The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-01-21


carying death and destruction In its
tram.
\ The air seemed full Of the hissings Of
innumerable serpents. Birds flew
screaming over the prairie, and dumb
beasts hudiled together made piteons
moaning noises. Bess had stopped
still in the road. and was shaking in
every limb.
my drcami- cried Clara with
pale face and dis.end''l eyes, As she
seized Hary's arm.
GOOD Cod" he exclaimed, lit Is
2 the tornado. But we can save our
Z selves" Standing mp in the wagon he
turned ISess directly out Of the road over
the unfeneed prairie and put the lash on
I Ia the poor beast with the energy Of des-
pair. The frightened creature broke into
Z gallop. then into a run, unconscious
E in the thick darkness that had fallen
of the course she was taking. liz was a
mad. a frightful ride for dear life. Clara
was conscious OF screaming more than
once, but in the din Of the elements her
voice was completely lost. Smoke and
fire seemed TO issue from the ground
Her eyes were blinded by fierce dashes
IF rain and hail and dense clouds Of
dust.
Brown Bess carried the lovers well
that day. When perhaps two miles OFF
the track Of this demon IF the air they
stopped and looked back over the
devastated prairie. where the terrible
shadow was beginning Ia lift its lurid
edges. The tumuli had subsidized SO
that they could now hear their own
voices. Clara had fallen 10 weeping
historically. When she could >ubdue
her terror and the guivering in her
throat she said. in half whisper:
Harry, do YOU think il has passed
over Hartleys'
The change in Harry seemed TO have
made him old in an hour IL was the
change from a confident assurance of
happiness to an all-pervading sense Of
horror and loss. He was the image Of
spiritless detection A. he sat with his
head bowed and the reins held laNly in
his hand.
"Yes, Clara. there Is no hope for US
Hartley lay right in the track. There
isn't a stick Of the house left standing.
I haven't any home 10 take YOU To now.
Ii seems as though this thing came 10
mock me for the foolish words | had lust
spoken. But can't have the heart 10
think II any thing but poor Jack Cal
lender"
IL am sure he j. safe. Harry she
said. clinging to him, and trying TO
comfort him a little. ..And If the home
l. gone we still have each other. II
there l. no shelter for rs. love, we will
live like the birds on the prairie"
..Oh, Clara. bless YOU. YOU are too
good and the strong man put his head
down on her shoulder and sobbcd
aloud. But when the paroNysm had
passed he turned Brown Bess again in
t. the road, saying, twill find Jack,
dead or alive. .
They rode over the track Of desOla-
ton and death toward Hartley. for the
tornado had now passed on it, terrible
wav. The ground was stripped Of ev-
erv living thing Trees Of good lie were
snapped squarely of their stems. The
withes OF bushes were peeled OF every
particle of bark, and stood mp like white
wands All the growing harvests had
been carried off, and not dwelling met
the eve TO the horizons verge.
Presently they rose gentle elevation
near what j. called a run. Harry check
"a his beast and listlessly pointed with
his whiD.
This j. Hartley.- said he in low
and solemn voice. The prairie stretch
ed before them with a network Of streets
Uttered with the deJris Of fences, yards.
and gardens A few unsightly holes
showed where the houses, stores, and
shops had stood. Some were filed with
ruins, Others were yawning ike empty
graves. But one building remained in
tact. II was large barn just beyond
the line Of the tornado, though the
house % which it belonged had been
wrecked There was a group Of people
near the barn, and Clara, though her
ear seemed duiled. could catch the
sound Of wailing. But.she sat speech
less ike a statue, with the tears rolling
over her pale cheeks. Silently Harry
let Bess 20 on few rods 70 the south
ern slope Of long prairie swell, gently
heaving ike billow Of the sea.
lis this the place." Clara almost
gasped- Harry's ewes answered her.
She got out Of the wagon mechanically
and went wandering round the spot
where the lost home had stood The I
house and barn had been taken clean 1
of their foundations without leaving a
vestige behind. The posts of the gar
den fence had been pulled from their l
holes like cribbage-pins- The ground \
looked A. il trampled and torn by the I
hoofs Of a demon.
"Don' let US stay here cried Clara 4
at last, rousing Har. from his stupor.
.. II We can do any thing 10 help those \
poor people. just look over there
"That l. the Freedom house and A
shop. Somebody has got hurt. Great 4
heavens, hope it isn't Jack
lie put Clara into the wagon and leap \