The Northern Pacific farmer., 1881-11-10
his hair ous of his eyes and viewed his tor


What do you mean, Dick?"
! "There's a valley back there that extend
fully forty miles northwest where you COM
| to prarie lands like ours back of Pringle'
Flat, only there is ten times more Of it
The wind rolls down the valley, and play.
the very deuce with things on the rive
about the point"
"Doyou know it is time We were moving
now?"
1--WE have only been hero little while.
| 1T is three hours since we stopped al
the foot of Dams Rock"
MY goodness. Dick!"
THAT'S what I m always saying to mysel
when I think you took me before all the
other fellows"
| 1T can't be-"
Look for yourself" said Dick, holding
out his watch.
Its the grandest day of my life, Dick
| l wouldn't have missed it for anything.
He gave her h's hand and helped he
down the rorgh places. Once in Will,
Mary would stop to gather bits of mos:
and flowers as mementos of red-lette
| day. At least an hour was consumed il
the descent. Then they got into the bugg,
and turned homeward but not on the road
lea'ing to brakes.
1--WE want to see all that can be seen
don't we? said Dick.
BY all MEANS" answered his wife. al
she tied her hat loosely, and prepared for
the drive home. But didn't your tathe,
tell .,ou to 90 home by Drake's?'
"The other is the better road"
"You know best, Dick"
Dicks mare went ut siapping pace,
She smells oats, !" said Dick.
"Pretty isn't it?"
There is not a leaf stirring one would
think. It looks so restful over there! It
might be deserted village"
1t does look unusually quiet, now that
I notice it. But then this sun is terrible.
See If you can find our house over there,
Mary"
There was long silence, then she glee-
fully pointed out the house. and there was
another long silence. broken by Mrs. Hope
saying suddenly. "What is that curious
sound hear?"
Il hear nothing"
There! Do you hear it now?"
Dick inclined an ear. They were fairly
clear of the rough land at the base of D mi
Rook now, and tue mare was trotting rapid
iy. Suddenly her drivers firm hand
brought her upon her launches. Dick
listened intently. His wife was right; her
ears were keener than his. There was
something IN the air.
At that instant M"ry's hand clutched his
arm as she cried out, "Oh, Dick, what is
that back of us?" She was looking back
with horror stricken eyes and pale lips.
Dick turned. A cloud like black wall
was rushing down upon them; it seemed
to Dicks eyes rs black as ink. An awful
fear possessed him. There Was hush, G
stiffness in the air as chilling as the cloud
behind them. "Go long" he exclaimed
desperately, cutting the mare fercely with
the whip.
The mare shot out like 40 arrow, and
that moment another sound smote upon
their ears, sound that was like q crash
of worlds. The mare plunged, reared, and
resumed her onward course. Her owner
had lost all control over her.
But one thought animated Dick Hope as
he clasped his wife with his right arm, while
be held fast to the reins with his lett hand,
shutting his teeth like wise. The thought
was, Pray God that We reach the river bot
tom."
The earth groaned under their feet. A
sound like the rush of a millioc locomo-
tives defended them. Dick Hope turned
lnstinctively and clasped his young wife in
his arms. He did not see the mare; he
saw nothing uut his wife's face, and some-
thing IN 1t struck terror to his heart. His
own Was as ashy gray at that moment as
his young wife's when she turned her last
appealing look on him and moved her lips.
His one prayer was that they might die to-
gether. Dick felt himself lifted up and
aAng like a flash through the air.
When he recovered his senses he was ly-
ing where he had prayed to be-in the river
bottom: with his wife close beside him.
Dick sat up and spoke to his wife, but
she did not answer. Then he put his hand
'p involuntarily, in weak, HELPLESS way.
The river luckily where they fell was so
shoal that it did not cover them. There
was flood on his face; he could not see;
his eyes we're full Of sand. He struck him
self in despair, and again grasping his wife
said in hoarse voice, you are not dead,
Muy?"
Whether it was the water from the river
that dashed into his zee, or the gush of
tears that came into his eyes, Dick does
not know to this day, but suddenly his eyes
Dec irne clear, and he could see his wife
lying with her face next him, and the wa
ter washing her long hair over her breast.
He lifted her up. He felt her hands, her
cheeks. Then suddenly he summoned all
MS remaining strength for one supreme
effort, and dragged rather than carried her
mp to the dry shelving be.ch under the
bluff. Mary slowly opened her eyes and
looked at her husband. Dick saw the tears
cou1s.ng down her cheek. ''Don't-don't
Mary" he said.
Il can't help it. I am not crying with
pain or grief: it is because you are living
because we are both spared"
Dicks strength returned to him. Until
that moment he did not know he was coat
less::and without vest or shirt; he was naked.
He pressed bis eyes with his hands and
looked down upon himself like one awak-
ening from dream. He looked at his
wife still sitting with her face covered with
her hands.
MARY, We are almost naked, There is
nothing on me, and your dress is in rib
bons." He looked up and down the river
IN helpless way, still pressing his hand to
his head. II don't see any sign of the
horse and buggy" Then he cast his eyes
at the bluff at the back of them. "Come.
let us go up on the bank"
He had to carry her.
Its the horrible fright, dear Dick, I'll
soon get over it" she said when he set her
down on the level ground.
"l-expected as much, said Dick, speak
ing more to himself than to his wife.
"Nothing-nothing man ever made could
stand against that Storm"
"Oh, Dick" she exclaimed, :'there is
nothing left of the town-not house.
only see heap here and there, something
like falling chimneys and smoke and fire. !"
"Thats the end of Pringle's Flat, Mary.
He looked over the prairie-back to The
fringe of trees that skirted q portion of
the road near the base of Dams Rock but a
little while since. He could not recognize
the place he had looked on hundred
times. The trees had disa1 peared; they
had been swept from the face of the ear b.
Then he shaded his eyes with his hands and
looked across to where Pringle's Flat had
stood in all the pride of new western
town. Dick Hope suddenly knelt by his
wlfe's side, still holding her hand, saying,
Let us pray"
Among those who witnessed the awe in
spring tornado that swept Pringle's Flat
until not one stone stood upon another,
killing or manning all living creatures in
Its path, none have such livid recollections
as Dick Hope and his wife. When they
refer to their experience on that terrible
day, they speak in low tone raverantlv