Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1865-09-26
S e Z e @ r s r Q q z.
The Thunder Storm.
BY GEORGE D. PRENTICE.


I never was a man of feeble courage
There are but few scenes of either human or
elemental strife upon which | have not looked
with brow of daring. | have stood in bat
tie, when the whirlwind was rending oaks
from their rocky cliffs, and scattering them to
the clouds. | have seen these things with a
swelling soul that knew not Of danger; but
there is something in the thunder's voice that
makes me tremble like child. I have tried
to overcome this unmanly weakness. I have
called perdi to my aid have even sought
to strengthen my moral courage in the les
soDs of philosophy, but it avails me nothing
At the first low moaning of the distant cloud,
my heart shrinks, quivers, and dies within me.
My dread of thunder had its origin in an in
cident that occurred when | was boy of ten
years. I had a cousin, girl of the same age
as myself, who had been the constant com
panion of my childhood. Strange, that after
the lapse of SO many years, that countenance
should be familiar to me. [ can see the
bright young creature, her eyes flashing like
a. beautiful gem. her free locks streaming as
with Joy upon the rising gale; her cheek
glowing like ruby through transparent
snow Her voice had the melody and jov-
business of birds and when she bounded
over the woodland hill, or fresh green valley,
shouting glad answer to every voice of ma
ture, and clapping her little hands, in the
very ecstacy of young existence, she looked
as if breaking away, free nightingale, from
the earth, and going off where al things are
beautiful and happy like her.
It was morning in the middle of August.
The little girl had been passing some days at
my fathers house, and she was now to return
home Her path lay across the fields, and
gladly became the companion of her walk.
| never knew summer morning more beau
tiful and still. Only one cloud was visible,
and that seemed as pure and white, and
peaceful, as if it had been the incense smoke
Of some burning censor of the skies. The
leaves hung silent in the woods, the waters
in the bay forgot their undulating, the flowers
were bending their heads as if dreaming Of
| the rainbow and dew, and the atmosphere
has such soft and luxurious sweetness that
it seemed cloud of roses scattered down by
the hand of a Peri, from the far-of garden Of
Paradise The green earth and blue waters
Law abroad in their boundlessnegs, and the
peaceful sky hung over them. The little
| creature dt Iuy StuC do IL q VI nap
piness, and her sweet voice came ringing cut
upon the air as often as she heard the note of
some favorite bird or found some strange and
lovely flower in her folie wanderings. The
unbroken and almost supernatural tranquili-
ty of the day lasted till noon. Then, for the
| first time, indications of an approaching tenn
past was manifest Over the summit of
mountain, at distance of about mile,
the folds of a large cloud became suddenly
visible, and at the same instant hollow roar
came down on the winds as If it had been
the sound of waves in rocky cavern. The
clouds rolled on like banner unfolded upon
the air, but still the atmosphere was as calm
and the waves as motionless as before, and
there was not even a quiver upon the sleep
ing waters to tell of the hurricane The
tempest was inevitable. AS the only resort
we fed to mighty oak that stood at the foot
|of the precipice. Here we remained and
gazed breathlessly upon the clouds marshall
ing themselves like bloody giants in the sky
The thunder was not frequent, but every
burst was so fearful that the young creature,
who stood beside me, shut her eyes convul-
sively, clung with desperate strength to my
arm, shrieked as if her heart would break.
In few minutes the storm was upon u.s.
During the height of its fury, the little girl
lifted her fingers toward the precipice that
lowered oyer us-I looked and saw an anne
thysine peak-the next moment the clouds |
opened and the mountain tottered to It's foup-
dation; a roar like the groan of the universe
filed the air, aud felt myself blinded and
thrown | knew not whittier.