Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-09-10
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1883.


west the blood red sun was rapidly setting
in mass of swollen clouds, which came rol.
ling mp with equal velocity, and soon sub
merged the orb Of light in their gloomy
folds. Ashis rays Departed, a lurid shadow
seemed TO creep over the earth, covering a'
with pail. An involuntary trcmor such
a. have often experienced when the at
mo.phcrc ha. been highly changed with ell
octricity, pervadcd my frame, and | knew
that thundcrs,orm was at hand.
Putting spurs to my horse, | sought to
~ before the coming tempest. Tho clouds
accumulated IN solemn piles; dense dark
ness oycrsprcad the earth and now and
then the thunder muttcr,d thratcningy.
Yet rode on over the hard dry road in
safety and quictudo until within a few miles
Of Gundagia.
Suddenly tho intense gloom was dI'pellcd
by a vyid lash Of lightning. AMI terrible
1ash Of lightning, and terrible peal Of
thundy- awokr thc slumbcrins echoes of The
valley, Ny frightened horsc snorted and
pluused violently, then stool trcmblinsly
in the road Another binding fash, an
other loud peal quickly followed, and the
terrified animal started forward at q full
gllloP.
And now the rain came down in such
force and volume that it was as It the Hood.
cato. of the deep had bccn opened. The
wind howcI nm,ngs, the tall gums, and
swept in fierce gusts a,hwart the path, lev.
cling many a goodiy tree, and denundins
Others Of their branches. Tho lightning
flashed with s-lrcelya moments inicrmis-
sion now in broad sheets Of livii aamo aud
now in rel .rsscd darts. Aud the awful
thunder
Bowing my head nearly to the horses neck
gave him the rein. H. needed no other
bidding than that offar to hurry onward'.
With s,ranius cychalI., and ear, laid back
he .pnns onward, at the top Of his sgccd
and in few moments stood painting a, the
siabIc.door in Gundagia.
| found E.,hor anxiou.ly awaitrp: mo
and much asIl,cI. It VA. the greatest
thunder storm she hal witnessed since our
arrival in now South Vale, anil | thiuS
that nothing ia my subsequent experience
at 90, equals %.
Tor myself, will cluillly admit that |
wa. appalled, aud nay efforts to snilc We're
such miserable aui 'rau'rarcn, failures that
alAnIrn-l tao attempt, and could on
ly reply 20 my wiic's whispered fears by ST.
l,nt.y pressing her to my breast.
TIE storm. Us is usual in Australia, trav.
clrl in a circle, passing from wc', to north
thence east, and - round again. Some
time. i, would nearly die away in the di'.
ianc,, then suddenly the clouds would
wheel up again with wondrous rapiiity,
and J,cr,pryal the vault Of heaven. Again
the angry glare Of the lightning would u,h.
cr IA such trcmondou. thuuIrr.shocks that
the very earth seemed to Quiver with the
conclusion. Meantime the rain poured
down inrcssIutly in one unbr0kcR discharge.
The elemental lin wa, dralcninc. The
bowling Of the wind, the nttlins Of the
rainfall on the .hinslc rooro the cottage,
and the roaring Of taund r. a'l combined,
wcrs - entirely oyerpoNsuus, that 'hc hu-
man voice at it, utmost pitch, failed to bi
heard at a distance Of twelve or fourteen
fcct.
In the midst of this uproar a more shau
unusually heavy thundcr-clap wa, followed
by profound calm. Gho rain ceased to
tall. the wind to blow. Stepping out into
the ycnuda, perceived that ,ho clouds
hung mOtionless, whilst in the sou Ih-castern
horizon was clear space wherein twinkled
- few .i,ysry stars. Tho storm.rack was
heapel up IN portcu,ious masses; aud !
fully ANTICIPATED = more violent outbreak OF
the tempest, thus arrested as 1t were, in mid
career. But presently the dark clouds
moved hack on the track they had - long
pursued, and with gradually accelerated
motion driiIcl norihwari. \ few pale
flashes, fccbly cleaning from the gloomy
canopy, enabled mc to perceive that some
strong force, q, yc; unfyIt on the earth caused
the cloud. to pursue this retrosradc course.
The surcharscI masses seemed to tumble oy-
er each other in their flight, and the bright
stars werc one by one unveiled. A, this
moment the scene was sublime.
Presently a soft breeze from the south
stirred my hair. II increased and coon blew
hard-so hard, indeed, that was glad to
return to my own iireside, and snugly seated
in my easy chair to listen u its fury.
By degrees distinguished another sound,
50 alike and incorporated with that OF the
rushing wind, that only half convinced, |
issued once more into the open air. Ii was
the roaring OF the Murrumbidsec river, aud
Of numerous cItemporized feeders. br the
suddcnne-s and force OF the storm had tom
porally converted every gulIey into tor
rent. BY the light Of tho stars could
perceive that the stream had ovcrtlowed it.
banks; but this circumstance created little
surprss. ina.murh as slight floods were Of
frequent occurrence ia aud around Ganda.
sia during the winter months. therefore
felt ~ alarm, hat listened to the turbulent
song Of the foamins current with positive
pleasure. Shortly afterwards We retired to