TO the north margin of
the track seemed TO literally burn in
the scorching rays of the afternoon
sun, and the sparks from the engine
stack fell unpleasantly near some dry
hemlock brush that edged the lake.
Uncomfortable thoughts of forest fires
came up in my mind. Away off TO the
west could see a wreath of thin, black
smoke curling itself lazily upward.
watched it a moment, and 1t seemed TO
get thicker and blacker.
"A trapper cooking supper" l
thought, but the notion of a forest con-
Migration still fingered unpleasantly
IN my mind.
As the train slowed up grabbed my
yalise and sprang off onto the plat
form. The conductor in the eaboose
behind-it was a long train of two pas
senger coaches, and 20 or so freight
cars-waved his arms, and the heavy
train once more increased its speed.
Soon il had vanished around the curve.
| walked up and down the rough plat
form. waiting for my stage, and my
thoughts again returned to the posi-
bilities Of a fire on the mountains.
What terrible thing it would be!
But just then | spied the antedilu-
Wan rig winding in and out among the
trees, about half a mile up, and quick
ly dismissed from my mind all thoughts
of fire. Tess was driving the convey
aace, and she was alone. was delight
ed with the prospect of two hours
tete-a-tete with her, but thought it
strange that old Joe, the farm hand,
had not come for me, as usual. Tess ex-
p,ained that the man was off at Tour
Croix, neighboring town, helping
fight forest lire. Great heavensl"
exclaimed. Suppose the fire should
come this way and overtake us before
we get home!"
Tess laughed. mo danger of that, l
guess" she said, as she turned the
horses head back in the direction he
had come.
1t was a delightful afternoon. The
air was now cooling down and, under
the shade of the trees that overhung
our homeward way, it was very pleas
ant. We ehatted and laughed until we
quite forgot the existence of any such
thing as fire or danger.
1t was good eight miles from the
railroad to the farmhouse, and we had
covered about quarter of that dis
lance, when, on looking to the south,
suddenly noticed dense black smoke
rising in large, thick masses three or
four miles OF. 1t seemed TO be rapid
ly approaching. Again that terrible
thought of fire suggested itself.
I'VE had better get home as quick
~ as possible That is the forest on
fre!" said Tess. Wouldn't it be ter
rible thing if it should reach the road
before we do. 1t is certainly coming |
toward u.s."
And coming toward us it was, at |
most alarming rate. Our octogenarian
steed would not move any faster and
the road seemed to cross the track of |
the fire some distance ahead of us. Our
situation was becoming serious. The
road was not wide enough to afford us
an oasis in this approaching simeon,
and if the flames got within half a
mile of us, we sould not escape, except
by a miracle. The fire came nearer. There
was no installing it now. The ever
greens and withered underbrush had
become veritable finder in the long-con-
.nued hot and dry spell, and before
he destroying flames they disappeared
IS snow before the sun. 1t was only
bout half an hour since first noticed
he smoke, and now we could hear dis
inctly the distant crack and roar of
he flames. and every now and then the
.eavy, resonant swish and boom as
ome great king of the forest fell,
rashing through the smaller growth
'eneath it. The twilight was coming
Witty on. We began to get thorough
J frightened as the fire came nearer
nd nearer.
A great cloud of cinders and smoke,
he advance guard Of the all-devouring
nemy. began TO blow in our faces and
ire the dry uuderbrush at our feet. A
'reeze bad sprung up. We might have
led for it two hours before and not re-
eived it, but now, when its presence
ias most deadly, it appeared to give
-reater velocity TO the already furious
ace of our destroying enemy.