The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-10-06

lay Staring dt tHc WliuO" WlHc
Bartle.t's and the generals
SHORES rose and fell, mingling in
steadily growing crescendo of sound.
As he stared, he noticed suddenly a
faint glow in the East 1t was too
early for Ldaybreak and the glow was of
a different color, brighter, more orange
in tint. He watched it while without
comprehending. waiting until it was
time for him to steal away from Billy,
back to the road again. And as he
watched, he was brought to quick con-
seriousness of what it was by a tiny
crimson fame which appeared for an in
slant and was gone.
The Watermelon leaped to the win
dow. The barn, which, fortunately,
was unlike Maine barns, stood some
little way from the house instead of be-
ing attached to it. With a mighty
burst of flames the roof caught from the
sides, which had been slowly smolder-
ing. Every moment the flames mount
ed-higher and higher, famed by a bit of
a wind that had arisen when the sun
went down. The place was filled with
the summer hay, and even as the Wa
termelon took in the scene, he knew
that there was no hope to do more than
to save the live stock, if they could do
that.
Turning he aroused the general and
Bartlett
Get up" he whispered, not to disturb
the girls, "the barns on FIRE"
Bartlett was up and half in his
clothes before the general had opened
his eyes. The Watermelon had already
slipped quietly from the room.
Fire" cried the general hoarsely, at
last awake. He stood a moment in the
window, brightly lighted now from the
dancing flames in the summer darkness.
Then he swore. y
My CARP
Quick" snapped Bartlett "The gas
oline-"
There was no gasoline" said the
general sadly, as one would talk about
loved and dying friend He turned
mournfuliy from the window.
The FIRE had gained too much head
way TO leave the slightest possibility
of saving the barn. The farmer, with
the help of the Watermelon, Bartlett,
and the general, had barely time to lead
out the horses and turn the cows into
a temporary shelter When that was
done there was nothing more that could
be done but to watch the walls crum-
bic and the roof fall in a shower of
sparks and a roar of flames, leaping and
dancing in a mad riot of destruction.
All night the fire burned and all night
the four men and the three women
turned their efforts to protect the house.
The general, by RICH. and instinct,
took command. He formed a bucket
brigade, stationing the Watermelon on
the roof, at one end of the line, and
the girls and the farmers wife at the
well to FIJI the buckets at the other
end of the line They worked hard
and quietly. as people work when face
to face with the grim forces of nature.
Under the generals. able management
the few sparks which did threaten were
quickly extinguished and save for a
slight scorching here and there the
house was safe. In the excitement no
one but the general thought of the gen.
erals car.
The cold. gray streaks of dawn found |
them worn out. excited and hungry |
Unable TO console the farmer and his |
wife, the five drew in a semicircle aroun |
he smoldering heap which had been the
BARN, and forlornly watched the last |
my flames licking around the twisted, |
olackened ruin that had once been a |
notor-car.
Gone" said the general sadly.
And Billy shifted.