The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-07-06

"We have only been here little
while.n
"It's three hours since we stopped
at the foot of Dams Rock"
"My goodness, Dick p
That's what I'm always saying
to myself when | think you took
me before all the other fellows"
at can't be"
Look for yourself said Dick,
holding out his watch.
"It's the grandest day Of my life,
| Dick | wouldn't have missed it
for anything"
He gave her his hand and helped
her down the rough places. Once
in a while Mary would stop to gath
er bits of moss and flowers as me-
mentoes of red-letter day. At
least an hour was consumed in the
descent. Then they got into the
buggy and turned homeward, but
not ON theroad leading past brakes.
"We want to see all that can be
seen, don't we ?" said Dick.
"By all MEANS" answered his
wife, as she tied her hat loosely and
prepared to enjoy the drive home.
But didn't your father tell you to
30 home past brakes ~
'The other is the better road"
"You know best, Dick"
Dicks mare went at slapping
pace.-'She smells oats" said Dick.
Look at Pringle's Flat, Dick"
Pretty, isn't it ?"
"There is not leaf stirring, one
would think. 1t looks 80 restful
over there 1t might be a deserted
village"
at does look unusually quiet,
now | notice it. But then this sun
is terrible. See if you can find our
house over there, Mary"
There was long silence, then the
young wife gleefully pointed out the
house, and there was another long
silence which was broken by Mrs.
Hope saying suddenly "What is
that curious sound / hear ?'
II hear nothing"
"There Do you hear it now ?"
Dick inclined an ear. They were
fairly clear of the rough land at the
base of Dams Rock now and the
mare was trotting rapidly. Sud-
denly her drivers firm hand brought
her upon her launches. Dick lis
tened intently. His wife was right;
her ears were keener than his. There
was something in the air.
At that instant Mary's hand
clutched his arm convulsivelv as
she cried out "Oh, Dick, what is
that back of lis ?" She was look
ing back with horror-stricken eyes
and pale lips.
Dick turned. A cloud like black
wall was rushing down upon them ;
it seemed to Dick Hopes eyes as
black as ink. An awful fear pos
sessed him. There was a hush, a
stiffness in the air as chilling as the
terrible cloud behind them. $50
long !" he exclaimed desperately,
cutting the mare fercely with his
whip.
The mare shot out like an arrow,
and that moment another sound |
smote their ears-a sound that was
like the crash of worlds. The mare
plunged. reared, then resumed her |
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 wise. 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 a million loco
motives deafened them. Dick Hope
lnstinctively 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 was his young wife's when she
turned her last appealing look upon
him and moved her lips. His one
was that they might die to-
gether. 1t seemed 10 them then
that all the the sound in the air and
earth was condensed, gathered into
one awful shrek. Earth and sky
were obliterated, Dick Hope felt
himself lifted up and flung like q
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 araging beast, had sim
ply taken them up in his teeth, SO
% speak, tossed them aside, and
pursued its path Where they were
wing the water was SO shoal that it
scarcely covered them.
Dick sat up and spoke to his wife;
;he 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;
MS eyes were full of sand. He
struck himself in despair, and, again
his wife, said, in hoarse
voice you are not dead, Mary ?"
Whether it was the water from
he river he dashed into his face or
he gush of tears that came into his
eyes, Dick does not know to this
lay, bnt suddenly his eyes became
clear, and he could see his wife ly-
ng with her face next him and the
water washing her long hair over .
ler breast. He lifted her up. He
elt her hands, her cheeks. Then
he summoned all his re-
naming strength for one supreme
.ffort, and dragged rather than car
led her up to the dry shelving
beach under the bluff. Mary Hope
slowly opened her eyes and looked
1t her husband. Then she put her
hands slowly up to her face and COW
,red it.
Dick saw the tears coursing down
ler checks. ''Don't-dont Mary p