Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1875-04-08

q branch as the water came
through the mattress and COW
ers like it was a sieve, and at
one time the wind blew with
such force as to carry our COW
ering off some distance. Ru-
fus who was sleeping in the
store, got to Us about 3 o'clock,
having stopped on the way to
extricate some Of the dead and
wounded. When he got to the
ruins he was sure we were all
killed, as he heard no sounds,
and DIR. could do nothing get
ting about over the splinters,
nails and fragments of glass,
and had ceased TO call for help.
He told us that a great many
houses were blown down.
Soon others came, and they
quickly kindled a huge bonfire
from the fragments out in the
front walk, succeeded in finding
some clothes for Dr., then found
a large trunk and bureau on our
room floor with dry undercloth-
ing in them, which the kind
brought to my bed and when
we got them OH they carried us
all in their arms to the fire
Found my large wardrobe with
the doors gone lying on its side,
and we all got into it children
and y and kept dry through
succeeding showers. DIR. got
up as soon as Rufus came and
was exposed greatly as the rain
was from the northeast and he
had only his night clothes on. l
was so anxious about him.
Uncle Wesley was one Of the
first to come to us and insisted
that we should go on to his
house as soon as possible, and
remain until We could make
other arrangements. Aunt Fan
ney sent us clothes, and shoes,
and bonnets, but the roads were
so blockaded with fallen trees
and house timbers that we had
to wait till daylight.
In the meantime [ was cheer
full and even indulging in joke
about my dress skirt of black
silk and a polonaise of brown
alpaca, which was the best l
could find, as my usual dresses
had hung i'll the wardrobe and
now lay in various stages Of di-
lapidation.
About light we saw Aunt
Fanny coming on a mans sad
die and bareheaded. She called
to doctor as she drew near and |
caught brother Jordan's and
Marianna's name with the fact
that their house had shared the
same fate of ours. Then in
deed l realized how cruel the
storm had been. We had hoped
it had missed them, and l had
thought how quickly he would
come on hearing of our disas-
ter, and how sorry he would be
to find us in so pitiful a plight
not dreaming that even before
it reached Us it had taken his
life.
Oh it seems hard, but I will
believe that "He doeth all things
well, and that even our loved
ones are taken fromus inmercy.
Poor sister Lis. She was al
most frantic with grief, andsure-
ly Il woman was never left in a
more helpless condition; she had
never depended upon herself at
all. He was the very roof-tree
i'll their family edifice, a shield
for her from every care in life.
| have never seen her yet. DIR.
is just from a visit to her at
Bonneville; says. she is better
than we expected and says she
will go home when her house is
completed. He is going out to-
morrow to alter the plan of it,
and superintend the building
Of it. She will get enough from
the aid that has come for the
"sufferers" to help a good deal
toward building. Other towns
and neighborhOods have con-
tributed most generously to the
needy. He got her to promise
to come up next Wednesday to
look after her things--as she
does not know what has been
saved. Her cook stove is safe
but not one piece of furniture.
John Street carried them all
to his house and kept them till
after the burial. l was so glad
she got there; it was impossible
to travel the road from there to-
town except on horseback. I