Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1911-04-07

small boys climbed the rafters Of the
old barn, ran across the beams n die
their many deeds OF boyish daring,
sat uncomfortably on the steps OF the
'cornbin and begged them tearfully "a
come down. / was afraid to put my
nose outside the door after nightfall,
cried myself Ill IL left alone without
a light, and, even in the daytime, never
walked alone without constantly turn
ing my head In fear Of ghosts, and all
sorts OF things.
More than anything else, dogs terri
fled me, / would run from the smallest
'yelpinR puppy, and ~shuddered and
turned cold If a dog so much as passed
% on tie other site OF the street. The
wise old ONE OF the neighborhood
nodded their heads at me M told each
other how my mother had been fright
sened almost to death by a savage dog
before / was born.
When 7 SEe= &c &c = young mG;;, Z:
was no better, although l concealed my
fears In some measure. 1t seemed as
bad as could be when / was fancy free,
but became infinitely worse when / fell
In love, Alice was the n daring
young woman in our town and a born
hero-worshipper. She was something
of a naturalist and had captured with
her own lair hands a collection Of
snakes that made me faint even to
think OF. She had faced and angry
bull in a field, had tanned unbroken
horses. ridden colts without saddle or
bride, Ink done so many brave things
that my heart sank at ~rehearsing them.
My case was hopeless, of course, but
i loved her only the more madly.
Whenever / Went near her l suffered
fortunes, for her pet and constant com
panion was a horrible, swapping, snar-
ling little dog.
This vicious creature had an especial
spite against me. From beginning TO
n of my calls at Alice's home, he
would growl and snap at my legs, my
hands n my face. But though he
sent me into agonies Of terror and the
cold perspiration poured from my body
I'm a clammy shower at the end of every
visit, | could not bear to give up my
chance OF seeing her.
1t was not long before she knew my
story as evarvhodv IN the town made
haste to tell 1t to her. / think she pitt
led me and regarded my cowardice as
not the act of a free moral agent. At
any rate, she sent the dog away.
Freed from the terror OF his presence,
1 mustered courage to ask her the fate
9ai question. She vas very gentle with
me, u h gave me no hope. Choos-
ing her words as kindly as might be in
her sweet womanliness. fearing to
wound me, she let me know that she
could never marry a man whom she did
not consider q hero.
J went GU from her door In the firm
determination to do something heroic
and win, perforce. my matchless lady.
But before had reached the gate, that
miserable little cur rushed swapping
ard Sparkling at my heels, and l forgot
even Alice In the vain attempt to keep
from showing the fear ! felt.
I 4 my long tiut night win staring
trying ro think or something
brave that I could do. / thought Of GO
eng into the army and moving down
whole companies with my single arm.
W would not matter IL / were killed
If only Alice loved me. But the mere
thought OF blood turned me faint and /
would jump at the sound OF a fire.
cracker. besides; there was no particu-
lar war IN just then. | turned over
plan after plan, to find all alike un-
awaiting.
At last / must have fallen asleep
with my eyes wide open and dreamed
horrible dreams. | heard the roar of
fire engines and imagined that the
whole world was burning up. From
her burning home, Alice was stretching
out her hands to me and calling for
help. / rose in my dreams-did / say,
before. that / ann a sleep walker
dressed, clambered from my window
~ AANtAAk VI "a A4GG LlA1N AlGWE DEllQC Il
it, and started for Alice's pretty home
beside the church.
I do not know how much / saw and
how much l dreamed. The streets
Were filed with people. but / avoided
tbem with the cunning of a dreamer.
no my excited fancy every house
seemed bursting with flames. Only
the church stood cool and still.
/ thought ! saw Alice on Its roof
and ! clambered up, holding by the
MgfAning rod. by anything. She was
mot there, but seemed to be On the stee-
pie. ! struggled mp Il, slipping and
sliding. looked down upon Alfce's
dwelling wreathed In fire. The roof
and upper windows were not vet
touched. but all the lower part was
encircled by fIame.
Alice was not on the steeple. she
stood at q second story window. Mold
Ang out her hands and calling to me
again while the horrible red glow crept
nearer and nearer. Some one had rest
ed o long ladder against the side Of the
church. ! lifted II with d strength that
was not my own, balanced it with the
mysterious power OF the sleep walker
awung II across the fiery chasm Tim the
end reached Alice's window sill and
ran across the tottering, slopinr bridga
as firmly as ii IL had been solid eartb
by what seemed d miracle, il held iii
reached the window. then fell tottar-
Ing to the ground.
A puff OF fame shot In after me T
seized Alice i'm thy arms, bore her n
b window and crashed thronah the
glass with my fists. The pain in nv
hands aWoKe me and
The dream was true. stood Ia
Alice's room with the flames encIrcl,ng
h house. In my arms | held mn
Alice. but the little, ~cringing white,
dog
IN sickeniug terror i looked down
The flames colored the world blood
red. Al great sea OF fiery faces looked
ap ar me. Beneath the window sfn,sG
four men holding a blanket by the cor
ners.
Jump! Jump cried scores OF vol
ces. + flung down the dog. The roay-
ling Of flames filed my ears. / darel
mol jump. I tottered and fell.
a shock and a rebound. I had fallen
unhurt upon the blanket do not
know how I got home. Perhaps I
tainted and WIS carried. My mind Is
got clear as 70 anythinsg that h T,ysns,;
until the next day, when l got I mes
sage from Alice.
4 was bruised and hurt. but I must
see her. With the help of 9 stick. /
lfmped slowly to hcr Temporary resi-