The San Francisco call. [volume], August 14, 1909, Page 3, Image 3

About The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913

Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA

                
How a Girl `s Heroism Saved a Town From Destruction by Fire
David H. Walker
W.HIP and spur and the sting of
sparks biting the flanks of
the stout, roan that ran fierce
ly, almost blindly, but with
sure feet, 0%-er.the forest "wood road."
Crackling twigs caught like tinder
and spread the flames that were rac
ing, driven by a brisk wind, toward a
narrow opening, near which two wings
«f the forest converged and where
ppparated forest fires would soon join
as one and then sweep onward roaring
like a ravening lion, destroying grow
ing crops and farm buildings, possibly
human ll f*. unless—
The "unless" was ail centered in the
stout figure of. a young girl, who clung
to the roan. v dodging overhanging:
branches, listening with blanched face
to the sealike roar of, billows of
Hsrmos that, ran along the hillsides and
through the underlying valleys, send
ing up a hissing spray of sparks and
clouding-all the air with heavy vol
umes of deep smoke.
Minnie Cortland was cooking for her
father in an outside kitchen at. her
ranch home in the mountains in CalT
fornia when, looking westward, she
Sfi-w a white blur on the clear air.
With the speed of swift thought she
realieed that careless campers among
the hills had left smoldering embers
among the leaves and dry grass of the
\u25a0woodland — and. dreadful fact in the
country where no rain had fallen for
months — the -woods were 'afire!
All day the wind that blew in from
the v.-idc Pacific ocean had been busily
rustling the leaves of the green vine
yards that adorned many eunny hill
eides • and that promised wealth from
the ripening grapes; all day the oaks
and the madrones, the beautiful red
woods and the tul*; gaunt eucalyptus
trees had swayed to and fro. The hay
Jiclds that made bright patches .of
Kolden yellow in the landscape were as
dry as if they had felt the breath of a
furnace. The water was low In the
dried creeks and streams that had
• :-awled over rocky beds a few weeks
earlier, but now only trickled lazily
«ver the watersmooth and gray boul
ders and- over sparkling sands that
were shaded by the good greenwood.
When the smoldering came to
life the ocean wind was like a giant
master to drive the tiny flames to
which they gave rise. The whips of
the wind smote the small spirals of
flame and they ran before it — here
lighting a wisp of dry grass; there
rending hot breath up the sapling, and
£L£ai*i making: the moss hunt and dead
A COZY CORNER CHAT WITH THE GIRLS
SOilt; girls dislike home study ana
find it very disagreeable and tiresome.
And yet, after a young girl leaves the
primary grades, after she has rounded
t-he landmark of 12. or 33, she must
expect to have a certain amount of
hom-e study to be regularly done. If
she Is to take a high rank in her
classes. Every school girl knows this.
Tlje- study periods which alternate
\u25a0with recitations cover some portion of
the work outlined for the next day.
but the;' do not and can not cover
the whole of it. They should be spent
in studying the lessons in which you
arc weak and in which you are most
likely to seed some help from your
teacher. In ordef 1 to^ do full justice
to your school, as well as t/5 yourself,
in order to maintain the high reputa
tion of your own class, you must be
etow the labor of a quiet hour or, per
haps, of two hours at home on your
books.
Two hours is quite enough, but the
question often is when shall you" take
ttie two hours? If is complicated for
you in a» number of- ways. You may
take ; mussic ;lessons. or help your
mother in the house keeping. d,o errands,
set tables, make beds and washydishes,
and cither way you have less time for
home study than your, opposite neigh
bor, who perhaps has no extra, studies
or is not required to do anything about
the house.
' In the first place you must have sys
tem. It is unwise to begin to study
the .minute you come from school.
First you should eat something, a slice
THE NEWSPAPER^BIRD WITH MOVING WINGS
I V YOU would^ like to make a little
I newspaper bird which will move Its
wings as though flying, cut a perfectly,
even. *xact 10 Inch square of newspa
• Fold the square from top to .bottom
Through the center, crease, open out
:;nd fold through the center from side
to' *id>?. crease, open out (figure 1).
Fold diagonally across the center from
lower left hand corner to upper right
hand, corner, crease, open out and fold
diagonally through the center from the
lower right hand corner to. upper -left,
hand corner, create and open out (figr
ure 2). Bring the side G-H to the
centra! diagonal. lino/I-K, fold down
and crease. Fold the corner I> over.
to mcd' the corner H, as; in figure .3;
rrcjiSf and open out; .then -bring the
«-i<le H-J to meef the diagonal central
line K-I and fold /over- the corner
L to meet the corner H, crease and
ppen out. Uee the 'other diagonal cen
limb of an oak tree a torch to ignite
'the neighboring,, trees "; with its fierce
glare.
. How swiftly the fire ran! How rap-;
idly it gathered strength! How ,it
soon, reaching north and \u25a0southv~ina.de
an unbroken front of flame ,and
marched like a- battalion of a hostile
army through- the lamd!
'•Fire, fire," cried ...Minnie wildly,
wringing her hands. "Papa, olr papa,
the woods are on fire."
She ran from the house toward the
orchard where * her father had been
picking fruit. She gasped Jn dread;
when' she saw that he was not there.
Frantically she called to him, but her
voice was not answered, except by the
echoes that came - back from the- hills
and from the walls of a near canyon.;
Where had. her father gone? .This
question the 15 year old miss asked
in agony. / . \
She looked eagerly toward wllere.the
first white blur of smoke had stained
the air and saw that now it was like a'
pillar of cloud— such as the bible his
tory' mentions in connection with the
flight of the Israelites from Egypt.
She heard, too. the faint, becauseyet ;
distant, crackling of burning under-,
brush like the rattle of musketry on
a battle front- The wind that blew
across the country to her was tainted
with smoke. .
"It is time to act," cried Minnie; "the
time to goto the rescue of the people
over the ridge; to warn them and to
save them, if I can."
She hurried back to the bouse; found
the small sack in which her father kept
his gold coins, placed that In her dress
front and also the picture of her dead
mother — taken from her when she was
a baby; then she was ready to be off.
Jack the roan whinnied as she drew
near where it was idly browsing in a
corral. The intelligent animal • was
fond of Minnie, and while it would not
permit any other person to mount its
back, was as docile as a kitten under
,Jier sure guidance.
One leap and th» girl was at -the
roan's side. One swift movement and
sfi*e was upon his back. She had seized
the spurs that her father left in the
corral and put them on; she had picked
up a riding whip from the ground—
and now she was off.
Off yn an errand of mercy and of
daring! Off like the wind toward the
gap- in the hills where the wood road
joined the county turnpike, off toward
the endangered farms beyond; off to
•ward the county school house whose
bell, : rung with fierceness, like \an
alarm, was always sufficient to make
every farmer who heard it drop plough
of bread and butter, or a little fruit,
or drink a glassful of milk, as soon
as you take off your hat. Put your
books and every thought of school
aside for awhile. Take a walk, play
tennis, .drop In upon your chum, or put
your room in order; but let there be
a real space between school work and
home work. - *
In boarding schools, where the girls
have a schedule, appointed for them,
tbe hours of study are arranged with
a view to letting Hhe students have a
chance for play as well as for work.
Then, whatever time you select,
either an hour in the evening and an
other in the or two consecu
tive hours before going ; to bed, put
your whole self into your work. Do
not let yourself be persuaded to slip off
for an evening of pleasure. School
girls should have nothing to do with
society, you can not go to parties and
dances and picnics and take excursions
here and therej while you are at school
without falling below your right per
centage, and incurring an accumulation
of work. School-time is your seed time.
If you are thorough and diligent In
your preparation, you .will have ease
and joy, and go on with flowing sail
when you are In college, or have en
tered some field of business, or^are a
home daughter with engage
ments.
School comes first in a school girl's
life, and if you have music . lessons
then manage your hours for practice
so that they do not interfere with your
school work.
LINA BEARD
tral line M-N as the center and; f6ld
the side G-H'.to meet' it; then the
side H-J. % Open .'.-.' but and ' fold ': down
the .other • two 'sides jL-G 'and '< L- J in
the . same manner,; makihg-jthe ; corners
G and, J meet, crease, 'open out and
you will have figure' 4.
Cut the, four} short,; heavy* lines
marked O; bend: forward all 'eight cor
ners" formed, by, the cuts^to; meet ,-thie
central diagonal lihes,;four;iaps" to each
line, in -this .way making a", four] point
ed star' (figure 5). C Fold ; the 'star
through the center. t brJnging : inside all
trie - loose edges (figure 6) ;> bend >* up
one of the" lower points jalongi dotted
line P-P- (figure 6), r'which ,",will give
you figure: 7; turn-.the^birdv over and
bend back the corresponding f opposite
corner in y .thc sanie'..way: (figure: 8).,
These upturned <form the
wings. The' point Q . Is the; beak^; bend
it down from the center .-- potntv of the
bird backv(figurej 9), then "up again 1
along dotted"; line," ; and it\will , f orm a
new lower point, R (figure: 30); fold
thVtail S£(figure:lo) ;down and}up;in
The Sail Call^y Sat\irday,; Au^usif. l4; v J909;%-Tiie^ Junior Gati:
In the furrow, pruning- knife in , the
"orchard, ax' in the forest. Off .with
fire,- the monster, racing after -her as
fast as the wind could drive it through
the dry land! \u0084
Half a mile ;. from the corral- she
shouted ? with joy, for her.keen Veyes
saw In the soft ground the tracks of
"Dick," ; the brother; of the roan, and
she saw. that it was going toward the
distant town. That explained what had
become of her father. ;He had, un
known to her,; started; for the : country
store to: get something that he needed.
"Thank God!" said Minnie, and tear 3
for the first time ran down her cheeks.
"Thank God he is not in the hills. Dear,
dear'Popsky; you are safe-^and now!"
So began her wild ride. How the
roan strode onward and upward where
the trail rose! He ran around a curve
by which . the chip's that had fallen that
day from Jiiss master's ax were still
fresh and fragrant. His nostrils quiv
•;, We lose many precious minutes by
dawdling. A girl or a woman who
goes on with her work without wasting
time" will always keep ahead of her
work. Hurry and worry make home
work a dreadful task, and your work
should be carried lightly and not like
a painful ; duty. Remember that school
comes first; before your, dress, your
friends, your play; they are, all sub
ordinate to the day's work, the school
work and the home work as well.
The Laurel
Along, long time ago there were nb
laurel trees in the woods, and what we
know as this tree is the enchantment
of ; a ; beautiful nymph, Daphne. ; She
was - the daughter of the river god
Peneus and- roamed contentedly through
the woods. Apollo was attracted by
her charms and sought her frequently,
"but^ she did not care for his attentions.
One time when she saw him coming
she. ran from him, and he followed
close behind her. Fearing that she
might be caught Daphne entreated
Diana, the goddess of the chase. 4.0
come to her aid. Her 'prayer was an
swered, and when the sun god caught
the nymph in his arms he feund it was
no maid at all, but the trunk of a tree.
Apollo felt that the spirit .: of Daphne
was in the tree, so he saluted it with
kisses and made a wreath of Its leaves
for his head. It is the peculiar origin
of the laurel, that makes it^an emblem
of victory, and its , shelter .was
in days long ago to prevent one from
being struck by lightning. »
the same war (figure, 11).> Form^the
bird's head: by. bending, down and in
ward i through-/ the f center., the- extreme.
end;of -the; beak; (figure 12) ;Tmark; eyes'
and 'feathers .with ink> on;th"e.bifd, ; arid
with; thumb and' forefinger ; of :^ each
hand V hold the, : bird by- ; its i feet or- the
two / lower" points '\u25a0;- 5 ,> and ;' S land v push '
t he points toward \u25a0 each fotherAback \ and
forth:: and -you 'will .; se.e\the^ bird ; move
its; wings as If-r flying; in' 'a* most' lifelike'
manner.'^ Should the; paper; t-ear.- where :
the iWihgs join oiiithefbody;. paste" a ibit :
of S'cloth j over : the ; places ."• and .the\ bird "-\u25a0\u25a0
.will;; last ; long >; time* ;Ifyyou v > would
make/sure -that the .wings ; shall -not~~
tear from; the body; .'even ;if
constantly,, take v the ;birdl : ,when -you
have .reaches; the star shape while fold-
Ing thef paper ?• and p'ciie ') short harrow
strips ,«f ; cloth, diagonally • over \u25a0each
'itngle,i. or -corner- of \u25a0-. the /center /square*
of ; the: stay ; ;Awhen.f dry'; 'continued folding
the blrdvint,b 5 its j proper -shapr.^ r r
Birds give .'best J satisfaction wlion
made i of > paper ranging* from. a ' f five "
incHftoa ten inch"; squara.;;;'' \ y :.
ered as hecaught the plaintive note in
Minnie's voice, for he, understood much.
"Jack,; Jack— now!"- ' >
. -The" ascending trail horse
nnd rider to a point whereMinniecoiild
look back a long: -distance. To her
horror, "she could : see = that : the flames
behind her. were spreading'out like a
fan rapidly. .They .were sweeping after
her now* onboth. wings of ;theiforest:' -
The; opening in front between; them
where , woodsmen had ; made an open
space was va' milcf and '\u25a0 a ; half away.
Soon," very soon, perhaps in : 10 minutes,
it "would ;be like /a', gateway friged by
barriers of 'flame, through j which- she
must go or fail. Her life hung In the
balance.',- She must reach the opening
within 10 minutes or— _
"I shall /make it' or die," she said
aloud, and the hardy, spirit- of the pio
neers of '49 was aroused.; "Now,;- oh
dear Jack!" '
j, Borne* up by the wind, sheets of
The Thrilling Rescue of a Mountain Climber by His Dog
(Translated from the French of J. 11. Rosny, by
Joseph Dilhan, for The Junior Call.) V '
. * iy I JO.", exclaimed Charles ; Mont
••|\ I fort, with ardor, ~t"I~ t "I 'don't
* I \| make any,. difference* between
I my dog- arid a man! "The
death ,of % that Incomparable
creature would make;' me as unhappy,
as the death' of niy, dearest' friend," and \u25a0
even more so. During^the-eight years
that .we have lived together not*, only
has he been the most 1 , perfect compan
ion, but twice has' he; saved my life in
circumstances where " a '\u25a0 ' two, legged •
friend would have only, had the chance
to die with me. .
- "If r were to live a hundred centu
ries I could, never forget the afternoon
of thelSthof July, 1897. I;started in
the morning of thatday: to- make the
ascent of ; the Diablerets.Without'belrig ;
; the Cervin,' ; nor^ even; the jJungfrau, It
. is a .high,; mountain,, and Ja.dangerous
one as well.} There: arej passes .where*
stones . % Bbmetime8 T ?rainY' in.?- sufflcient
quantity [ to v annihilate; a - squadron^.of
cavalry." I*^am; naturally; imprudent.'and
even reckless,' and; having three * times '
ascended 1 the Diablerets T flattered riiyi
self that I knew.'them thoroughly. My
/confidence, too, was' increased by "that
which. l hadjin the -instinct 6t -Miraut:
the brave, dog; is* a: mountaineer -and,
he 'has not /only the memory of the
roads, but>also,-a? remarkable sense of
direction. --" * .. \u0084
.:•> "We started \ from Anzeindaz ] \u25a0 before
daybreak and reached -the of the
mountain toward 9 o'clock in; the' morn
ing. In coming;. back^l " engaged " my
self, againstUhe opposition -of the dog,
..Ih/a moraine: that I thought^l recog
nized. It .was one; of," those /terrible
places "with .which . the .. mountain
abounds, and 'where, furthermore, 'our
Contemporaries i find, pretend flrid,
the emotions of '.the 1 sublime. \u25a0-'\u25a0 I "crossed*
it without difficulty, ; roasted by a- sun"
more ardent,*; 'l'.'. should : swear,: than the
fiercest rays of the ' Sahara: ;Everybody;
knows ; with .what : strength the, rays of
heat strike: in ..the.altitudes; thef flesh:
of my shoulders >,and , my shoulder
blades was - literally burned., V\] ;' %;.^ r ;
• "We were : happy,; Miraut and I, to sit
down in;3 thef;.- shade:; of ,;• \u25a0 an, en6rmous
\u25a0 block ; of "stone to -recuperate, vwith the r.
help ;of "a-comfortable . breakfast"; of cold
meat; ; goat'eheese r and ; excellent fbread :
of [the Cotier farm.^Only I had the im r
prudence to; empty a • flask; of rdezaley,^ a \u25a0
little;, white wine of inoffensive 'appear-''
ante, but pretty treacherous.; It went v
Oft in vfhe Stilly Night
Oft -inthestilly night, \>
iil;Ere j slumber's v chain -has; bound me,
Fond : memory; brings s the light
Of other-days arourid:_me;s
The :smiles,i the: tears,/. *
. Of boy hood's years, ,' .
V The wordsfof. love, then.spoken
The -eyes* that ;shone^..;'^*i'- ; ;:
. •}*> Now dimmeVij and -gone^^^^^^s
* The cheerful hearts;- now broken! ''\u25a0
Thus,:in:the':stilly; ; nlslit,; ; ; ;7: \u0084 f ,
'•-. I Ere .. slumber's /chain ; has Abound Tnie,
Sad^memory-bririgsthe light . ". /.
Of other "days around me../ :;
When I; remember all > J
: The; friends; sojllnked together, >'
rve'seen^around'mQjfall, |
Like : leaves i in « wintry weather, "
I feelllike one • ' -
< ;WhqUreads^alone^;':;^ "; v-^ 1 , -
Some ibanquet^riall!: deserted,
I VWhosepightsj are ; fled ,\ ;
, \u25a0 Whose/garlands i dead, '
And'alUbutMieydeparted!"; v 7 '
Thus.l in-, the; stilly,t night, ; :--. v : \u25a0 ;
;. Ere chain; has-, bound inie,;
; Sadfmemory'bringsjthe.llght
\u25a0-.'.; Of^ot her; days around; me. " -_\
\u25a0 '"\u25a0-. \u25a0-'.•" * * ; . f ; --:Thomas;Moore.-7;
The Pleasant l:ife
jiWhen.l-cametbackj.tj i When.l-cametbackj.to L Nature'slways,y,/
After^aiicityJsMll rdays, V-". *;d • \u25a0'
* saw, inT, summer, :flelds; ; of ; gold:
; That >' billowed ?:in\the\wiridiand^ rolled
Agai nst ? green ~£ and '"the;-, tr ee ." '
- [When! all 5 its>leayes "danced' merrily ;• i
And saw /the look
With\ eyesTwhose : I ??.! ie ? ' hardly* shook; ,
And; clouds Uha t- changed . heaven's face,
\u25a0 v -.'^'~i ! - andiycould"; ,V ; ; "v .\u25a0_ :V-'{/^: V-'{/^ .''\u25a0'*, '^'/<-
Seem 'iiio^ionless^stareihoWllVwould;^
And all
In: leafy woodsj'and-; meadows V green; '*.'•'.
,When/l>;saw( these: sweety ."sigh ts;?and;
tVvf^^ihe&r&^x^y\: : ;''"' : ;\u25a0 .';' ; ' V>;'- ; ''"-,;> : ;'.',
rrhe i music jinadeiby,sbro6k ; and,* bird,- ,
The| skylark^s'ivoice;: that; happy; hour.' \u25a0..
•HeTsoa red * up ;' th rough; a sunny/ shower ;>
'And ; woodland brook; that '3 raised his.
V:-^..-^ tones i.'['; '::^'^' > : }';-"\u25a0 r :: % "',V '\u25a0'.^•"T'i /
[Each^tiriie he. came; to^rocks and j stones, ;
When \u25a0: I \u25a0 saw /•itliese 'sweet- sights fi and,;
,\u25a0 ' .\u25a0/\u25a0\u25a0%'' heard;, ; .>„' .-:;*\u25a0; ;<:-C "'' * J " *.
\u25a0The ?^"usici:hiades by,. bfook >and Vbirdj; v
yXatur'e/,v I,4saidiy : 'take;.thou -my Xtfust
\u25a0Until >.this* ; Earth l reclaims litsYdu'st.'V.;<.
sparks were sailing like fiery, gnats . as
Minnie drove" down' the -hill : beyond the
rise'e arid ' tho clanging; of (the roan's
hoofs .was f.like the battle
drums. as .they ; atruek [the: flinty soii.of
the roadbed. On %Tie,r: reirif hand . ; ,-' 4 a
spark fell, scorching ; her jsunbrowhed
skin. ; t One •on her s wavy dark
hair and she^ picked^ the live'coal "out
with ; har lingers, * nor \u25a0 did she cry out
with the pain." • : •\u25a0 '.» "-\u25a0»
•.What a. race!. There were' now. two
fiery battalions {"marching^swiftly on
either; hand,i instead of ; one, each grow
ing \u25a0 mor.e - deadly .each instant, >'\u25a0 to bar
? her -way;;.,.;- v"? 'r:~\ "r'~S\ ';,\u25a0"'':\u25a0\u25a0:- •{"-•\u25a0 ./\u25a0' •„
T^he^ grass in f ront of ; h«r by ~ the
dusty.; roadside I was faglow.f i\The dried
weeds and) the rails 7 of; the fences that
margined -the iroad^began to' smoke.
The air was "stifling 4 , and; her eyes ached
and; smarted so that;she -could hardly
see.";''-;;'';^ \u25a0\u25a0:' '}\u25a0./:\u25a0'\u25a0'..\u25a0"; : . -\u25a0'.'-,';.
"Jack, Jack!',' v she cried hysterically.
to my head and excited me. I started
again to-walk through 'the bed of a.
torrent, then by : a; corpice', that I
thought I had already j crossed." Miraut .
made again ; a little opposition,;but:fin
ished by having ' complete 'cohndence in -
the 'human' genius and' : followed nic
philosophically. The" cornice passed, I
realized positively that v l was lost. The:
most' elementary,; prudence .would
me to: retrace my steps and to depend
entirely in the ;. future ; on < the •_ superior '
instinct of ; my t dog, but the dezaley is
a ; wine which ? produces obstinacy r and,
vainglory. I: believed that I^could find
an issue and continued ; resolutely, on ,
my; way, which was becoming more "and *
more ; difficult. '.Once ,or twicer I heard
the : furious trolling, of ? big stones. A
confused discretion began to germinate
fh my -brain; besides the dezaley was
evaporating', and lit\le~ by -little rl was
f eeling^a disagreeable : ,weakness In my \u25a0
articulations." Suddenly. l found myself i
in space. ftBSSS^^XS^^^SsSSA
• • •' .'\u25a0' - /
"A~-wall nearly perpendicular, a hun
dred: feet high, hardly interrupted by
a .few .projections; -joined; a" sinister
chaos of stone.: .All .around . grayV
masses, \u25a0 formidable layers -- of stone, : "
peaks,> tops, the mountain dug.up, torn"
to ' : pieces, • ruinous :; the : desolation arid
death. , I ' had.a chill: :;l: ;l thought of;
nothing Except to! return I . as quickly as •
possible. "But before? starting^ exam
ined -my ; '.my f piolet,:; my .;, hooks,
and ''especially ; my good^manila rope.
I;had detached it and: was; looking at
it; from; all, sides, ..when* the'; noise of a
stone ; made v; me jump.'; ; I -will not ; do
like those "duellsts"(who ' enumerate the
attacks and; the parries ; that \u25a0 have pre
ceded the fa'tal'thrust. I haye'a vague,
remembrance : that ' ttie ' stone wa s 1 ' com-^
ing or appeared. to -be comingjupon; me;
that; I -made ; a " false move— and' after ':
WOULD YOU LIKE?
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Junior Callus Certificate Contest
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.' . ". '" "_, , .'".'.'..'/ .. — — — — — r- r*- — : : .'. ' .
Junior Contest pept..
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to.Uhe.roan, and she dropped the reins
almost in des pal r on the brave "an imal's
neck; -but knowingtha^he would save
them^both and the village, if 'it could
be possible. V V V
: But what fiery legions .beset her pati!
on all sides! v What '{S'terrible death to
meetlj^Qg^Qg ' ' ; „-" >
The- roan's heart thrilled with -pride
as tie felt the' re^ns drop, for; he under
stood ;that'ifcis. brave lfttle mistress had
trusted all; at last' to him.-,
v . ? - Into-: his v powerful and" steel like': mus
cles '•'. came, suddenly . .the vigor and
strength of a giant. .
'He .leaped -forward, so that Minnie
was almost Then he settled
into a steady, fierce run, making a race
as j brave V and perilous', as ever horse
had 'attempted since; time began, r ' , .
• "To right and to left ahead the bushes
welcomed the clouds of descending
sparks ; and became^blazing fagots. , The
"spirit of the wind urged the breeze with
sudden \u25a0 fierceness, and, see, the \u25a0 gate
way ahead "is crossed- by the blazing
limbs of trees; that fall, hissing;" and
crackling, fiercely, and all escape seems
to be cut off. >
."\Vhat next?" . -
. The horse decides that. He' leaves' the
rbadVandvruns; with .headlong ; speed
down a , steep : bank toward the creek,
far., below." He plunges .through : bushes
and .briers,' w str^lng at them fiercely.
He , 'slides, Jeaps, goes down like a pro
jectile -from' a ; catapult, • -and "the lower
limbs of -the trees and the cruel briers
brush against the brave .little rider and
tear 4 her. : hands and face, but she is as
determined to go on as ever.
. >"Let lthe"; horse run! Let him leap, roll
if ; he • will, brave old rJack ; bravest tfnd
best of horsep"— so she bravely thinks.
His- feet strike a- stone and he falls
to his : knees',": but Minnie, ; by ~ force of
iron _will, stays in- her. seat.' The stone
rolls > and- the horse must "slide — slide
downward like -a toboggan,. through low
hanging and suffocating, smoke— sliding
to what? To death "or; to delivery? .
Ahead of him stones .whirl and smok
ing ;'clo'ds; hasten through .the bushes
and are lost to'vlew.VThen the bank* is
perpendicular ; and 'horse and rider fall
sheer down 1 , down, dizzily and fear
fully. *
. -What. shall save them now? -They are
going: through darkness of smoke,' In
which. neither can seel- They are drop
ping, dropping, and the tree lops far
above, waving madly in the throes of
burning, and stirred by the wind, which
has been increased in force by the fire,
seem,to niockthem. '
The spirit of the fire shouts at them
a drop in the emptiness I found myself
suspended by my coat— a strong coat,
by way— to a point of rock which
emerged from the" wall like a great/
stone horn.' .
"I was unhurt, hardly dazed, but I
thought that It would ; have. been as
well to have rolled to the bottom; then
death would have been "instantaneous,
while no w; I : was going to ; agonize for
long hours; <no help to expect, nobody,
to be , sure, would pass In that place.
I deliberated -at first ' if It were not
better to detach, my coat from the rock
and : precipitate -myself into space, but
the instinct of V the conservation Is
powerful— and, furthermore,. I remem
bered immediately that I was not alone;
my -companion?" his head projecting
over the abyss, was whining in dis
tress. . . \u0084
"If I only had my/ rope! Alas! it
was at the foot of the horrid wall,
with my hat. and my . piblet. A
"Here »I arrive at the unbelievable
part 'Of;; my story," 'continued Montfort.
VI must tell you- ftfst, 1 however, that I
had often ; rehearsed with Miraut scenes
of "rescue in -the mountains. He re
membered certain words, *piolet,' 'al
penstock,' •.'rope,** etc. He had learned :
already, more or less adroitly, to throw
me objects from high above, and he'
.would, no doubt, for example, throw
my. rope if he; had it handy,, missing
the throw, possibly. But how could he
go to get that rope in the abyss where
it had fallen?
'"Let us try,' I said to myself, with
out I any i hope, as^you may well under
stand.}! raised my. head toward Miraut.
I pronounced several, times the word'
'rope'; I: pointed to it; with my hand,
at the base. of the wall.; For a moment
Miraut satisfied himself by whining
plaintively. He did no^ understand —
from. every crackling , and : crumbling
tree trunk and limb as they rush to the
end. . .
.Then something cool and deep— oh. so
deep-T-seems to rise -up to meet; them.
They sink in its depths until It seems to
Minnie that they will never come up
alive, either horse or rider.
But the horse, led by Instinct, swims
upward, for they have fallen into a
reservoir, the waters of which- are held
back by a, dam. . They rise Just as
Minnie, almost exhausted by her ter
rible ride, is about to give- up the fight,
the brave /fight, after all.
." They rise and Minnie 'draws in her
breath" strongly. The" water has cooled
and. refreshed her and given her
strength. She guides the horse 'to. a.
place .where they pan land and turn
him loose. to look out for himself. She
runs back to where an Iron ladder
leads downward many feet to a trail.
The. ladder is hot. but she- does not
shrink from its ardent touch nor , let
go her hold.
, Down she , goes until she can step
on solid! land. Then she creeps pain
fully and sore to where the county
Bchoolhouse stands, two miles from the
town.
Unhesitatingly she breaks out a win
dow with a stone and with much, pain
and struggle climbs Into the school
house. "With her scarred and scorched,
hands she seizes the rope that is fast*
ened to the school boll and pulls.
Ding, dong! Ding, dong! Dangj
dang, dang!
How the bell sings and hums! How
it roars for help!
The town people over the ridge hear.
They guess what . the trouble ts and
come running with wet sacks to beat
out the spreading fires. They find Min
nie, the little heroine, lyins on thd
schoolhouse floor, unconscious but
breathing.
Tender 'women -raise her after* a lit
tle. She opens her eyes and her first
thought Is of her faithful and brava
horse.
"Save Jack," she whispers feebly andl
again faints.
' "He ;is* safe," is" the answer.
.Twenty- four hours later Minnie re
gains consciousness and hears, amid
grateful thanks of the young and the
old that her - timely alarm has saved
the town."
. The ' count** people have raised a>
monument by/ the^county schoolhousa
to tell all passers 0/ the brave deed oJ
Minnie and Jack. : Inseparable compan
ions, best of friends, bravest of ad-«
venturers. §HSM •
and even'lf he had understood? Sud»
denly his yelping stopped, his head dis-
appeared. I hung there alone in an
Immense - and horrible silence, hardly,
troubled by the. slight creaking of xny
coat which was.verj- slowly giving to
my weight. How long that lasted!
I-- do *not know, but it was terribly
long.
"Finally the barking of the dog
came from uuder me. Miraut was ia
the abyss. For the first time a light
of hope flashed across my mind, I
encouraged the animal with my sweet
est voice. I repeated again and again
the fatidical word. Again silence, a
long, terrible waiting,- and again the
barking of the dog, this time above
me. .Then. his. head bent toward space,
the rope hanging from his teeth' — the
decisive moment, and how terrible!
For, this time, there was bo doubt of
what v Mlraut -would do. To the order
he would do what he had done tnou
sands of times in our training lessons.
Only, would not the rope fall back to
the foot of.,the- wall?. , After la^miquta
of hesitation I" gave the decisive com
mand.! The rope Hew into space. For
a mere trifle, a centimeter, a tenth oC
a second, everything would- have been"
lost, but all .went .well! I' was ;grasp
ing the ropef I was saved! 1 had only
to pass a knot around the stone horn
and let myself go down. Th« abyss
brought me to a practicable road. and.
three hours later ."we .were baclc to
"You^will .how find i it perfectly nat
ural,- that 'Miraut seems to
me the equal of a man. and that I liava
for the instinct as much esteem as, for
the intelligence. There is a genius of
instinct as there is a' genius of reason.
The ISth of July, 1597, my dog, Miraut,
had genius." '
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