Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-07-05

again told him to get off. Fortunate
~, farmer a stout, muscular man,
rode up, and, recognizing Gypsy Tim,
made him give up the mare, which he
did with relu lance
White Lady gave him a savage little
snip as he passed her, and from that
day, If she h@ pened to see him, even
In the distan.>, she would put back
her ears in d.-pleasure and snort.
There happened to be a country fair
held at the little town of Craigie, one
or two miles from the station, few
months later. Mr.. Shurtleff drove
some of his friends over to see 1t. The
Inn, though small, was comfortable
and they had made their plans to
spend the night there.
One of the men had a noble black
horse called Black Pilot; and Ben and
the boy that took charge of this horse
had become great friends.
When they left the stable at night it
was pretty TO see Pilot and White
Lady rub their heads against their
friends.
Ben slept soundly, but when he
That red glare through the window
was not the light of morning, and what
meant those trampling feet and the
dreadful cry Of Fire."
Rushing out, he found q crowd in
front of the stable, and a cloud of
dow and door.
There was a confusion of voices, as
everybody in the throng outside, it
seemed. had a way of his own to ut
tack the blaze. But while there was
much talk there was little action. At
any rate nobody showed any inten-
ton of plunging into the barn. This
was the situation that Ben. despite the
excitement, Immediately grasped.
One sound tore Ben's heart. It
was Lady's piercing neigh, heard above
all the din. He knew that she was
calling him. But how could he reach
herr It was impossible to get through
the suffocating smoke.
At this moment be caught a glimpse
of one or two lurking forms In the
background, and recognized them as
Gipsies He Instantly suspected a plan
to rob the stables.
'Where thieves can get In, l can"
he thought. and calling to Robert. the
boy who had the care of Pilot, to bring
him an AK, he ran to the back of The
stable
He got in without difficulty. Eyi-
IDENTIFY the old door had been already
broken open. TO his amazement lie
found White Lady plunging, kicking,
and striking with teeth and hoofs ut
Glpsy Tim. who was trying to catch
her. The flames had not yet reached
the rear of the building.
At the sight of Ben the gypsy fed.
but it was no easy matter to get Lady
out of the stable Pilot followed him
readily enough. and so would Lady IN
til she reached spot near the back
door-where Ben conjectured that Tim
had made the first spring at her to
seize her-and here she would tremble
and snort with terror crouch almost
to the ground and refuse to move.
Fortunately it occurred to him to tie
his handkerchief over her eyes, and by
doing this, he coaxed her almost to the
door Just at that moment Robert
caught sight of Pilots black head over
Rens shoulder. and wild with excite
ment, began to shout:
STEADY, Pilot! Ho. boy Ho, boy p
Hearing this well-known stable-call
Pilot answered with cheerful little
whinny. and Lady took a step forward
and finally both We're across the thresh
old and saved from the fire.
If the mare had not retained SC viv
I'd a remembrance of her old foe, Clip
sy Tim would have had her out of tn,
burning stable and far away over The
moors before Ben got In, ana woult
never have been suspected of the theft
As long as White Lady lived she dis
liked and feared Gipsies, and woult
not let one come near her-ChicagC
Daily News.