Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-10-22

I've want to see oil that can be seen, don't
we?' said Dick.
BY all means" answered his wife as she
,leo her hat loosely, and prepared for the drive
home by Drake's?"
The other is the better road-
You know best Dick"
piek mare went at a Shaping pace ''She
Pretty. isn't it,"
" There is not a leaf stirring one won,a ,b,,r
IL looks so restfai over there. IL might he \
deserted village"
:. Ii does look unusually quiet. now that
notice it. But then this sun is terrible. See n
you can md our house over there Mary"
There was long silence. then she rieefuIlv
pointed out the house. and there was another
long silence, broken by Mrs. Hope saying sud-
What is that curious sound hear2n
Il hear nothing"
There! Do you hear IL now?"
Dick inclined an ear. They were fairly clear
of the rosgh land at the base OF Dams Rock
now, and the mare was trottiRC rapidly. Sud
denly 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 Nary's hand clutched his arm
as she cried out, 'oh, Dick, what IS that back
of u.s." She was looking back with horror
stricken eyes and pale lips.
Dlck turned. cloud like black wall was
rusnlng down upon them; IL seemed 20 Dicks
eyes as black as ink. An awful fear possessed
MN. There Was hush. stiffness in the air
as chilling as the cloud behind them go
long! he exclaimed desperately. cutting the
mare Hereby with his whin
The mare shot out like an arrow and that
mohent another sound smote upon their ears n
sounu ,hat was like a crash OF worlds. The
mare plunged, reared, and then resumed her
onward course. Her owner had lost all control
over her.
But one thought animated Dick Hone as he
clasped his wife with his right arm, while he
held fast TO the reins with his left hand SHUTTING
his teeth like wise. The thought was. PRAY
God that We reach the river bottom
The earth groaned under their feet sound
like the rush Of a million locomotives defened
them. Dick Hope turned instinctiyely 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 hie
heart. His own was as ashy gray at that mo-
ment as his young wifes when she turned her
last appealing look on him and moved her lima
His one prayer was that they might die to-
gether. Dick felt himself lifted up and flung
like fash through the air.
When he recovered his senses he was living
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 up involun-
tarily, In weak, helpless way. The river
luckily where they fell was so shoal that Ii did
not cover them There was blood on his face;
struck himself i'm despair. and again graspng
his wife. said in hoarse voice, you are not
dead Nary"
Whether it was the water from the river that
dashed into his face, or the gush Of tears that
came into bis 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 ali
mi Sfr IA for
and dragged rather than carried her up TO the
dry shelving beach under the bluff Mary
slowly opened her eyes and looked at her hus-
band.
Dick saw the tears coursing down her check.
''Don't-dont Mary" he said
can't help it. i am not crying with pain or
grief; IT lis because you are liying-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 with
out vest or shirt; he was naked. He pressed
| his eyes with his hands and looked down upon
himself like one awakening from dream. He
looked at his wife still sitting with her face COW
cred with her hands
MARY we are almost naked There is MOTH
ing on me, and your dress is in ribbons" He
looked up and down the river in a helpless way,
still pressing his hand to his head al don't see
any sign Of the horse and buggy" Then he
cast his eyes at the bluff 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 lie set her down on
the level ground.
"l-eXpected as much" said Dick. speaking
more to himself than TO his wife. Nothing
nothing man ever made could stand against
that storm"
"0h. Dick" she exclaimed, 'fhere is nothing
LETT of the town-not a house / only see q
heap here and there, something like falling
chmneys and smoke and fire"
THAT'S the end OF Pringles Flat. Mary"
He looked over the prairie-back to the
fringe of trees that skiIted a portion ofthe 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 dis
appeared; they had been swept from the face Of
the earth. Then he shaded his eyes with his
hands and looked across to where Pringles
Flat had stood in all the pride OF a new western
town. Dick Hope suddenly knet by his wifes
side, still holding her hand, saying, Let us
pray"
Among those who witnessed the awe-nspir-
ing tornado that swept Pringles Flat until not
one stone stood upon another killing or MAIN.
ing all living creatures in its path none have
such vivid recollections as Dick Hope and his
wife. When they refer TO their experience on
that terrible day, they speak in a low tone,
reyerently, as though standing in the presence VI
the dead.-Llpii.coHs Magazine.