Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-08-31
SETTING THE
LAKE AFIRE
By LAURA IDA ROSS
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.
By LAURA IDA ROSS


occupied the place with his family.
consisting Of his wife and children.
His oldest daughter. Daisy. was
daisy indeed-straight. comedy. and a
pleasant smile usually played about
her lips whenever she spoke.
The only trouble about Daisy" said
her father to his friend Hickson. lis
that she's got lover. l don't like
him. He's a good boy, but there's no
sand in him. Nobody will ever accuse
Dan Potter of setting the lake afire."
"'Pears to me-" replied Hickson.
that most gals at your darter's age
have a lover if they can git one. and
as for Dan Potter, don't remember
you or l ever settin' the lake afire."
''That may be-" responded Dale, but
I'm not goin' to give Daisy to any
body that isn't we'll fixed nohow."
One night Dan was awakened by
glare of light shining in at his win
dow. and. raising himself on his ell
bow. he looked out to see about 1t. 1t
was across the lake and was either
Farmer Dale's or one of two other
houses that were built close together.
fame was just breaking out of one
of the upper windows.
The first thought that entered Dams
head was that Farmer Dale would be
burned to char. and he hoped he
would. The second thought was that
Daisy might be burned. too. and this
jumped him out Of bed. Hurrying on
his clothes. he ran down to the water
edge, catching up pair Of oars as he
went. got into boat and started
across the lake.
The distance was a mile. the burning
house not being directly opposite Dams
starting point. AS he drew near
enough to get his bearings he saw that
the house was Farmer Dale's. The
light of the flames lit up the faces Of
persons standing about A line had
been formed to pass buckets of water,
but the work had evidently been stop
ped by something appalling. The look
ers on were running about wildly to
no purpose. and Dan could see Farm
er and Mrs. Dale with several of their
children about them. wringing their
hands. Daisy was not there.
The explanation was this: When the
fire was discovered Farmer Dale took
the smaller children. his wife carrying
the youngest. and got them safely
downstairs and out of the house. 1t
was only then that he thought of
Daisy. who occupied room in that
| ~ ho h0t 10
lake.
Dale went upstairs again. but the
fire. that had been caused by q de-
fective chimney running up through
the center of the building. had &C
Quired such q Roadway at that point
that it cut him off from Daisy's room.
He ran downstairs and went about
frantically. vainly looking for some
way of reaching that portion of the
house where Daisy slept 1t being an
extension over water prevented a lad
| der being raised. and the wind being
off the shore the flames and smoke
were blown so as to envelOp the part
| he wished to reach.
While the shore was lighted by the
flames Dan was in darkness and part
! ly obscured by smoke. He was igno-
rant that Daisy was supposed to be
still in the burning building. but he
/ knew very well where her room was
! located, for he had often while out
on the lake seen u white handkerchief
! waving to him from her window.
Perhaps it was this that led him in
stinctivey to pull in as near as posi-
! BILE to the burning house. When he
! came 50 near as to feel the heat he
turned the boat around and kept on
| slowly backing in. Then above the
! cracking. the roar and the shouts Of
those on the shore he heard cry. He
/ could see nothing for the smoke, but
| he backed his boat in to within some
/ twenty yards of the house. Then he
heard a splash in front Of him. and
! he backed right in under fame and
smoke till within few feei Of the
house.
Suddenly something rose right up
out of the water beside him. He
seized it and held GARMENTS. Pulling
. CUe llllnS pdIIly up Out vi Chc "@CCl'
he realized that he held q human be
/ ing With difficulty he pulled the fig
ure into the boat. and it lay limp in
/ the bottom Then. taking up the oars,
! be backed away from the heat and
/ smoke that had become intolerable.
i Reaching point where the light,
/ unobscured by smoke. enabled him to
use his eyes. he saw that the figure N
/ his boat was a woman in night
gown. Turning up the face. he ex
claimed:
Great heavens. It's Daisy"
/ Selling the oars again. he pulled the
/ boat with a few vigorous strokes to
! the shore some distance away from
/ the burning building and gave
shout. Several persons heard him.
! Farmer Dale among them. and ran to-
/ ward him.
i've got Daisy here" he said. ''She
jumped into the lake and picked her
| up
| Daisy was soon brought back to con-
! sciousness and was looked upon by