The Jasper news., 1908-12-03

~IlameSy batting their way incn Dy incn.
But they were steadily reducing the
getting nearer to the spring which wodld
prove their ally.
ooh Dick Mary suddenly exclaimed
"The fire is spreading over your fieldw
Dick, with his teeth set, was whacking
away at the fire and as before, he made
no answer.
'DickP Mary cried again. go home
and save your own house"
Bring out two pals" Dick command
ed. We can carry water now
"But Dick! your own house will catch
in few minutes"
"Unless you want both houses burned
down you will fetch the two pals p was
the rejoinder, between whacks of the
shovel
ALet my house go! It's all my faultw
Mary walled. "Go and save your own!"
"Will you get the pails?" Dick demand
ed, with mighty emphasis on the first
word
Mary departed on the run and soon re-
turned with the pals. and with these the
fire was soon checked.
"Now run in the house before you catch
your death of coidp Dick commanded,
turning to go.
"I'll go and help save your house"
Mary responded hopefully.
Cant be donew Dick responded short
iy. st will be on FIRE before I can get
there. I will save what l can. You 60
in the house.
He jumped the fence and ran painting
down the road without looking behind,
where Mary. sorry figure in burned and
wet rags. followed in GREATNESS haste after
him. ca
A little brook ran Between his house
.s.A Lii L..~ Al e.
was bound to stop. But it was clear that
there was no chance of saving the house
and Dick devoted himself to securing
some OF its contents.
First he carried out the pet birds. chas-
ing out the cat and dog as lie did so.
Then came his legal and commercial
papers, wisely kept in a convenient place
for Just such an emergency. Then came
the family. portraits and then The library.
Mary had arrived and again they worked
in silence, carrying out books and then
odd pieces Of furniture and the thousand
and one little things whose loss would
have been irreparable. AS fast as eveiy
thing was carried out. it was carried
across the bridge which spanned the little
brooks
"Don't 60 again!" Mary exclaimed, as
the flames swept over the roof. SITS dam
|gerous!"
II must gol' Dick said. ~ haven't a
third of the things yeti
i "Let them gol Your life is worth more
than the things in there!'
II don't. know that my life is worth so
much = Dick said bitterly. thinking that
his house and most of his goods were
Iburfed without insurance, that he was a
miserable old bachelor without near rel
alive, that Blaine was elected and the
country going to ruin.
'Im going back for few more things"
he said. starting toward the bridge.
Don't goi Please don't gor Mary
Isaid. following after.
Dick paid no attention. inovipg toward
the back door, the Intel of which already
was abiazc. He was destined. however.
never again to enter the house in which
he was born. AS he ncarcd the door
Mary threw both arms around his neck
land tightly held hin, back.
.''Fou shant go in! You shan't I" she
said and chung with grasp which nothing
lshort of extreme violence could have
shaken loose.
Dick tried to utter some word of pro-
ltest, but his utterances did not amount to
much For one thing, Mary had him
ncariy strangied, For another. while he
was brave enough to have gone into the
iburning house, like many arother brave
imam, he was not altogether displeased at
being prevented, against his will, from
running into danger. Finally his veins
were jumping in most ,lraccustomcd
way at having Mary's arms around his
meek and knowing that Mary was con-
|cerned as to his safety.
His show of resistance did not last long.
There was crash and a roar and coll
umn of sparks mounting to the sky mark
In1 IT, cd Al q. 4