The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1908-04-02

was his repeated assertion: Il neber
stole in all my lifel only Just bor-
rowedl"
Three years passed away but moth
ing was seen or head OF Nat.
One night / was awakened from
sleep with noises indescrlbale ringing
in my ears. The changing OF bells,
hoarse cries for help, rapid footsteps
rushing down the street filed me
with error / struck match to light
the gas. but no blaze rewarded my eff
forts; there seemed to be no gas there.
had just lighted candle and was
rushing to mothers room, when a vio-.
lent pounding and kicking at thee
/ front door arrested me
Rushing down in wrapper and slip
pers | heard voice L recognized as
Mats;
@Open de door, missisl Open de door
for Gods sake De whole city am
burnin' upl Come down, quick, all oh
you, and I'll carry you to safe place!
De water works hab gone, the gas
works am bust, the bridges am burned
and de fire am a-comin'i Dress your
selbs quick, and I'll hab Mollie and
de buggy at de door in minuhe, II
you'll only Glib me de key Of the
barn."
Did ever an angel OF deliverance ap-
pear at a more timely season? Father
and John 500 miles away. we three
women-for Nora was still with u.s.
were alone
1t was the work of a few moments
only to hurry into our ~armest cloth
ing, tie up in sheets our most pre-
cious possessions. seize a small trunk
Of silver and valuable papers that al
ways stood at the head OF fathers bed,
when Nat re-appeared, his dusBy face
pale with a new terror.
de barn am broke open, and Mol
lie am gonei But neber mind, lissis-
III be de hossl Glib me dat trunk and
bring down de sheets, Moral Lock up
de house, missis, 50 nobody else can't
get in and, If de FIRE don't catch It,
ven come back again and lib in it
ourselbs."
One seat In the buggy was reserved
for mother, who, in a red flannel
dressing gown and sealsllin cloak.
seated herself, trying hard not to
brighten the rest, though trembling all
over with fear and excitement; the
trunk and bundles nlled all the rest
of the space.
Nat seized hold Of the thills, Nora
and pushed with all our might, and.
with a strength increased by the fear
Of the approaching fire, we hurried
out toward the prairie west Of the city.
We were only one company out Of
thousands Of companies Of frightened
people who were seeking refuge from
the flames in flight
How we ever succeeded in reaching
the little low house almost out on the
prairie, to which Nat led us. / cannot
tell reach It we did, pushing and
pulling our precious load, and laid her.
at length, safely on the bed neatly
spread in the little room whose outer
door Nat burst open.
A young woman, with dusky face
in which Joy and fear struggled for
expression, sprang to meet him.
'I'm safe enough, Lizzie, and so
are you and de boy; but here's de miss
is and de young misisl Take good care
OBJ 'em till come back I'll watch de I
ole place, missis."
We learned afterward how faith
fully Nat fulfilled his self-imposed |
task. Seating himself on the top
step outside the door, ne kept OF all |
straoqlers refused ali o4fare If bar, /
and never left his POST till the blessed
shower Of rain began TO fall, that
kindly Providence sent to extinguish
the flames.
The next day we found our home
uninjured, and, when father and broth
er John appeared, pale and terrified.
expecting TO find their home in ash
es, and ourselves they knew not
where, clothed in our right minds, we
greeted them, and surprised them no
less by our appearance than by the
story Of our deliverance by Mats time
ly aid
Nat and Lizzie ana the boy their
year-old baby, became our very good
friends. We never alluded to any un-
pleasant circumstances connected
with his former life under our roof
but regarded him as one purified by
FIRE.
When we had all recovered from the
shock Of that fearful time. and busl-
ness began TO be recognized, father
and John set Nat up as proprietor OF
an express wagon, and, as out OF ev-