Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-05-18

OiCh I1Ope eyes rs DldCh as INK An
awful fear possessed him. There was II
hush, stiffness in the air as chilling as
the terrible cloud behind them. "Go
'longm he exclaimed desperately. cutting
the mare fercely with his whip.
The mare shot out like an arrow, and at
that moment another sound smote their
ears-a sound that Was like the crash of
worlds. The mare plunged, reared, then
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 he held fast to the reins with his left
hand, shutting his teeth like voice. That
thought was. pray God we reach the
river bottom!"
The earth groaned under their feet. A
sound like the rush and roar and scream
Of million locomotives deafened them.
Dick Hope instinctively 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
to them that all the sound in the air and
earth was condensed, gathered into one
awful shrek. Earth and sky were obliter-
ated. Dick Hope felt himself lifted up and
flung like fake through the air.
When he recovered his senses he was
lying where he prayed to be,-in the river
bottom. with his wife close beside him
The awful storm did not divide them The
tornado, like a raging beast, had simply
taken them up in its teeth, so to speak,
tossed them aside, and pursued 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 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 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 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 water
washing her long hair over her breast. He
lifted ner 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 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 covered it.
Dick saw the tears coursing down her
cheeks. "Donf Don't, Mary he said.
II can't help it. | 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 coat
less 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 II 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 helpless way, still
pressing a hand to his heart, II don't see
any sign of-the buggy or horse" Then
he cast his glance at the bluff back of them
lie had to carry her.
ut 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
any thing? My own eyes are so full of
sand, 50 sore, that cant make it out quite.
Everything 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 reinquished her husbsnd's from the
moment he seated her on the prairie,
clasped his convulsively. Then she uttered
II loud cry.
IL expec,e ed 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 II
house can only see heap here and
there--something like fallen chmneys, and
smoke and fire.
That the end of Pringle's Flat, Mary"
He looked back to the fringe of trees
that skirted portion of the road near the
base of Dams Rock but little while since.
He could not recognize thes place he had
looked on hundred times The trees had
disappeared; they had been swept from
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 Pringle's Flat
until not one stone stood upon another,
killing, manning all living creatures in its
path, none have such vivid recollectons as
Dick Hope and his wife. When they refer
to their experience on that terrible day,
they speak in a low tone, reverently, rs
though standing in the presence of the
dead.-LsppincoTs for May.