The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-09-21
Selves"

Hastily explaining his plan to her, he
drove the horse to the field and began
blowing at a,spot about 100 yards south
of the house. Mrs. Sigsbee andsthe two
girls managed to haul the cart from the
shed and down into the field. When
they got it there Frank stopped plow-
ing long enough to help them oyerturn
the cart in the center of the space he
had plowed. The cart was boarded at
the front and sides, and when turned
bottom up left space under itsabout
two feet high, the bottom of the cart
serving as a roof, and the front and
sides as walls. Ingress could be had
through the open place in the rear. This
opening was turned away from the APP
preaching fire. AS soon as they had got
it in position Frank resumed blowing,
working in ever widening circles
around the cart.
"You and the girls get as many pals
as you can from the house, and fill them
with water at the trough" ne said to
his mother. They obeyed his instruc>
tions. and soon had several pals filed
with water standing close to the en-
trance of the overturned cart.
Urged on by the wind, which now
blew almost gale. the fire meanwhile
had advanced rapidly. and burning
brands had begun to fall around them
before these hurried preparations were
completed. Some of these brands had
fallen on the roof of the house and ig-
nited the dry shingles. They could see
through the smoke that the roof was
beginning to blaze. 1t was sorrowfui
sight, watching the destruction of their
home, but there was absolutely nothing
they could do to save it. With their own
lives in great peril, they viewed it's de-
struction with more Indifference than
they otherwise would.
The roar of the conflagration filled
their ears now, and they had to shout
to each other to make themselves heard.
By Shis time the breath of the fire was
seorching their faces, and Frank shout
ed: Mother, you and the girls get un-
der the cart. l want to plow little
more"
They did as be told them while the
brave lad struggled at the piow little
longer. The usually docile horse had
been getting very restive in the heat
and noise, and suddenly he broke away
from Frank and dashed off towards the
south, dragging the plow after him.
The last Frank saw of the horse he had
freed himself from the impeding plow
and was dashing wildly away from the
advancing flames.
A goodly space of freshly thrown-up
earth now surrounded the cart, but
whether it would suInce to save the frail
shelter was question. Before crawl
ing under the cart Frank called out 20
his mother and sisters to cover their
faces, and then he dashed pail of water
over them. He had scarcely settled him
self under the cart when another idea
came to him, and he was out again
Selling the pail, he had emptied he be-
gan scooping up the fresh mold and
throwing 1t on top of the overturned
cart. The hot brands were falling
thickly around him, but he worked on
with desperate fury, and soon had the
roof of their shelter covered with the
protecting loan. Then he crawled back
under the cart, holding his handker-
chief, which he had saturated with wa
ter, to his blistered face and neck.
They were now in the center of the
roaring furnace. The fire came down
to the edge of the plowed place, but as
there was only grass and weeds to con-
sumo in the immediate vicinity the heat
was not as terrible as it would have
been nearer to the burning forest. 1t
was exceedingly hot. nevertheless, and
the smoke was sitting, but by keeping
wet handkerchiefs over their mouths
and nostrils and wetting themselves
from time to time with the water, they
to stand both the heat and
smoke
In spite of the earth that he had piled
On the cart, Frank feared that the wood
might catch fire and their shelter be de-
itroyed, so he frequently peeped out to
see if the cart was in danger Once he /
saw that large brand, blazing bright |
y, had fallen against the side of the !
cart. Springing out, he kicked the |
burning branch away and dashed some /
water Oh where the wood had begun to |
blaze. Twice afterward he found that |
he car. had caught fire, but he extin-
yuished the fla los, though he was him
self severely burned in doing it.
His watchfulness saved their shelter
rom destruction, and after a few ter
'ible hours the fury of the fire had abat-
ID, and they were able to come forth
rom their place of refuge.
Mr.. Sigsbee supposed, of course, his
wife and children had perished, and
hey, in turn, feared that he had: and
when, on the following day each
earned that the other was safe and un-
for Franks burns,
which did not prove sericus-there was
uch JOY and thanksgiving that even the
destruction of their home could not
make them mourn.-N. Y. Ledger.
Volcanic Islands.