e ploughing George was so taken that
it was sometimes a hard matter to get him to his dinner. And so, as I
was sitting on the piazza at my work, I suddenly heard in my dream a
kind of roaring noise on the _eastern_ side of the house. On running out
to see what was the matter, I beheld a dreadful sheet of fire bursting
from the roof. The sight struck me with a horror which took away my
strength, and threw me, almost senseless, to the ground. My husband and
the servants, as I saw in my dream, soon came up; but, like myself, were
so terrified at the sight that they could make no attempt to extinguish
the flames. In this most distressing state the image of my little son
came, I thought, to my mind, more dear and tender than ever, and turning
towards the garden where he was engaged with his little corn-stalk
plough, I screamed out twice with all my might, '_George_! _George_!' In
a few moments, as I thought, he threw down his mimic plough, and ran to
me, saying, '_High! ma! what makes you call so angry! ain't I a good
boy? don't I always run to you soon as I hear you call_?' I could make
no reply, but just threw up my arms towards the flame. He looked up and
saw the house all on fire; but instead of bursting out a-crying, as
might have been expected from a child, he instantly _brightened_ up and
seemed ready to fly to extinguish it. But first looking at me with great
tenderness, he said, '_O ma, don't be afraid! God Almighty will help us,
and we shall soon put it out_.' His looks and words revived our spirits
in so wonderful a manner that we all instantly set about to assist him.
A ladder was presently brought, on which, as I saw in my dream, he ran
up with the nimbleness of a squirrel and the servants supplied him with
water, which he threw on the fire from an _American gourd_. But that
growing weaker, the flame appeared to gain ground, breaking forth and
roaring most dreadfully, which so frightened the servants that many of
them, like persons in despair, began to leave him. But he, still
undaunted, continued to ply it with water, animating the servants at the
same time, both by his words and actions. For a long time the contest
appeared very doubtful; but at length a venerable old man, with a tall
cap and an iron rod in his hand, like a lightning-rod, reached out to
him a curious little trough, like a _wooden shoe_! On receiving this he
redoubled his exertions, and soon extinguished the fire. Our joy on the
occasion was unbo