Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1901-10-09

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slowly burning toward US and the
other from us.
Coaly, bad-tempered beast, pufrec
and puffed as we approached the frs
fire, and tried to turn out of the road
but Lep logged along complacentlJ
and refused to turn. Soon the Wagon
had passed the narrow front Of fire
and was moving between unburnt
prairie on the left and blackened
smoking ground on the right.
Soon we overlook the other line OF
fire. The blaze near the road was
only few inches high, the grass there
being very short. We saw no danger
in passing on, and to this day don't
know how the accident happened.
Possibly the straw was hanging lower
than we thought, but more probably
the blaze had just reached bunch OF
high grass OF a tall, dry weed, and
running Vi set fire to the straw. The
light of the burning prairie kept us
from discovering that we were afre
till the wagon had gone several yards.
The first thing we knew flames were
leaping up from the right fore corner
Of the load, from part Of the fore
end, and from over larger part Of the
right side!
We both sprang to our feet, shouting
"Whoa" with all our might, and the
wagon had nearly stopped when the
oxen turned their heads to see what
the light behind them meant. One
look was enough. With a snort and a
plunge Coaly started. Even lazy old
Lep was panic-stricken. Away they
vent
AS the wagon bounded forward Sin
clair and I tumbled backward on the
straw. The oxen were galloping with
the big but light load jumping and
rocking behind them. The rush of air
swept the fire over the straw. Before
we could get UP smoke and flame
were in our faces. Blinded and con-
fused we scrambled to the side and
dropped off. glad to escape in any way.
When we fell, we rolled over and
over in the grass, jarring ourselves
and brulsing out knees and elbows.
By the time we had risen and recor-
cred our presence Of mind, the oxen
and wagon were q hundred yards
down the road, and still running. The
flames had spread over the whole top
Of the load, and were leaping forward.
"Come onw I cried to Sinclair. And
after the wagon ran, shouting to the
oxen at every jump. Being a pretty
good runner I gained on them, and
had got within twenty yards Of the
wagon when I heard Sinclair yelling
behind me:
sIiook out there! You'll get shotr'
In my frantic eagerness to stop the
oxen SO as to get them loose and save
the wagon I had forgotten all about
that old musket. half full Of powder
and buekshot on top Of the blazing
straw, but now I stopped suddenly
and ducked my head in my fright.
"Don't get closer cried Sinclair.
catching up with me. "She's likely to
go OFF at any moment!'
But I exclaimed desperately. "We
must do something or lose everything
the oxen, too! Let's run round to
the side of the wagonw
"No, we won't!" replied Sinclair.
'No telling which way that guns
pointing by this time. Keep back till
she goes off. Then we can"
Rip-bang-boom. A stream Of fire
shot out almost over our heads as the
old ramy musket exploded! The buck
shot whistled over US. At the flash
we had both started to run. I caught
my toe in the grass and fell. At the
same moment a sharp pain ran
through my knee. I was badly fright
ened.
'I'm shot~ exclaimed. getting upon
my feet.
"Where" asked Sinclair, returning
to my assistance.
"Here in the knee. I felt the buck
shot go In. It-no, I'm not. either" I
cried. laughing with relief as I plucked
out q big grass-bur that I had fallen
on and threw 1t away.
we started after the wagon again,
but remembered the powder horn.
"It's got two pounds in It," said Sin
clair. 1.-The musket wasn't patchin'
to what that powder'll do when 1t goe;
off. It'll blow everything sky-high."
20 goodness! The oxen will be
killed and the wagon blown to pieces"
Since the explosion Lep and Coaly
were running faster. and the flaming
load of straw was bouncing and sway
ing down the road. We ran after It,,
keeping as close behind the dangerous
thing as we dared. The prairie around
was brightly lighted. Wisps Of blaz-
ing straw had begun to fly off behind.
Sinclair's two dogs were racing along
by the wagon.
The powder horn had been pretty
deeply buried in the straw. The oxen
must have run nearly mile and Sin
clair and I were both painting loudly.
and I was beginning to hope that in
some way there might not be On ex-
plosion, when the flames, which had
been leaping high, shot far higher,
spreading out as they rose. An instant
later we heard terrific report. The
air far above the wagon was full of
fire and blazing straw.
Fortunately the powder, being high
up in the load and confined only in the
thin horn, had exerted its force up
ward. Aside from scattering the sur
face straw and making q loud noise
and big fash it did nothing at all.
Poor Lep and Coaly! They had been
panic-stricken before. but now they
left the road and broke into mad flight
across the prairie. The wagon load of
fire bounding along behind then
seemed no encumbrance.
"No danger = now" cried Sinclair,
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