Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1872-11-16
Tie Tempest.
BY GEORGE ID. PRENTICE.


Bra,e cry lay no claim to; still l was
never man of feeble courage. There
are few scenes of either human or ele-
mentary strife upon which l have not
looked with brow of daring. have
stood in front OF the battle when swords
were cleaning and circling around me
like fiery serpcnts OF The air. have sal
on the mountain pinnacle when the whirl
wind was rending its oaks from rocky
clefls, and scattered them piece-meal TO
the clouds. have seen those things
with swelling soul that rocked not OF
danger, but there is something in the
thunder's voice that seems TO make me
tremble like child. have tried 10 over
come this weakness /; l have called pride
to my ad have sought for moral cour-
aye in the lessons OF philosophy, but they
avail me nothing-at the first low moan
of tie distant clouds my heart sinks and
dies within me.
My involuntary dread OF thunder has
its origin in an accident that occurred
when | was ten. had cousin, a girl
of the same aye as myself, who had been
the constant companion of my childhood.
Strange that, after lapse of score OF
years. that countenanee is SO familiar To
me. - can see the bright, young Great
ure-her large eyes flashing like beauti-
ful gems, her free locks streaming as in
joy upon the rising gale, and her cheek
glowing like a ruby through wreath of
transparent snow. Her voice had the
melody and .joyousncss of bird, and,
when she bounded over a wooded hill or
the fresh, green valley, shouting glad
answer to every voice ut Eature, and
clas ping her httle hands in the very
ecs,acy of young existence, she looked as
il breaking away like a tr, ed nightingale
from the earth, aud going where all things
were beautiful and happy, like her.
1t was morning, in the middle of Au-
gust. She has been passing some days
at my fathers house, and was to return
home. Her path lay across the fields,
aud | gladly became the companion Of
her walk. Inever knew summer morn-
ing more beautiful aud still. Only one
litile cloud was visible, and that seemed
AS pure, and white, and peaceful, as if it
had been the incense from burning CEN
ser of the skies. The leaves hung silent
in the woods, the waters OF the bay had
forgotten their undulauons, the flowers
were bending their heads. as If dreaming
of the rainbow, and the whole atmos-
phere was of such soft and luxurious
sweetness that it seemed of roses scatter
ed down by the hands Of Il Peri from the
faroff gardens OF Paradise. The green
earth and blue sea were broad in their
boundlessness, and the peaceful sky bent
over them. The little creature at my
side was in delirium OF happiness, and
clear, sweet voice came ringing upon the
air as often as she heard the tones of a
tavorite bird, and found some strange and
lovely flower III her frolic wanderings.
The unbroken and almost supernatural
tranquility OF the day continued until
nearly noon. Then the indications of an
approaching tempest were manifest. Over
the summit of Inountain about mile
away, the folds Of a dark cloud became
suddenly visible, and at the same mo-
ment hollow roar came down upon the
winds, as if it were the sound Of the
waves in rocky cavern. The cloud un-
rolled like banner.told upon the air, but
still the atmosphere was calm, and the
leaves as motloness as before there was
not even quivcring upon the sleeping
waters 10 tell of the coming hurricane.
To escape the tempest was impossible.
81 AS the only resort, we fled 10 an oak
that stood at the loot of tall, ragged
precipice. Here we gazed almost breal b.
iessly upon the clouds, marshalling them
selves like giants in the sky. The thun-
der was not frequent, but every burst
was SO fearful that the young creature,
who stood by Inc, shut her eyes convul-
,sively, clung with desperate strength TO
my arm, shrinked as ifher heart wolud
break. A few minutes, and the storm was
upon us. During the height of its fury,
the little girl lifted her finger toward the
precipice that lowered above us. Hook
ed, and amethystine flame was quvering
upon its gray peaks, and the next mo-
ment the clouds opened, the rocks iotter-
cd to their foundation, the roar like the
groan Of a universe filled the air, and |
felt myself blinded and thrown, l knew
not WHITTIER. How long | remained in
sensible, cannot tell; but, when con-
seriousness returned, the violence of the
tempest was abating; the roar of the
winds dying in the neetops, and the
deep tones OF the the thunder coming in
faint murmurs iromtbe eastern hills. -
l arose, and looked tremblingly and
almost deliriously around. y She WAS
"H a III q . ..