The Potter journal and news item. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1872-1874, 1873-08-20

mill! the MILL" she shrieked. "The
mill is struck! And all your models
are there and all the grist! Oh!
Roger, Roger! Hurry! Run! Or it
will be ashes before you get there
and everything we have in the
world,"
Hester and l had changed places.
She, who never could 50 much as
whisper during thunder storm,
was on her feet and urging me to
action. And |, who had not cared
a doight for all the lightning that
ever burned before, sat dazed, and
dumb, and powcrless to move an eye
lash. She turned and shook my
shoulder. "The MILL" she ex-
claimed. at was struck then. Do
you hear? 1t will be in flames direct
ly. Are you struck, too? Are you
daft? Are you going to do nothing?
Then | must!" And, just as she
was, she plunged out into the storm
and the fresh deluge Of the rain, ran
and called the hands who were hud-
died in the sheds, and was at the mill
with them, eXhorting, commanding,
directing, just as the flame broke
forth into the open air, and while |
sat there unable to stir and in a black
whirl OF fear and torment. Now |
knew how Hester felt in every
thunder storm that ever darkened
round her-i, who saw ell | had Of
value in the world, except the old
structure where | sat, going to de
struction, palsied for my part, and
without lifting finger.
But Hester was doing for me.
Perhaps l knew that. l can't say.
i could see her, at any rate. The
tide was in, so that the creek was
full and easy to be used; and Hester
was urging and ordering, and here
the men were battering and tearing,
and there they were pouring on wa
ter, and now the flame was smoth-
cred, and now it was streaming up
again, and the thunder was rolling,
and the lightning was splitting hea-
ven, and she never bleached or fal-
tered.
It was a long, an appalling hour.
! had not one thought in it all.
beheld from the spot where l was
sitting the whole scene at the mill,
but only as l might have looked at
a dreadful picture, for | was con
scious in mind and body Of no SEN
sation but tOrturc-a blank torture.
such as an idiot might suffer. At
the close of the hour, Hester came
up the knoll with the men, laughing
and wringing the wet from her long
hair and her gown. The men had
the heavy model among them and
they brought it in and set it on the
big table. The storm had gone over.
The larger mill and the models were
safe. The other mill was not alto
gether gone. There was blue sky, |
there was Q great sunset, and there
was a rainbow arching half the hea-
vens; and Hester was full Of high |
spirits and forgetfulness.
She ran in and stopped in the door
way. "Ohl ought to have known,
I ought to have understood, / ought
to have remembered,' she cried.
And she called back the men, who /
lifted me in their arms and carried
me to the cistern room and there
and rubbed, and showered
and rubbed again. ] came to my
senses and was at last put away in
bed, restored and on the way to be
well.
The next night but one, feeble, but
quite myself again, was sitting at
the window, downstairs, with my
model on the table before me, where
they had laid it when, for Hester's
nscrutable purposes, they brought
It in.
81 had my just dues, Hester" said
[ ''for all my selfshness. We will
90 away from here now, at once.
There is not money enough in Amer
ca to tempt ne to undergo the tor
,ure of day-before-yesterday after
noon a second time. And now | un-
lerstand, now | feel what you have
endured under every thundercloud
IF your life"
Il shall never endure it again."
said Hester. $50 put your mind at
est"
Il never mean you SHALL" said l.
so far, at least, as l can help it."
Il mean that l am cured" she ex-
claimed, though | had to be struck