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Authors: Fay Risner
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Briskey home. The windows were dark as they
should be that time of night.
Just south of the house, was the cornfield.
The driveway was at the northern end of the field which was good.
Corn shocks loomed out of the darkness in no particular pattern but
easy to get at. The gunny sack slung across the horse's back held
small juice bottles filled with kerosene and a box of matches. All
the supplies needed to teach Rudy Briskey a lesson he wouldn't soon
forget. The rider stopped the horse by the first corn shock just
inside the gate hole.
I will sprinkle kerosene on the shock. It
will not take much to ignite. The corn leaves are dry. I have to be
careful how much kerosene I use. I do not want to run out before I
finish what I started.
At arm's length the kerosene drizzled down
the dry stalks, filling the air with the scent of the fuel.
I need to move the horse ahead before I throw
the match in the fire so Jack will not get scared and run off.
Scratching a match on the side the box made a
raspy noise that seemed loud in the silence. A quick toss, and the
flaming match lit in the shock. As the flame took hold and grew
taller, the fire became brighter. The rider felt the heat and was
satisfied the deed worked out well.
Now to do the same to the next shock and the
next.
Soon a dozen shocks lit up with shooting
flames against the dark sky, and dense gray smoke crept like fog
across the field. The smoky surroundings with flaring flames
turning the smoke red reminded the rider of the sun trying to burn
off a thick ground fog.
The fires make it too easy to be seen. Got to
get out of here and go home by way of Bender Creek Timber. My leg
hurts too much to stay on this horse much longer. Got to get home.
Got to get in bed.
The dark silhouette of the small wooden
building known as the phone shed came into view at the
intersection. The rider slowed the horse, debating whether to set
the shed on fire.
Nah, this time it will not matter. The field
is burning so fast the damage will be done before the firetrucks
can get here. I must not waste my time. I need to get home.
When the sheep, goats, horses and cattle
complained loud enough in unison, Rudy woke up, wondering what was
wrong. His sheep and goats gave terrified bleats that mingled with
the horses terrified screams and the cattle bellows.
The dogs ran back and forth in the yard,
barking ferociously. His first thought was coyotes or wild dogs
were in his flock. He scrambled from the bed. As he picked up his
rifle, Martha, asked, “What is going on out there?”
From the doorway, Rudy said, “I do not know,
but I am about to find out.”
When he stepped out into the cool darkness,
Rudy smelled smoke. That's when he saw the bottom half of the
cornfield a blaze. The fire spread fast across the field eating up
the dry grassy rows full of corn stubbles. While Rudy watched
another row of shocks went up in a blaze. A brisk south breeze
fanned the flames driving the fire closer to his house.
Rudy hurried inside to put on his trousers
and shoes so he could run to the phone shed down the road to call
the fire department. “Martha, get dressed and keep an eye on the
corn field. It is on fire.”
“Ach, nah,” Martha cried as she hurriedly
dressed.
“I'm going to the phone shed to call the fire
department. Our house and barn are in the path of the fire. Hitch
up the buggy and be prepared to leave fast.”
As Rudy ran to the phone shed, Martha ran to
the barn. She bridled a horse and backed him up to the buggy. Once
she had the harness in place, she drove away from the house. She
stopped in the road to watch. She prayed for the fire to be put out
before it reached her home.
In a few minutes, Rudy emerged out of the
smoke that surrounded the buggy, panting from his run to the phone
and back. He climbed in beside Martha, squeezed her trembling hand
and leaned back against the seat to wait.
Soon the fire trucks raced to Amish country
for the second time in a few days. Sirens blared
should be that time of night.
Just south of the house, was the cornfield.
The driveway was at the northern end of the field which was good.
Corn shocks loomed out of the darkness in no particular pattern but
easy to get at. The gunny sack slung across the horse's back held
small juice bottles filled with kerosene and a box of matches. All
the supplies needed to teach Rudy Briskey a lesson he wouldn't soon
forget. The rider stopped the horse by the first corn shock just
inside the gate hole.
I will sprinkle kerosene on the shock. It
will not take much to ignite. The corn leaves are dry. I have to be
careful how much kerosene I use. I do not want to run out before I
finish what I started.
At arm's length the kerosene drizzled down
the dry stalks, filling the air with the scent of the fuel.
I need to move the horse ahead before I throw
the match in the fire so Jack will not get scared and run off.
Scratching a match on the side the box made a
raspy noise that seemed loud in the silence. A quick toss, and the
flaming match lit in the shock. As the flame took hold and grew
taller, the fire became brighter. The rider felt the heat and was
satisfied the deed worked out well.
Now to do the same to the next shock and the
next.
Soon a dozen shocks lit up with shooting
flames against the dark sky, and dense gray smoke crept like fog
across the field. The smoky surroundings with flaring flames
turning the smoke red reminded the rider of the sun trying to burn
off a thick ground fog.
The fires make it too easy to be seen. Got to
get out of here and go home by way of Bender Creek Timber. My leg
hurts too much to stay on this horse much longer. Got to get home.
Got to get in bed.
The dark silhouette of the small wooden
building known as the phone shed came into view at the
intersection. The rider slowed the horse, debating whether to set
the shed on fire.
Nah, this time it will not matter. The field
is burning so fast the damage will be done before the firetrucks
can get here. I must not waste my time. I need to get home.
When the sheep, goats, horses and cattle
complained loud enough in unison, Rudy woke up, wondering what was
wrong. His sheep and goats gave terrified bleats that mingled with
the horses terrified screams and the cattle bellows.
The dogs ran back and forth in the yard,
barking ferociously. His first thought was coyotes or wild dogs
were in his flock. He scrambled from the bed. As he picked up his
rifle, Martha, asked, “What is going on out there?”
From the doorway, Rudy said, “I do not know,
but I am about to find out.”
When he stepped out into the cool darkness,
Rudy smelled smoke. That's when he saw the bottom half of the
cornfield a blaze. The fire spread fast across the field eating up
the dry grassy rows full of corn stubbles. While Rudy watched
another row of shocks went up in a blaze. A brisk south breeze
fanned the flames driving the fire closer to his house.
Rudy hurried inside to put on his trousers
and shoes so he could run to the phone shed down the road to call
the fire department. “Martha, get dressed and keep an eye on the
corn field. It is on fire.”
“Ach, nah,” Martha cried as she hurriedly
dressed.
“I'm going to the phone shed to call the fire
department. Our house and barn are in the path of the fire. Hitch
up the buggy and be prepared to leave fast.”
As Rudy ran to the phone shed, Martha ran to
the barn. She bridled a horse and backed him up to the buggy. Once
she had the harness in place, she drove away from the house. She
stopped in the road to watch. She prayed for the fire to be put out
before it reached her home.
In a few minutes, Rudy emerged out of the
smoke that surrounded the buggy, panting from his run to the phone
and back. He climbed in beside Martha, squeezed her trembling hand
and leaned back against the seat to wait.
Soon the fire trucks raced to Amish country
for the second time in a few days. Sirens blared
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