| Show FLEEING FROM FIRE the experience ot visitor to a lumber camp la northern the most exciting experience I 1 ever had said T E spencer to a writer for the st louis globe democrat was in a forest fire near manistee mich I 1 had visited a small lumber camp and retired to rest in one 0 the hunks provided for the choppers I 1 was swale end by a strong light from the north and going outside of the wooden shanty it seemed to me that the entire world was on fire it cracked and snapped danced and jumped as if the demon of fire was holding a high carnival and celebrating the end of the world from every side could be heard sounds like the firing of cannon and the shrieks of human beings it was the falling of the boughs and the sighing of the wind but I 1 never heard so horrible a sound nor witnessed so weird and terrible a sight hastily awakening the other men in the camp I 1 mounted a horse and fled from the flames but the horse could not keep pace with the progress of the fire the lurid heavens looked as though they were at molten heat the air was stifling the smoke almost suffocated me while falling leaves and boughs burned my horse and the sickening odor of burning flesh added to the horror within two or three hours I 1 was in an opening where I 1 was no longer in danger but my horse was badly injured while my clothing was full of holes where embers had struck me I 1 will take my chances with cyclones or earthquakes but not with a burning forest again |
