The Afro-American advance., 1900-05-12
. IN A SURREY FIRE
a.sa.... o.. sal.as.sa

Joan WEST could not sleep Her
mind was troubled and restless,
her body i'll at ease A strong and
healthy girl at the age of Is does not
often lie sleepless, but Joan was in
love, and the course thereof was not
running as smoothly as she had every
reason TO believe and expect that 1t
would.
Joan and viii Larkins, the game
keeper, had had words-altogether un-
necessary words--about an imagin-
AIRY grievance. There were petty jeai-
ousy on his side and wounded pride
on hers. The result was that he was
salky and disagreeable, and she
piqued and resentful of his humors.
And now. when by chance they met.
he thrust his hands in his pockets
with an offhand "Mornin'. Miss West"
On which she tossed her head and re-
Piled: Good day, Mr.. Larkins."
The July night had been hot and
sitting. TO lie and sleep in comfort
was an impossibility; so, when she
heard the kitchen clock strike three
she resolved o.quit her bedroom, and.
without disturbing anyone, to go
down and do bit of churning in the
cool dairy
There is very little darkness en- n
fine night in the height of summer;
still, the sun does not rise so early
as three O'Clock, neither does he ap-
pear first in the northwest, which was
he faxEorI hfnb ha Jaf
window looked. Whence came, then,
that glow which was reflected upon
the white walls, dancing weirdly and
fantastieaIly? And what was that
rushing, kissing, cracking noise?
The girl looked forth upon the hill
side. wondering. 1t was on fire! That
had been the reason of the glow out
spread upon the white walls; and the
kissing. cracking sound was the rush
Of the flames along the ground, as
they swept upward. consuming the
towering gorse bushes and -dwarfed
growth of oak scrub.
She gazed a moment upon the sight
with a sort of spellbound fascination;
and then the thought struck her. how
perilously near those flames were to
the cottages nesting halfway up the
hill! Their inmates, doubtless, were
ala asleep. Even as the thought
flashed through her mind, her feet
were carrying her nimbly up the hill
BFeathiessly, Joan hammered at
DOORS, shouting the alarm.
Fire! Fire.
Windows were thrown open and
startled voices exclaimed: where?
Where?"
Close by, on the hillside" an
fwerd Joan. and she hurried away to
give the alarm elsewhere. She knew
we'll that TO eXtinguish flames which
BAD once obtained a mastery over the
'egetation, which was now dry as tim
der through long-continued drought.
would be no ehild's play
The scene-made so fantastic by
The fierce element against which. as
yet, none had come forth to match
their strengthens, ere long. all alive
with the forms of men vigorously
striving TO beat out and arrest the |
rapid onrush of flames
AS if by magic dark figures hur-
ried up the hillside in quick success
ion, each one armed with some weap- |
on of attack wherewith to match him |
self against the fiery foe.
\ gentle breeze sprang up, and |
famed the flames into quicker life !
Whence came it? From the south |
west. So there was no longer any |
fear for the cottages. The fire was
climbing the hill leaving a black and |
dcSolated track in its rear. More than |
one woman-Joan West among their |
hamber--as they stood looking on,
breathed a fervent Thanksgiving for |
this deliverance.
viii they beat 1t out afore il gets
amcng the trees, think yep asked |
one of the neighbors.
doubtful shake of the head from
the other woman.
ITS got powerful hold" said she,
and must ha' bin burnin' long afore
Joan reused the men. Lor, Joan girl.
Twas providence as ye bad wake
ial night. He'll be out with the 9TH
ers' surely; he's ever first at a fire."
Joan wondered also; she had not
seen him when the men gathered
from all around,
How come the scrub aiight o. asked
another. "One nd say as twas done
. purpose: for droughty as tbs, the
iuFze don't set itself alight.'
Him as done II knew what All was
sooat. settin' of it afre so near the
hoases. All reckoned as suspicion
night fall on them as lived in en-
mis- was daring whisper to get
shFoad; out one of greater import
slll was that which mentioned the
asine o. tipsy old charcoal burner
VINO had been wording in the pine
WOODS Tor the last three weeks. dur.
'hg which time small fires. soon To-
Taii1ed. had given rise to several
hood.
, Asw the present fire had originated.
s.YWsFer, was OF minor Importance
.tse then. The one thing TO be done
= 70 limit its extent and TO extin-
saisa Il as speedily a. possible. Judg-
oy appearances, this seemed IN.
sy 70 happen. for the gentle
he grew and grew till il was
..i'ea into small gale and sent the
7sasls mes ryiag before II In mad career.
a-.sk Volumes OF gray smoke began 10
,..s'o from the other side Of the hill:
1eoTeFs these smoke ccgunaus an
Fasen 10 r5za frrnr,. vsavs,,,.,. ,nS;..