The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-10-07


minute, and heard horrible ROARING
sound behind me-louder than all the
thunder. heard long, rafting
crash, and then another. 1t was Mrs.
Hathaway's house and barn going to
pieces, but I didn't know it then. I
heard people scream; / heard all sorts
of things whizzing about me, but it was
too dark to see much. Things came
striking against me, and soon a heavy
thing came banging against me on one
side, and just as l was falling down
something seemed to pick me up, and
l was whirled and twisted round and
round, till didn't know anything
more.
"When opened my eyes the rain
was falling on my face. 1t was lighter,
and saw boards and timbers, and
trees and branches and bushes, lying all
about me. l was in field not far
from home. I felt dizzy, and didn't
remember anything at first, and then
thought of little Harry, and sprang up
to run to him. But, GA, how sick and
sore l felt! When l tried to lift q
heavy branch which was lying partly
over me, could raise only one Of my
arms.
"But my feet were all right, and ran
as fast as could toward home. saw my
father in the road in front of the house,
looking up and down, with white,
frightened face. He hurried toward
me.
where have you, been, child" he
said. 4 must go to see if anything has
happened to your mother, but I could
not go till knew you and Harry were
safe-Why, dear you are hurt!'
''But ran past him, crying, The
baby, father, he's in the hammock
come quickp
when we got around to the grove
screamed at what l saw. The trees
lay about as if scythe had mown them
down. 1 hardly knew the place, or
where to look for Harry.
Zone of the trees the hammock was
tied to. was lying exactly where had
left my little brother. Another tree was
blown right across it. Father did not
stop to look, but called the hired man,
and they brought axes and saws.
stopped down and listened, though l
felt sure the dear little one must be
dead. But 1 heard q sad little sob, as
if he had cried till he was worn out.
was so glad, got up and danced. But
father shook his head and said, He's
alive, but how do we know how he may
be hurt They chopped away at the
branches, while [ held my breath, oh,
how long, long it seemed to wait!
crouched down and crept as near the
baby as could. called to him and he
gave pitiful little cry; he expected me
to take him at once, and / was glad he
got angry because he had to wait. He
tried to free himself from the hammock,
and l began to hope he might not be
much hurt.
'.At last great branch was taken
away, and I got closer to him. called
father, and we looked under, and /
heard him say, THANK God!'
"There the little darling was, in q
kind of little bower made by two big
branches which came down on each
side of him. They had saved him when
the other tree fell. His forehead was
scratched deeply, but nothing else allied
| him. Father reached in and cut away
the hammock with his knife, and drew
him out with hands that shook as if he
had an ague fit. The little fellow held
out his arms to me; but as tried to
take him my strength all seemed to 60
away. l grew dizzy and fell down.
Bridget took the child, and father car
ried me in and laid me on bed.
"Then he and Bridget tried to get
us into dry clothes. But l cried out
every time they touched me, till father
was nearly at his wits end. l called
aloud for mother. knew she would
not hurt me SO.
| al will go now and see where she
is, DEAR father said at last, wiping his
forehead. The good Lord only knows
where she may be-and the little ones.
I'll bring some one to help you, poor
child
"'The sun was shining brightly again
by this time, but as lay there, with
great deal of pain in my arm and head,
I seemed to feel that black storm conf
ing after me yet. The roar, roar, roar
kept on in my head. and the bed was
whirling up in the clouds with me, and
Mary Hathaway was holding me, while
some ono pelted me with the stars; and
mother said, oh, my poor darling
look at her headr'
"Then the moon peeped at me, and
said, Her arm is broken in two places
"It was the doctor who said this, and
mother had really come to me. After
that l seemed to be climbing and climb
ing through trees-oh, so long! l kept
on for years, always hunting for little
Harry, hearing him cry for me. and
never able to reach him. But at last
saw light had been in the dark all
the time-and I struggled toward it
and looked out. Mother was there, but
not Harry. 1919. .--.
"Where is hep 1 cried.
:Who, dear?' she said.
"'Why, the baby little Harry I
said. Twas almost up to him.
"Here he is.' $50
"She lifted him up to me, and tried
to take him, but could not raise my
self, and was glad to find that was in
my own bed. l went off into a long
sleep, and when awoke l didn't want
anything except to lie quiet and know
mother was caring for me, and that
Harry sometimes came tOddling into
nv room, for he had learned to walk
during the long weeks I had been sick.
"Well, this is about all there is of it.
NY arm was long time getting well.
and will always be crooked. like this.
The doctor said it would have got en-
tirely well if it had not been for the
fever.
"But, dear me, how much thinking
did when my head got clear enough
to think! When I was out in the
storm all I had ever heard about the
wrath of God on the children of DISC
bedience seemed to como back to me.
How I was nunishedi If had been
faithful to my duty I should have been
safe at home when. the storm came. I
shall always feel as If I knew something
of that awful wrath. for wasn't l taken
up in Gods terrible hand?
"When I was getting well 1 began to
wonder why Mary Hathaway never
came to see me. Mother put off telling
me as long as she could that she and a
younger sister had been killed in q mo,
ment by the falling of their house, and
chat Mrs. Hathaway was crippled for
life. None of us had been hurt but me.
Mother had rot beyOnd the track of the