Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1881-05-31

OF million locomotives deafened them.
Dick ins.inctively turned and clasped his
young wife in his arms. He did not see
the mare; he saw nothing but his wife's
face, and something in it struck terror to
his heart. His own was ashy gray at
that moment as his young wife's when
she turned her last appealing look upon
him and moved her lips. His one prayer
was that they might die together. 1t
seemed to them then that all the sound
in the air and earth was condensed, gath
cred into one awful shrek. Earth and
sky were obliterated. Dick Hope felt
himself lifted up and flung like flake
through the air.
When he recovered his senses he was
lying where he had prayed to be,-in the
river bottom, with his wife close beside
him. The awful storm did not divide
them. The tornado. like raging beast,
had simply taken them up in its teeth,
so to speak, tossed them aside, and pur
sued its path. Where they were lying
the water was so shoal that it scarcely
covered them.
Dick sat up and spoke to his wife she
did not answer. Then he put one hand
up involuntarily. in a weak, helpless way.
There was blood on his face he could
not see; his eyes were full Of sand. He
struck himself in despair, and, again
grasping his wife, said in a hoarse voice,
You are not dead, Mary"
Whether it was the water from the
river he dashed into his face or the gush
of tears that came into lis eyes, Dick
does not know to this day, but suddenly
his eyes became clear, and he could see
his wife lying with her face next him and
THE water washing her long hair over her
breast He lifted her up. He felt her
hands, her cheeks. Then suddenly he
summoned all his remaining strength for
one supreme effort, and dragged rather
than carried her up to the dry shelving
beach under the bluff. Mary Hope slowly
opened her eyes and looked at her hus-
band. Then she put her hands slowly
up to her face and covered it.
Dick saw the tears coursing down her
cheeks. "Don't don't, Mary he said.
II can, helpit | am not crying with
pain or grief; it's because you are living
because we both are spared
Dicks strength returned to him.
He stood up and looked about him.
Until that moment he did not know that
he was coatless and without vest or shirt,
he was naked. He pressed his eyes with
his hands and looked down on himself
like one awakening out OF 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 ribbons. "
He looked up and down the river in a
helpless way, still pressing a hand
to his heart al don't see any
sign Of the buggy or horse" Then
he cast his glance at the bluff back of
them. Come, let me go up on the
bank.
He had to carry her.
1T is the horrible fright, dear Dick.
III soon get over it," she said when he
set her down gently on the level ground.
"Mary, look over there. Do you see
anything: Ny eyes are so full Of sand,
so sore, that | can't make it out quite.
Everything looks blurred.
She did not answer him. 1t was not
because her eyes were not clear. AS she
looked wonderingly, her hand, that had
never relinquished her husbands from
the moment he seated her on the prairie,
clasped his convulsively. Then she ut.
tered loud cry.
IL expected as much" said Dick,
speaking more to himself than to his
wife. "Nothing-nothing man ever
made could stand before that storm"
"Oh, Dick" she exclaimed sobbingly,
There is nothing left of the town.-not
house. | can only see heap here and
there,-some.hing like fallen chimneys,
and fire."
That's the end of Pringle's Flat,
Mary"
He looked back over the ie,-back
to the fringe of the trees that skirted a
portion of the road near the base of
Dams Rock but little while since. He
could not recognize the place he had
looked on hundred times. The trees
had disappeared: they had been swept
from the face Of the earth. Then he
shaded his eyes with his hand and looked
across to where Pringle's Flat had stood
in all the pride of Western town.
Dick Hope suddenly knelt by his wife's
side, still holding her hand, saying, "Let
us pray"
Among all those who witnessed
the awe inspiring tornado that swept
Pringles Flat until not one stone stood
upon another, killing, manning all living
creatures in its path, none have such
vivid recollections as Dick Hope and his
wife. When they refer to their expert
enee on that terrible day, they speak in
low tone, reverently, as though stand
ing in the presence of the dead.