The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-11-14


the darkness. She cought him in her
arms and hugged him to her breast.
She felt Of his head, his arms, his feet;
sound and whole. How thankful she
was for that. But how those cruel hail
stones must have bruised him. She
rested him on the ground and crOuched
over him; she could move just enough
for that. The frightened child ceased
crying and put his arms about her
neck. IL she could only find something
to shelter them from the storm. She
reached around, but could touch only
cold mud.
OH that terrible pain! She had al
most forgotten il i'm her anxiety for her
child. 1t grew more and more intoler-
able. It seemed as though the hail
stones struck through her brain. What
II they killed heri Was she afraid to
die? Visions of eternity, of the heaven
OF her faith, rose before her. Should
she dwell with God and the angels for
ever? Was it possible that there would
never be an end? No, she was not
afraid of death. But her child, her
husband-how could she leave them?
Not yeti No, no, when life had Just
opened before her. She must live to
help John keep his promise. God would
spare her for that. How long il would
be until morning. How could she bear
the pain so long? Oh. it would be ter
rible if John should come and find her
lying there cold and stiff. John did love
her, OH so well. He had loved her so
long. It seemed so many yeaes since he
first told her that he loved her; it was
on the mountain side, in dear old Ten
nessee. How far away it seemed!
How the sun shOne and the birds
sang! How dreamy and bewildered
her thoughts were! How still the
bay wasl Yes, she could feel
his heart beat. She no longer felt the
pelting of the storm; had it ceased?
Her thought was answered by a rush
of wind from a new direction. She felt
the great weight lifting Off from her.
She was free! Then-something struck
her.
The train went snorting into Win
throp just at daylight. John jumped
off, and was the first to reach the ferry.
He had never seen Atchison so quiet
With the exception of those who had
crossed OH the ferry, and few early
risers who were hurrying up the street,
the town seemed asleep; but as he passed
was riding a mule, coming down in
great haste, who cried out, "How d'y,
JOhnw
"Why, Jake" he replied, sis that
you? l allowed you was half way to
Denver afOre nOw."
1--WE started yesterday, but we had a
powerful storm on the prairie out here,
last night. We CHANGED to be right near
to house, and they let us in; but il sent
our old wagons rolling over and over
across the prairie, like patch Of tumble
weeds, and our oxen all stampeded.
Pm on the hunt of 'em."
'It don't look like it had reached Atch-
ison."
mo; reckon it just took n streak"
John hurried on down the river The
road ran so near the bank that the
steady swash of the water seemed under
his feet. The birds were singing in the
trees, and the sunshine came creeping
down the bluffs overhead. How eager
he was TO get home that morning, His
heart was full of new plans and new
purposes. He could keep his promise,
and he would; he would never make
Nancy's heart ache again by breaking
that promise. He stopped suddenly
had the storm reached Sumner? The
tall buildings along the wharf were
leaning rOOtiess, one this way, another
that; as if the wind, coming over the
bluffs, had reached Just low enough to
unroOf them. He hastened around the
foot of the hill; there lay the brick
hotel, the boast of the town, in scattered
fragments over the ground, Ikea wasp's
nest scattered by the house-keeper's 's
broom. Helooked around; three-fourths
of the town lay in ruins. How was it
with his home? He ran up the street
until he could see where il stood. Gonel
/ Not vestige of il left. Perhaps they
had escaped before the storm; perhaps
Scarcely knowing what he did, he hur-
ried to the nearest house that was vet
standing, and without ceremony opened
the door. There was no one i'm the
room, but on a couch in one corner, a
white sheet "sunk to the still proper.
tiOns" of two silent forms. Moved by
some strange impulses, he turned back
the covering that shrouded the faces
Nancy and the baby. Shocked, stunned
he sank on his knees and laid his head
on that dear form. Who can describe
who can comprehend the utter desola.
lation Of that hour? Oh. the thought,
and memories that crowded upon him
] many vi NiAEAll DANNNAf NkANAAhA
! But there was one memory for whicl
he was thankful; that he had no
listened to the tempter which haC
whispered to him yester-mOrn, that i
would be weak and unmanly to yield t
her request.
They found him there an hour after
ward, but he asked no questions, mad
no reply to their attempts at consola
tion, and they left him alone with hi
dead.
There was "hurrying to and fro'' il
Sumner that day, for many were lef
homeless; many bruised and cripple'
by the storm. And the mourners VIII
wended their way up the long hill L
the burying-ground, were as silent a
though the silence had been broke
by the tolling of solemn bells.
In her recent "Outlines of Men, Won