Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-05-13
NO. 10.

When he recovered his senses he was w.
ing where he prayed to be,-in the river bot
tom, with his wife close beside him. The
awful storm did not divide them. The lorna
do, like a raging beast had simply taken
them up in its teeth, 80 TO speak, tossed them
aside, and pursued its path. Where they
were lying the water was so shoal that L
scarcely covered them.
Dick sat up and spoke 10 his wife she did
not answer. Then he put one hand up invol-
UNFAIRLY in q weak helpless way. There was
blood on his face ; he could not see his ewes
were full of sand. He struck himself in de-
| spair, and again grasping his wife, said in a
hoarse voice, "You are not dead, Mary 2"
Whether II 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 bis 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 car
ried her up to the dry beach under the bluff
Mary Hope slowly opened her eyes and look
ed at her husband. Then she put her hands
slowly up to her face and covered IT,
Dick saw the tears coursing down her
cheeks "DontI-dOnt, Mary /" he said.
II can't help it. am not crying with pain
or grief it's because you are living, g,-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 coatess 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 moth
ing on me, and your dress is in ribbons" He
looked up and down the river in a helpless
way, still pressing hand to his heart, 'T
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 upon the bank"
He had to carry her.
''It 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 30 full of sand, so
sore, that can't make it out quite. Everything
looks blurred"
She did not answer him. It was not be-
cause her eyes were not clear. AS she look
ed wonderingly, her hand, that had never re-
hnquished her husbands from the moment he
seated her on the prairie, clasped his convul-
sively. Then she uttered loud cry.
IL expected as much, ;" said Dick, speak
ing more TO himself than to his wife. Moth
ing,-nothing man ever made could stand be-
fore that storm"
"oh, Dick" she exclaimed, sobbingly,
''there is nothing left of the town-not
house. I can only see heap here and there
something like fallen chimneys, and smoke
and fire."
''Tbats the end of Pringles 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 the place he had looked on q
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 Pringles Flat had stood in all
the pride of a new 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, kill.
ing, manning 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 low tone, reverently, as though standing
in the presence of the dead.-Lippinc0tt for
Mdy