The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1901-10-08

face straw and making a loud noise
and big dash e did nothing at all.
Poor Lep and Coaly! They had been
pan!c-stricken before. but now they
left the road and broke into mad Highe
across the prairie. The wagon load OF
fire bounding along behind them
seemed no enCumbrance.
NO danger now cried Sinclair
brcathlessly. Lets catch emf we
can
We increased our speed. The blaz.
luz straw scattered 10y the wagon was
setting fire To fhe prairie. and we had
10 keep on one side Soon the oxen
circled TO the righ;. making straight
for the ridge We cut across the
prairie. saving few hundred yards.
aud were again near the wagon.
IL we Car-o1ly only oyer-over-
take 'Cm" l gaSped. as we ran
wagons gone guesS-but we can
we muSt-must save-the oxen!
Won't DO to -t TO let en- - bur - to
death"
"No-that won't" painted Sin
clair. And If we can-only get-get
her oIt-beforc She'S-she'S burnt too
much i can trade her-for-for "a"
lie did not say what he wanted 10
trade the nusket for.
Soon the wagon passed over the
ridge and started down the sloping
prairie beyond. ON reaching the high
cs ground we stopped. putting loudly.
As we stood resting. with gasping
lungs and pounding hearts. We
watched the wagon rush down the
slope. 1t certainly made brilliant
spectacle. The rope which had cut SO
deep into the straw than the fire could
not get TO il az first, had by this time
burnt in two, so that the straw had
joltcd loose and blazed tiercely The
rocking AID plunging wagon threat
ened every moment 10 turn over but
always rlghted itself. The dogs still
kept near TO-. Fire enycloped the whole
load now, and the flames were leaping
many feet Skyward \ rain of blazing
StrawS fell from the wagon upon the
dry grass, which quickly famed Up.
making fey trail behind that OK
drawn comet
Al that time L was afraid that Lcp
and Coaly were scorchcd. but as after
ward appeared they were only panic
stricken. Even the hair on their tails
was scarcely Siuged. The upright
pieces in front prevented any OF the
straw from FALLING forward, and so
fast die the wagon keep going that the
flying wispS and the heat. too. must
have been swept backward by the
rushing air.
Presently Len and Coaly swung to
one Side. The wagon was running too
fast to turn short. Up rose the hind
end in the air and over ii went. hurl.
Ing fire many yards beyond! The
frame stopped on its side, leaning
against the straw. and the wagon
rested on the frame.
The oxen had been nearly jerked Off
their feet. They struggled wildly.
tearing the wagon loose from the
frame and dragged it on it's side till it
turned entirely over. They might
have dragged II to pieces, but the
twisting broke the tongue loose from
the yoke. Once free they plunged
away across the prairie at breakneck
speed.
Sinclair ana l were already running
down the slope. We did not bother
ABOUT the oxen; they could take care
OF themselves now. The prairie grass
was burning all around the straw Ia a
widening circle. so that he could not
get near the straw and frame. but we
righted the overturned wagon and kept
drawing it back till the circle was
large enough Then we gave 1t
push through the blazing grass and
left 1t standing on the burnt ground
We then took IA running start. jump
cd over the prairie fire into the black
encd circle and drew near to the burn
ing straw and the hay frame Sinclair
ga2ed sorrowfuliy into the fire and
thought OF his loss.
She was good gun--a mighty good
gun lie sighed. IF we'd only saved
her L could have got a fine trade for
her from somebody. Guess. though,
Ia have kept her to hunt with. Oh.
YOU needn't laugh. / know she didn't
shoot 50 overly well the first few
times, but that must have been be-
cause ! didn't know how TO load her.
ia never loaded a musket before.
That last shot sounded mighty like it
would have Killed something If 1t had
half q chance"
That's 80. Sink" 1 said. "but don't
worry about the old thing Hunt up
another enc. The owner will be glad
- Grade il TO you for pocket knife.
II was a pity. though. that you lost so
much good powder What tickles me
IS the way chat wagon was saved If
wed stopped the oxen before they up
set IT, IS we tried TO- we couldn't have
Got che load off, and straw. wagon and
all would have burnt up before our
eyes. ID spit, OF everything we could
d.. Lucky turnover for me"
s little later after we had rested
ard after thc prairie fires had opened
way for U.S. we turned and uudged
o. toward home Youths COmJaniCE.
Given tho Right Of way.
European automobile Manufacturers
.f.. d. u-9df~l1r1 amounts I'm i,sttrire-