The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1908-11-07

writer. on the wide praiI'ieS " kanSaS.)
My fathers fanny consisted OF my
mother, himself. and four boys. Elmer,
the oldest was nine years Of age AZ
the time my story begins. | being the
next oldest, was eight, Edgar, the third
was six, and Clarence was about Is
months old. We were living Oh =. farm
II miles from Cottonwood Fails, The
county seat of Chase county, -aol the
home of my grandparents and an uncle
who owned the farm on which we were
living.
On the morning of the day the Incl
dents l am going to relate took place,
my father started bright and early 10
town for the mail and other :leceSsi-
ties, leaving mother alone with Gs four
boys. The farm house was built on the
brow of a hill overlooking the mall
creek that ran through the place. along
which grew all kinds of hard Woo thai
supplied us with fuel. Anyone Who has
ever burned oak, hickory or elm knows
that the ashes from such Wood holds
fire along time, In fact fire has beer
found in such ashes Sc hours after tEc
fire has died down. This may seem
uninteresting to the reader, but it is
essential to my story. Motner ffre1
the ashes from the hearth and told
Elmer to take them and empty them on
the big fiat rock in the bottom OF
ravine that ran near the house. This
rock rested on the bottom of the IA
vine and was slightly tipped and the
ashes were put on it for a double pur-
pose. first for safety from firing the
dry prairie grass, as this was in The
late fall and the grass was as Try a.
finder. and anybody acquainted with Il
Kansas prairie fire knows Wllat de-
mon it is to overcome or put oft. The
second reason for using the rock for
ashes was to use them for making lyc
and soft soap for the housthold.
Now comes the reason for my writ
ing these ines. AS | said before IL Bther
sent Elmer to empty the ashes, but
boy like he thought he knew b-st and
in his hurry t. get back to his play,
poured the ashes in the dry grass l.
may have been an hour later and it
may have been longer when | ran to tne
door and saw the flames from tn
dreaded prairie fire. In my childish de-
light | jumped up and down at seeing
such a big fire. Mother wondered
what could be the cause of such q
demonstration on my part and came to
the door. She screamed and cried. MY
God my babies, what shall | do
But a woman raised on toe frontier
as she had been, (this all Happened in
'7S) did not ask twice, but acted.
Picking up a wash tub and grabbing
a single banket from the bed she
called Elmer and started for the spring
where we got the water used FOR the
house. This spring was one of the
largest in the county and never went
dry. Going to the SpriAg and dipping
up as much water she and Elmer
could carry. took it to the fire line iii
front of the house, she dipped 1ht
blanket in the water and began failing
the fire. Elmer then came % the np.iSe
and tying the baby in his higl. CHAIR ne
and | then took another tG5 and went
to the spring to get more Tdter f''r
mother t dip the blanket IN, and h3re
is whore We had the fight Of )ur ling
lives
The fire had driven the snakes and
REPTILES from all around the place inc
the water. While one of US would beat
the snakes back with a club the Ot2"T
would dip up the water. Can YOU i'm
agine two small boys being put to such
q test? l don't mean TO say tHat We
We're not scared. for We were. Bat
what of mother? She fought that fire
all around the house and barn. ana
also the hav stacks She then followed
the fire line beating the flames for
Il mile across the prairie before any
body came to her assistance. And at
that. father was the first to arrive. He
said that he saw the smoke from just
outside town and began flashing tie
horses, driving all that Il miles on
dead run, he killed one of the horses in
that wild drive expecting to find bis
home and loved ones burned
Dashing up to the house he yelled,
Boys. where is mammal
There was no one to answer him but
little Edgar, who piped. Mamma ~
big fire
He Immediately whipped up the
horses and drove off across the black
ened and charred prairie. not knowing
what to expect, Overtaking Elmer and
me with our tub of water, not full,
mind You. but as much as We cor't
carry. Jumping from the wagon he
loaded the tub and ourselves into the
wagon and drove on. We told him tha'
mother was all right and this seemed
to life an awful load from his mind.
On arriving where mother was, we
found her still beating the terror OF
the plains. She was almost ready tc
give up as her WOman'S strength