Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1879-07-01

looked like immense opals or pieces OF
the sunset sky. She thought they were
mother Of pearl, but handsomer than any
of that material she had ever seen, and
was now convinced that they were made
of these abelona shells.
All at once strange rolling sound was
heard in the air, like the roar of artillery,
and Mrs. Beales, starting from her nap,
exclaimed, whats thatp" as if she de-
tected in the sound something more ter
rible than the approach of thunder.
Then flood of rain struck the house SO
suddenly that it seem to reel, and brought
them all to their feet. l5 f8.
Its coming!'' said Obadiah; "it's
the tid'l wavei" sfi9 59a,s4t sFa
And there was no denying the deluge
that swept down from the sky as if it
meant to carry everything before it.
Hetty began to cry at seeing her, father
and mother so agitated, and chung to
Tom as if he alone had power to protect
her from the fury of the storm.
Wemust go up stairs" said Obadiah,
leading the way, lamp in hand. !" I'm
ready for it, I've got the boat hitched
fast to the chimney, an it's big enough
to hold every one of us. !"
Tom might have smiled if Hetty
hadn't been there, but her alarm was SO
very genuine, and Mr. and Mrs. Beales
were so convinced that Long Island was
to be swallowed up, that his sympathy
quite overcame his sense of the ridicu-
lous. 1t was, indeed, a rain of terror,
from which an ascent to the upper
regions afforded no measurable sense OF
relief The roof leaked horribly, the
wind tore off the shingles, and but that
the thoughtful Mandy had provided a
couple of umbrellas. there would have
been no starch left in any of the party.
Obadiah stood near the window, watch
ing for the waters to rise and bring the
boat on level with his hand, when, in
less time than it took Noah to embark he
would put himself and family on board,
including Tom, and locate somewhere
above high-water mark. m
Tom clasped Hetty in his arms much
closer than was necessary, but she made
no objection, and the umbrella was not
a very large one.
'Hetty,n said Tom, in a whisper, eff
this was the end of the world, what
would you say to me?'' -o.r-.---,--
"I-don't- know" said Hetty, tuck
ing her head more closely to his breast.
Couldn't you" But at this moment
Obadiah called Tom, and that individual
felt obliged to relax his hold of the
terrified maiden. ,7,,.s 5al.r
Don't go! don't leave mel" said
Hetty, feeling as if without Toms sup
port she should sink to the floor, and
become a prey to the angry elements.
"Fll stand by you forever" !" said Tom,
speaking rapidly, 81 if you'll only say you
love me.''
"Ive always loved you,n said Hetty,
the darkness and danger favoring so bold
confession a'ts
"Why didn't you tell me so beforeP''
said Tom, dropping the umbrella as if
there were no further need of any such
protection, and finding his way to Het-
TVS lips by a sort of circuitous route
that took in her forehead, eyes, cheek
and chin, lingering longest, of course, at
the final resting place. ''Why didn't
you tell me hefore?" Tom again repeat
ed, with masculine pertinacity.
Because" said Hetty, with funny
little laugh, g ! didn't find it out until a
little while ago!' and the answer seemed
quite satisfactory to Tom, who gave an
elliptical acknowledgment, and moved
toward his prospective father-in-law. :
Tom" said-O Obadiah, with sigh of
relief, g believe the storms most over. :"
Looks like it, said Tom, peering
through the window. the flying clouds
and the distant thunder confirming his
opinion. All along the western horizon
was line of silver light that shone
brightly in contrast with the dark clouds
moving like retreating armies from the
scene of conflict. H 0fM
'trd a sightruther hoe turnips all dayn
exclaimed Obadiah, in a tone of disgust,
as he turned away from the window and
prepared to descend the stairs. "An'
never want to come so near bein' scairt
to death. Mandy, how this roof leaks?''
he added, as if he had just made the dis
covery. s....-.s....
'sI should think it did, said Mandy
an it III leak worse than ever now, for
the way them shingles ratified off was a
caution. / declare fort I WANT half as
much afraid of the tidal wave as was
that the house would tumble down and
bury us all under the ruins" s PFC
There is a blessing in every calam-
ity,n said Tom, giving Hetty's hand an
eloquent squeeze, and the storm being
over, there was no excuse for his tarry-
ing any longer; so, having said good
night, he went off with a happy swing
and lighter heart than he had carried
in his breast for many a day
Obadiah was right in one conjecture.
That storm was the prelude to the
tidal wave which dashed with such fury
against the sandy shore on tile eastern
end of Long Island that great damage
was done and several lives were lost.
But there were its proud waves STAYED.
and Long Island still retains its position
and its reputation for scrub oaks ana
sand. 5s q g I'm
But an event took place in Crowfield
that astonished all the inhabitants. and
was of sufficient consequence to excite
the wonder Of Squire Kings family. who
the aristocracy of the place.
This was nothing less than the demolish-
ing of the old house where Obadiah
Beales' father. grandfather and great
grandfather had lived and died, and
under whose roof he had expected to
end his days if the roof had only held
out. --tf Ass1at
May Carol sent word that she and
Sidney wouldn't be able to make the
promised visit that summer, and Hetty
and Tom bore the disappointment with
a wonderful serenity.
Mandy superintended the erection of
the new house, and Hetty insisted on
having piazza, which Obadiah objected
to as an additional and unnecessary ex-
pense. But Hetty coaxed.and cried, and
by dint oftears and entreaties managed
to secure sort of compromise. It