The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1900-03-10
A LITTLE AND / BIG Hid.
EY mo sTH.SyIf

& AA1Sx.s.-'.2,c- - o"A 40 HHtv /
se felt strong and aischievous.
= The day was ht and suffooaip.A
The air seemed to 10 laden with Di es
hing more than the scent of NV !.
] aown hay and pie-a flavor so.an. /
non on July dayn Northern Rusia,
The growr peple said: "The at
{ nosphere is imregnated with ,ec-
richly" aud although we boys h
;xelve and jhirten years did Ec
snow what tint rally meant, we W \
mrs that. some or, later, sto! !
rcula come. br The old shepherd <
MD SO, and b aways told the tru'
In the afternon black cloud re
Uer TIE horbn in the northeas
In hour latera dark bank covered
aalf the sky, I'd we heard the fa1
away rumblingf thunder. 4
Rain began fall in LARGE DROPS
ind we, stapdb on the gaass-cor- /
ned porch, aused ourselves in
Easching tale chkens run, the ducks
live in the pondthe workmen hurry
home and the tile rush for the
tables.
An unexpecteda apof thunder made
lsjump, and we qckIy obeyed the call
II my aunt, to con into the house. a.
70 had no desire s~u ANY
hnger. A
II grew darker and darker. The
isry5zigzags OF th lightning threw
syellow tint upon te people and fur
,iturea in the room, lnd the thunder
bllowing quickly oIthe flashes made
he old mansion qurer to its foanda.
ions.e
: a binding fash, iith a ..deafenine
rash almost at t1 same instant,
toemed to make thelld castle sway.
Surely that stack somewhere
,ear," said my uncls jumping to his
hst land stepping 10 the window.
Yes, it is Niche Eubarkin's hut
sst across the riv She exclaimed.
= must 60 at once ~ see that the
Ire is put out" 41e turned to us,
Boys, you had bette,come along.
nay need you."
No need to ask us thee. We felt
iserhonored to be allwed to be of
sss at such an importaE moment. In
q instant we were in Dir high boots
aad rabber coats, and hrted for the
Re. 3
About twenty peasants TODD around
ne burning house, lnenting and
tfaying, bnth not one offting to lend
! helping hand. Il
"Quick," called my utle. "Take
lens buckets5 form . 6ain; try to
put out the fire. .
Your sLordship," saidone of the
nen, lightning struck This house.
Epaty milk will put out theflane."
Obey me" thundered my uncle,
aud get to work, or Til iut you on
.ss.d and water until youiQrget how
mix tastes"
Reluctantly the man st,ned. NV
lounger cousin, Alexey, was sta
1aoned to watch the sulerstitious
'ncwd, with orders to repct at once
any one refused to Work 4 tried to
teal away.
4. Now; boys" shouted N uncle.
let Us see if there are any eople in
No house."
bravely we followed him INTO the
moke and heat OF the slowlyburnino
ans. We soon discovered lie dead
,ody OF Michael Kubarkin al car.
acd 4 it.ont. Again and again ,e faced
1saauger. We rescued twovomen
2aA baby. They had beenr erelv
4 sssnnsd BY the shock. Whilsbring-
~ child out I had 1cticed
e q s}ern lying near the doQ In
!. !. dat kness and smoke I coil not
a..stisRish whether it was a hmau
selng ef . dog.
hurried back. NV uncle h,,ed
g, put I rushed in. dropped 4 my
ssees and. tcrawled toward the spot
saefe | had seen the form lyinS Il
IA boy Hs had been on his way
soMe IN the next village and had
,tprn. - 'Ae
- = aragged him out, and was about
en yards from the house men
..ss e was IN explosion. Kubakin
bought ten pounds Of powdei at
2ass fair and had kept it in The
1ke brick stove.
~ nut collapsed. Sor.o of he
- wnizzed by my head, uncdm-
~ oiy close, but the boy was savid.
With the aid Of fresh air lie sdn
<s ont of his stupor. II
- years had passed. ! Vas liel.