Year: 1871

on the blanket, stared eagerly at his mas
ter. His poor singed body was found in
that attitude of love and duty.


MERRILL STILL FIGHTS THE FIRE.


At the well, which stood nearest the
house, a wretched group had taken ref,
uge-not only at but in it. six people
flung themselves into this last resort,
counting confidently on it as place of
security. Finally, when crippled by the
fire, and exhausted by his long efforts,
the young man Merrill, threw himself
into that crowded pit also, the place was
packed. Even herehis presence of mind
was all that saved life where life had
very little chance The frail wooden
curbing above the mouth had taken FIRE,
and the flames began to run downward
fiercely. The paralyzed group dared not
put out their heads, lest the flames should
smother them. But Merrill, without an
instant's hesitation, uprose and flung the
dangerous thing away, aud the barn-mas
ter, lowering about the edge of the
woods, presently refreshed the smothered
victims by bucketful of water. The
well was Notwithstanding place of death
The flames, sweeping savagely over the
clearing, lurched and spit down hateful
ly into the crowded pit, and soon the
steady blaze from within indicated the
fate of its inmates. Merrill still held
his mind, and resisted the flames. In
this he was aided by Bush, who helped
him to his final deliverance. He aided
all who would listen to him manfully,
aud to him the few that were saved. in
large measure, owe their lives. He
brought water from the creek to aid the
group on the potato patch, and kept the
sheltering blankets saturated as long he
dared venture inside the line Of fire. 1t
must not be supposed that outside the
clearing stretched solitude of safety.
On the contrary, the ceaseless explosions
of breaking trunks and splintered branch
es were so terrific, mingled with volumes
of fame in the tree tops, that the great
part of the people preferred to risk the
dangers Of the open ground. But the
thick wood had its security, and with
care the people that lay down near the
edge found themselves, when the fright
ened morning came, substantially unin-
jured.


MERRILL DEAD-AND ALIVE.


Here the climax comes; the tragedy
is complete in this one terrific picture
the light of the lew day revealed only
the machinery of the horrid masterpiece.
The red glare Of night had changed in
to the bleak dawn, and the dawn had
changed into high noon before helpful
hand broke into the black Golgotha.
The barnmaster Bush, when silence had
fallen upon the place an hour or two be-
fore dawn, took horse and attempted to
make his way to Little Sturgeon as well
try to ride through stone wall. Leav-
ing his horse behind he struggled, by the
bright light of the burning pines, and
after incalculaole trouble in the way and
outofthe way, sometimeaboutdaylight he
came upon the ruins of lumberman's





cabin, which by the regular path was
not more than two miles from the mill.
He had been hours in reaching it, and,
worn out by the labors and agony of the
night, he sat down to rest. Presently the
owner came, and together the two men
started back to the settlement. They
came first to the we'll. Merrill, appar-
entity quite dead, was taken out first.
Six more came after, all dead, save a
child, crowded below its mother at the
bottom. Merrill soon gave feeble evil
dence of life, and was cared for at once.
Bush ran to the stone to aid the old wo-
man the blankets were rolled away. !
Ihe stone was bare, and no vestige of |
Mrs. Williamsons could be found. Then
they came upon the pit. An in6istin-
guishable heap Of arms, legs, and bodies,
perfectly still and wholly naked, was all |
hat remained OF the mass thatcame there |
n abundant life a few hours before.
They We're all dead, and fewof them rec
ognizable. Seven Williamsons perished |
n the group, among others the young girl
whose long black hair was found clutch
I'd in masses in her uncharred hands.


The darkness of new night threw
,itving vail over the scene when the first
'elief from outside had succeeded in cut
ing way through. The work of burial
'egan next morning, 80 were accounted
or 10 the fatal clearing. The venerable
mother was found on the road to Big Stur
,eon the day after her terrible exposure,
Iery feeble and worn out. She was tenderly
'ared for, and is, in a fair way to regain
What she can count but little-ber health.
)ne son out of three was spared. Her
husband laid his gray hairs in the terri
lie holocaust her whole kindred nassad