The Savannah morning news., 1901-01-06

thousands of noble trees that had been
years in reaching their beautiful proper
tions.
Goodspeed sighed. He knew the pecu-
| liar properties of the gas crystal; how no
large fire could live when exposed to the
choking gas, but he also knew that If fit
TED to any carriage on earth it would
make the fastest automobile in the world
and so win him a diamond medal
Brighter and brighter grew the heavens.
louder and louder and nearer came the
awful crackle and roar of the twisting.
burning branches and trunks Across a
valley at his feet he saw mass of the
denizens of the wood, fleeing before the
flames. There were foxes and deer ana
wildcats and rabbits and squirrels painting
and galloping madly intent on fleeing
| from the awful heat
This time Goodspeed took longer N
make up his mind but when two woods
men ran out of the forest with the fire
scarce ten feet behind them he cast his
| crystal at the trunk of a mighty oak
with all his force.
There was terrific explosion. then ut
! ter silence for a moment The crickets
and katydids and all the insects STONED
| their din as they always do after a con.
cussion of air and then the light went
| out of the heavens as if giant had nut
This time no one knew that Goodspeed
had saved life and property and he was
| boy enough TO feel that he had been harS-
ly used. He now had but one crystal. the
one that would cool the hottest dav
| What use would one diamond medal be?
He had hoped to have three to show the
village boys not one of whom had even
a gold medal
Still he hated 10 turn back. so he hur-
on Il
and by sunrise he had crossed Connecti-
cut and gotten into York state" and
1, could see the tall buildings of New York
/ city, white and grey and red and the
river flowing at their base.
"Phew, but it's gong TO be a hot day.
! said Goodspeed. I'm be glad TO get to
sea-"
And it was hot. In the little parks were
tired mothers with their babies. trying 10
keep cool in the shade of trees but utter
ly falling TO do So The flagstones in the
streets we're like the top of the range in
Mother Carple CHS kitchen and they
burned his feet through his shoes
He slackened down to walk and as
he passed one house he heard a doctor
who was talking TO a neighbor say:
81 think this viii be the hottest day
we've ever had. Poor babies. How ! pity
them. Tomorrow a cool wave IS prom,
lSeu, bul %iils j. NNt StA tnln Gay OF neat
and we need GOODNESS to-day II would
save the lives Of scores of children"
oh, goodness me" sad Goodspeed 10
himself. Il wish / was heartless. / do
wish Grandma hadn't taught me to think
OF others. l don't know these babies and
II 1 break this crystal l might as well
60 home for ! haven't anything left"
lie walked down town a block further
and then came 60 a side street where
every doorway and every window WAS
crowded with people trying 10 get a
breath Of fresh air
"Oh, here goes. then" said Goodspeed
and he hurled the crystal high up in the
air, aiming 1T az thc weather vane on u
church steepe. 1t broke and with a rush.
ing, musical note, flood Of pure, cool,
sweet air came sweeping over the city,
eddying into alleys and filling Sick rooms
and hot back wards with its life giving
freshness.
Children that had been sitting lauguidly.
rose and shouted for JOY and "A lot OF
small boys filled with the buoyancy that
comes with crisp October country days
picked up some sticks and began TO pelt
Goodspccl for sheer mischief, not know
ing that he bad brought the cooincsr.
with % laugh Doc picked up his heels qua
raced Tor the steamer Tie h'd nothing
TO gain now but good time. but be felt
even happier than when he had started,