The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1909-02-02


Fleet. during that awful race 9Th
the demons of FIRE!
But 1t was all in vain!
Before he could reach that one
little rift in the great, red wall. Il
was closed up; and then the unbroken
line OF fire seemed TO dash onward
with even greater speed than before.
There was only one thing left for
me to do-to gain a few moments
respite, in which to make my peace.
as best might, with my God; and
L thanked Him then that His hand
had always been my guide and sup
port, so that had not that overpow-
erlng horror of death that otherwise
must have oppressed me.
There was one little spot as vet
untouched by the flames, though they
were momentarily closing in upon it;
and thither l fled, riding to its utter
most limits ere l dismounted.
Then l looked about me once more.
In last dying effort OF hope; it was
so hard to resign myself to meet so
horrible a death. Behind me, to the
right, to the left, that terrible wall
OF lire; in front, the lake, calm, beau
tlful, clear as mirror, glittering in
the sunlight; two hundred feet below
me; and then, looking downward.
close at my feet, 1 saw that / stood on
a projecting point of the cliff. over
hanging tangled mass of under
brush, at least one hundred feet be-
low me-
hn oIo
ROCKY shelf saw that at glance;
but, alas, there was plenty of fuel to
feed 1t up to the very outermost edge,
and its mad career would be STONED
too late to save me; for there was no
spot of refuge to which could fee
until its fury should have passed.
Already / felt its scorching breath
on my cheeks as stood waiting, with
my hand resting on my poor, trem-
ping horse; and suddenly. as he
whinnied piteously, the thought came
to me that he, at least, need not suffer
so painful n death as stared his mas
ter in the face.
always carried a pistol, and now
l drew it out, and nerving my shak.
ing hand, drew il to his beautiful.
quivering ear, but lowered it again as.
Tor the first time, l noticed that my
clumsy artists umbrella still swung
from its accustomed place from a
ring in the saddle. 1t had so ham
pened that the spot in which I had
been sketching, when hemmed in by
my merry foe, was so cool and shady
that the umbrella was not needed;
so l did not remove it from the
saddle.
When l drew the trigger, Fleet
would fall, it might be, upon IT,: he
might not live moment or two, yet
even for that short time 1 did not
choose that the strong, heavy steel
ribs should have the chance of adding
to his pain.
! detached it from the saddle; and
even as did so the sudden memory
OF little Dolly's experiment that
morning-ah, how far away il
seemcd!-forced a smile to nv drv
lips, and then followed a thought.
swift and startling as a lightning
fash.
A parachute, Dollie called IT: and
why not use it is such now, in my dire
extremity? 1t was very strong and
stout, and I had some Irvine in my
pocket, with which to secure the ends
OF the ribs to the handle. so that it
could not turn wrong side out
With the resistance it would sffer
to my descent. felt sure that it was
quite possible to land in the midst Of
the brushwooG "a hundred feet be-
loW-With no more serious hurt than
bruises and scratches. or perhaps a
broken limb: and surely these were
hgnt evils in comparison to being
burned to death
with eager fingers / knotted the
twine to the steel ribs, and secured
the former TO the base OF the handle.
The flames were almost upon me by
this time; so. with one Iong-drawn
breath, raised my pistol once more,
and with one quick. nervous Jerk.
sent bullet into the brain of my
petted steed.
Then, as he gave one wild shrek.
and fell lifelcss at my feet, seized
the umbrella Dollie's parachute
and leaped of the rock.
At the outset 1 fell so RAPIDLY that
/ almost lost my breath. but I'm n
second could feel that my descent
was checked, and then began a sway.
ing. jerking motion, that made my
head spin.
Doubtless there was not more than
one or two moments interval between
my leap from the ledge and my land
ing amidst the branches of small
tree but 10 seemed ass many hours.
When / ciambered down to the
ground, scarcely believing set fin my
wonderful escape. found myself
with sound Limos. My hands and
face were scratched and bleeding my
clothes torn to rags, but what cared
II?
The fiery fends were leaning fin
disappointed anger far above me. and
now could listen TO their roar with
out tremor. save Of grief at the loss
| OF my fayOrite steed
Keeping along the shore of the
lake, l reached my sisters house Just
as serious alarm was beginning TO be
felt at my prolonged absence. and a
party about to set forth I'm search OF
me-
Dollic.' said 7, that night. MS 7
took mp the dear little niece had SO
nearly parted from forever "Dollie
rru trrr.. s.f..f.t