The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1905-09-22

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west, where there was an opening
through which the flames might come
perIlously near the straw-shPd. He
wondered TO himself at having over.
| looked that corner.
Now the wind was fresbenlng to n
gale. and the IRE. with a mighty roar,
was coming with leaps and bounds.
1t was a wonderful sight. Ahead OF
II the whlte.bOt ashes were project
ed In sheets. soft gray wralths that
! fell OF the dry grass rs the agile
flame sprang over, caught up the dead
stalks in n wild uplifting Of scarlet.
and then bounded OH again. whIrIlDg
W the blazing grass in Its flight.
When the grass was highest and
| thickest there were hollow reports.
rs Of Inufiied artillery. and in front n
steady and swift advance OF cleaning
and fantastic fire furles
1t fascinated John MS lie watched It.
| Uncle Tom had fought many fire,
and with broad paddle In lis hands,
he waited until the cohorts OF flame
had reached the edge OF the :arm ut
| the west before he decided on action.
Winds veerlng away to the west,
John" lie cried. "The hreIl come up
slow to these burrows in front OF the
shed. We've got our fight at this little
corner 10 tile west here" There was
some grass along the fence. and IL the
| fire came up with a rush nlong the
strip pointed out by Uncle Tom, there
was danger that n tongue OF flame
might lick In far enough to carry hre
| to the straw. Once that caught. there
was no hope for the machinery. and
| probably none for the stable and the
rest OF the outbuIldlngs.
Together the man and boy ran along
the fence, intending to meet the blnzs
ms II cnme up from the west and beat
II down us much MS possible. 80 that
the advance OF the fire toward the
feuce.linc and the conneC ling line OF
grass toward the straw.sIed would he
broken.
"We're going to get hinged a little,
| SON" said his uncle. griniy.
John said, "All right, Uncle Tom"
but lie shlvered Il trIhe MS saw the
hungry fire come roaring down the
s.Ope. The burrows stretched out fnr
| enough 10 the west so that the fight
was IN u space hardly fifteen feet
wide.
1t seemed as II the fury Of the fire
had weakened for lnck OF material as
It swept up this lane. aud John. with
his mouth shut, as his uncle had eau
toned, found that fighting n prlurlc
fire was not so terrible a thing. after
all. At least II seemed so Mt the first
few strokes OF the paddle. Blu. the
sparks flowed ahead CT him ana left
him with scorched boots, while tho
flame crep. UP the line OF fence like Il
live thing, ana the two sprang after
| 1t and beat It down as you would a
crawling serpent.
1t was al over in fifteen or twenty
minutes. The fire TO the north, M.
aided by the wind had run TO the fur.
rows, had mumbled ana .;mnwcd at to-
grass covered by The dirt OF the fur.
rows, lighted candle OF some tall
bladp. nickerCd, and then gone out.
Thc sparks rom tine west g.camcd
mcnaclngly here and there. and great
carc was needed TO watch the straw
shed, but the real peril was past.
lyon did well, John" was his unclc's
comment, and the hoy felt n glow OF
pride ut the praise, Together they
watched the steady roll md sweep or
the fire ms 1t Galopcd In from the Tar
| Rio bottom.
West fences all gone" said Uncle
Tom. "My fault though. I ought to
| hnyc plOwed I'm there n week ago. May
10 the burrows wouldn't have kept her
back, though" he added, land l was
afraid to set It going myself"
Toward the Tnrklo the skies were
crimson. From the west charging UP
the slopes against the line OF wire
| fences. were sheets OF hre that flung
| before them white Ashen banners md
ronrcd their defiance as they came.
Together they waited until the last
vcstigc OF danger was gone. Then
they went slowly bnck to the house.
As John took of his boots the solos
| fell on the noon lie felt q sudden
sting.
Gee, Uncle Tom" he snld, cry feet
nre bllsterqd" youths Companion