Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-07-15

its path. Where they were lying the wa
ter was so shoal that it scarcely covered
them.
Dick sat up and spoke to his wife; sht
did not answer Then he put one hanl
up involuntarily, in a. weak, helpless way
There was blood on his face; he could moi
see; his eyes were full of sand. He struck
himself in despair, and again grasping
his wife, in s hoarss voice: 'You are not
dead, Mary?'
| Whether it was the water from the river
ne dashed into his face Or the gush of tears
that came into his 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 wa.
| ter washing her long hair over her breast
He lifted her up. He felt her hands, hel
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 husband. Then she put
her hands slowly up to her face and cover.
ed it.
Dick saw the tears coursing down her
cheeks. ''Don' t-don't, Maryp' he said
II can't help it. I am not crying with
pain or grief; it's because you are living,
because we are both 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 aWak-
ening out Of a dream. He looked at his
wife, still sitting with her face covered
with her hands: ''Mary, we are almost ma
ked. There is nothing on me, and your
dress is in ribbons" he looked up aud
down the river in a helpless way, still
any sign of-the buggy or the horse. :"
Then he cast his glance at the bluff back
of them. ''Come let US 60 up on the bank y
He had to carry her.
cit is the horrible fright, dear Dick. I'll
soon get over it, she said, when he set her
down gently on the level ground.
MARY, look over there. Do you see
anything? My eyes are so full of sand. SO
sore, that can't make it out quite. Ev-
erything looks blurred
She did not answer him. 1t was not be-
cause her eyes were not clear. AS she
looked wonderingly, her hand. that had
never relinquished her husband $ from the
moment he seated her on the prairie elapsed
cry.
I'll expected as much,' said Dick,
speaking more to himself than to his wife.
"Nothing man ever made could
stand before that storm"
"Oh, Dick.' she exclaimed, sobbingly
"there is nothing left of the town-not a
house. I can only see a heap here and
Understanding like fallen chimneys and
smoke and f1re.''
"That's the end of Pringle's Flat,
Nary
He looked back over the prairie-back
to the fringe Of trees that skirted a por-
ton of the road near the base of Dams
Rock but little while since. He could
not recognize the place he had looked On
a hundred times. The trees had disap
peared; 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
a new Western town. Dick Hope sudden
ly 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 Pringle's
Flat until not one stone stood upon anoth-
er, killing, manning all living creatures in
it's path, none have such vivid recollec-
they refer to their experience on that ter
rible day they speak in low tone, rever-
emily, as though standing in the presence
of the dead.-David Lo,Ury, In Lippancott.
BEAUTY OF AGE.-Old age has it's beau
ty as we'll as youth. See that lovely old
lady, silver haired, with some of the fire of
youth still shining in her dark eyes, and
harmonizing rather than contrasting with
the dignity OF age. She leans on the arm
of manly young fellow, tall, sunburnt,
with a frank kindly face, and together they
form a striking picture. 1t IS only middle
age that is hopelessly unpicturesque. Mid
die aged men, as rule there are some
pleasant exceptions) have an aspect that
repels romance. They look of the earth,
earthly. They appear to have lost the
faculty of enjoyment. Youth is behind
them, and the calm and leisure of age I'M
reached. 1t is a sad and pitiful sight to
see woman clinging to her lost youth by
such sorry devices as false 'fronts," and
youthful gowns, and kittenish ways. How
useless it is How much better to realize
honestly and frankly that Youth-that glo-
rious happy, feeting gift of the gods,-has
gone forever, and to turn firmly from it
and look for the beautiful things that are
left in life. Here is one who has done so,
and in her calm eyes and gentle mien there
is nothing that is unlovely, though, per-
haps, little that is sad. Her old age will
be beautiful indeed. In these days of III
valry between mother and daughter, in |
the race for beauty-prize, it is refreshing |
to watch her delight in thee loneliness of
graceful girl with asweet face, ALTERNATE
leaf and acorn ball, in wreath about her |
head" and with fresh gay voice ex-
pressing girlish enjoyment in every tone.
SATAN.-If the personality of Satan be
lot vital principal of your religion, 1 do
lot know what is. There is only one dog
ma higher. You think it is safe, and |
1are say it is fashionable, to fall into this
ak and really thoughtless discrimination