Gaut Gurley; Or, the Trappers of Umbagog: A Tale of Border LifeThompson, Daniel P. (Daniel Pierce)
General
Gaut Gurley; Or, the Trappers of Umbagog: A Tale of Border Life
Thompson, Daniel P. (Daniel Pierce)
Frontier and pioneer life -- Fiction; Maine -- Fiction; Trappers -- Fiction
The immediate danger to their house from the fire, with which we left the
alarmed Elwood and his wife contending, was, indeed, easily overcome by
dashing pails of water over the roof. But scarcely had they achieved this
temporary triumph in one place over an element proverbially terrible when
it becomes master, before it was seen kindling into flickering blazes on
the roof of the barn and the locks of hay protruding from its windows and
the crevices between the logs of which it was built. Here, also, they soon
succeeded in extinguishing the fire in the same manner. They were not,
however, allowed a moment's respite from either their labors or alarms. The
fences were by this time on fire in numerous places; and the chips and wood
in the door-yard were seen to be igniting from the sparks and cinders
which, every instant, fell thicker and hotter around their seemingly
devoted domicil. The fences, after a few vain attempts to save them, were
given up a prey to the devouring element, and the whole exertions of the
panting and exhausted sufferers were turned to saving their buildings; and
even at that they had no time to spare; for, so hot had the air become from
the burning slash, which, through its whole length, was now glowing with
the red heat of a furnace, that every vestige of moisture had soon
disappeared from the drenched roofs, and they were again on fire.
"Is there no way of raising help?" exclaimed Mrs. Elwood, in her extremity,
as she witnessed these increasing manifestations of danger.
"I never thought of that," said Elwood. "Hand me the dinner-horn. If there
are any within hearing, they will understand, with the appearance of this
fire, that we are calling for assistance."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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