Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-08-31
IN A MOUNTAIN FIRE.
A Thrilling Episode Of California Life.
BY ADA e. FERRIS.

uncle's home in California was regard
ing with awe and admiration.
'Let's ride up and take a nearer
view," said her cousin Phil. "You
will never see anything like this in
Illinois-nor very often here, for that
matter. There isn't bit of danger.
Prince goes easy and isn't skittish, and
we'll just 60 up on one OF the foot
hills where we can see it all. Get
your thickest cloak, though, for it's
chilly, and you don't want to freeze
on one side while you roast on the
other"
Nothing loath, Louise ran for her
wraps, and very soon they were gal
Looping toward the blazing mountains.
How light it was! cit is like my pic
ture of The Last Days of Pompeii,
Louise painted, 'only this isn't doing
any harm"
A wagon came Gathering toward
them, and Phil drew up suddenly as
he recognized the lady who drove.
"Good evening, Mrs. Hastings! Why,
you are not burned out, surely?"
Mrs. Hastings laughed hysterically
"The house was all right when 1 left,
but don't suppose shall ever see it
again. The sparks were falling in
showers, then. Mr.. Hastings and his
brother insisted on my coming out
with the colts before the road was
blocked by the fire. They said they
could go over the eastern ridge by the
cattle trail and out by Wilson's road, if
they were delayed too long. Our
pretty home"
She choked, but almost instantly re-
covered herself, and asking hurriedly,
'Is your mother at home? I think
I'll drop in on her until the matter is
settled" she drove on.
''Po Mrs. Hastings!' Louise
sighed.
A fire starting in one of these
gulches or canyons rushes up it as
flames rush up chimney, but the
steep rock walls on either side often
contine it. Though the cleft just
westward of the Hastings place roared
like fiery furnace, their ravine was
still dark and unharmed Phil looked
up it longingly, but dared not take his
cousin in. Yet he was aching to go
to Mr.. Hastings assistance.
Here's just the place, Louise.
Come on" he cried, turning mp cat
tie path to the top of partially e.
tached knoll to eastward "You can
see it all from here and yet be perfect
ly safe. If Prince gets festive,
throw your handk kerchief over his eyes.
Don't go any nearer. I'll be back
presently, but want to run up to the
Hastingses. You don't mind, do you?"
Louise did mind. but would not say
so, knowing how much the Hastingses
needed help, so a moment later she
was alone on the stony knob Almost
in the next moment, it seemed, she
found herself listening to the distant
barking of dog. Louise loved dogs,
and recognized this at once as the
voice of large one, frightened, angry
and appealing. 1t was up the canyon
eastward of the Hastings ravine. She
had been up that trail once with Phil
and Nina
There she had seen small, rough
shanty, and two little toddlers playing g
with a great dog, half-hound, half
bulldog, which Phil informed her was
the terror of the neighbors and the de-
voted slave and guardian of the chill
dren. Was he now afraid of the fire?
He had Reason If it swept up Has
tings' canyon it could hardly fail to
take Wilson's also.
Then Louise felt her blood run
chilly. Only that morning she had
seen Wilson and his invalid wife drive
by on Their way to town, II miles
away Mr.. and Mrs. Wilson, but not
the children! Nina had told her that
when the Wilson's went to town they
let the children locked up in the
house.. No wonder poor Bose was
barking frantically! He scented dan.
ger in the air, and his beloved little
ones were unable to escape!
"Phil! PHILIP Louise screamed, in
voluntarily, but Phil was far beyond
hearing, and ali eady there was dul
smolder of fire in the dead leaves be-
side the road, where a spark had
fallen.
''Prince, we've got to try It'll" Lou
ise sobbed, springing back into the
saddle and turning him to the east
ward. ''Phil said Don't go nearer,
but we can't stay here and let those
babies burn alive. 1 know they ar,
shrieking for help, and nobody to heal
but poor, faithful, helpless Bose. Nov
keep cool, Prince! We simply mus
smash that door in and get the chill
dren back here before this canyon is
furnace, and that may be in less thar
ten minutes. Quick, Prince, quick
It's race for life, now. Fly, boy
fyr'
Prince snorted as if he underst cod
and plunged down steep cattle patl
to the narrow trail that wound up tn
canyon. Half mile of this cavelik
gloom, the crooked trail so narro,
that her outstretched arms might toucl
the branches ou either side, and now
indeed, Louise felt that she had rushe
into the jaws OF death. A few mo