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Show about them. Later, he wandered over to the Madsens to his mother (Katie's friend) and spent time playing with and amusing Vearl. The neighbor boy was nearing his fifth birthday. Both mothers were unaware of their boys' leaving as they crawled under the high picket gate to play in the street between the two homes. There was a lot of rabbit brush growing in that street and in August it was covered with dry, fuzzy blossoms. As they moved southward in their play, they found a large rock by a clump of brush and Vearl sat upon it to watch the older boy strike his matches. The brush blossoms were tinder and a brisk breeze from the right direction swept sparks toward the smaller boy sitting in the direct path of the breeze. With blouse ignited, he ran screaming toward home. Hearing him, Katie dashed for the gate and caught Vearl, by then a living ball of fire, as he rolled under it. Spreading her full skirts about him to smother the flames she carried him into the house and to his bed. Her neighbor friend rushed to find someone to send for the boy's father, and the messenger met John K as he was leaving work on his horse. He covered the distance across town in a mad dash to reach his home and family. Doctors knew little about the treatment of massive burns in great degree, and there were few effective remedies. In the aftermath of shock to his system, Vearl soon lost consciousness 79 |