Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-07-08

mere tonight ne observed Mules
the stray cinders il the air."
"All day long" replied his wife. Us
the change Of wind, l suppose?"
With the big Badger forest in
front of it, blazing our way and CON-
ing fast, declared Burton, alarmingly.
why, that is near" began Mrs.
Burton, futteringly.
so near that we'll have to fight it
out or get it out when it strikes US
tonight" was the ominous reply.
Where's Nellie?"
She went of TO the south woods
after flowers" replied Mrs. Burton.
She ought TO be home" said the
husband, and when it began to get on
towards dusk he started out to hunt
her up.
There was double alarm for the
solicitous parents as darkness came
down. No trace could be discovered
of the missing child. Over this the
Burtons were frantic. The forest two
miles to the north was all ablaze, the
sky red as blood, the air heavy with
smoke and cinders.
Mounted runners sent out to the
north returned with the intelligence
that the flames would be upon the
town within two hours. There was but
one course Of action open-to fee the
town and take to the lake a mile TO
the east.
Friendly neighbors had joined in the
search for little Nellie. The woods to
which she had gone were in the direct
path of the fire. They had to return
to the settlement after a vain quest to
arrange for their own safety in flight.
Burton intrusted his wife to their care.
He renewed his search for little Nellie
alone. The next morning, after des-
perate retreat mile by mile from the
fire, he crawled out from quagmire
where he had been forced to take ref
uge, and over which the flames had
jumped to seize upon more cOmbusti-
BILE material beyond.
The Burtons, husband and wife,
took up life's burdens anew, bereaYed
and depressed They had found no
trace of their lost darling in the burnt
over area. Their home had been only
partly burned down, as with some
other buildings in the settlement. Sub
missively, but with heavy hearts, they
set at work to make a new home.
The village cemetery had suffered
no great devastation. At the end Of
a week little white tombstone bore
the simple name, Nellie" above an
empty grave.
1t was ten days after the great fire
that a man, hobbling along on a home
made crutch, passed through the little
graveyard, leading a little child. Her
hands were full of flowers. She sud
denly paused before the new white
tombstone.
ooh, look! look" she cried. My
name-just the same! Maybe it's
some poor little child that was burned
up in the big fre-just as I'd have
dear Uncle TIM"
Uncle Tim? Yes, otherwise Frowsy
finland Nellie, in life and reality
She ran and placed her flowers beside
the gravestOne.
Don't delay, dear" spoke Tim.
They are waiting for YOU, and then,
as they came to the remodeIed home.
he made her draw behind an old tree,
while he approached the house.
Husband and wife were within.
They greeted him with a pang. His
presence revived poignant memories.
Good people" he said, I've news
for you, but don't go to pieces. If
your little one should return
They gasped in unison, swayed with
:. vague thrill.
She will return" went on Tim, and
called, "Nellie," from the doorway.
He had a strange story to tell: of
a swamp island where he had gone to
live; of lost Nellie being discovered by
him at the edge of the swamp; of the
fire passing over their place of refuge;
but he, crippled through a fall, unable
to travel until he got well and strong.
''And this dear child was my house
keeper and nurse" explained Tim.
And because have been able to save
her, l can think of my own dear dead
little one as glad that her poor, worth
less old father has done some good in
the world, after ALL