Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1881-05-20

want to see.
"Is it so awful, Dick -
at is really awful. Mary
"And now it looks like-like the
plains of Egypt. | can't conceive Of
anything disturbing the perfect peace
of this beautiful scene. See that cloud
away off there, Dick"
7 about the size of mans hand? !
see it,"
It's the only sp-ck in the sky" said
his wife,
at. not like our sky, then. said
Dick, as he kissed her standing on the
very top of Dams Rock. "Do you
know it is time We were moving now =
1--WE have only been here little
while
"It's three hours since We stopped at
the foot of Dams Rock"
My goodness, Dick"
That's what I'm always saying to
myself when | think you took me be-
fore all the other fellows"
1T can't be-
"Look for Yourself, said Dick, hold
ing 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 gather bits
of moss and flowers as hementos of .
read letter day. AT least an hour was
consumed in the buggy and turned
homeward, but not on the road leading
past brakes.
1--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 aud pre-
pared to enjoy the drive homc. But
dldn.t pour father tell you to GO home
by Drake's::'
The other ia the better road
"You know best Dick
Dicks mare went at slspping pace
.She smells oats. said Dick.
Look at Pringle'. Flat, Dick
Pretty. isn't it.:
There is not q left stirring, one
would think. 1t looks so restfutover
there IL might be deserted village.
.lt does look unusually quite, now
notice it. But then this sur is terri
bls. See If you can find our house
over there, Mary.
There was long silence,than the
young .ife glecfuIly pointed out the
house, and there was another long
silence suddenly: What is that cur
,ous sound ! hear
Il hear nothing.
There DO ven hear il now
Dick inclined an ear. They were
fairly clear Of the rough land at the
base Of Dams Rock now and the mare
sas trotting rapidly. Suddenly her
drivers firm had brought her upon
hsr sea.nehss Dick listened intoatly.
Ills wife Was right; her ears were
s.ener than his There was some
thing in the air.
At that instant Mary's hand clutch
oil his arm convulsively rs she cried
out: ''oh. Dick, what is that horror
stricken eyes aud pale lips.
Dick turned. a cloud like black
wall was rushing down upon them; it
seemed TO Dick Hopes eyes as black
~ ink. An awful fear possessed him.
There MAS hush, u stiffness, in the
air IS chilling rs the terrible cloud
behind them. ''Go long," he ex-
claimed desperately. cutting the mare
tierccly with his whip.
The mare shot out like an arrow,
and at that moment another sound
smo,e their ears-a sound that was
/ like the crash of worlds. The mare
plange,l, rsarcd, then resumed her on
ward course. Her owner had lost all
control over her.
But one thought animated Dick
Hope rs be clasped his wife with his
right arm, while he held fast to the
rslns with his left hand, shutting his
teeth like wise. That thought was
PRAY God We reach the river bot
TOM"
The earth groansd under their feet
\ sound like the rush and roar and
scream of million locomotives deaf
ened them. Dick Hope instinctively
turned and clasped his young wife in
his arms. He did not see the mare
he saw nothing but his wift's face, and
something in it struck terror to his
heart. His own was ashy gray at that
moment, rs was his young wife's when
she turned her last appealing look
upon him and moved her lips. His
one PRAYER was that they might di.
together. 1t seemed to them then
that all lie sound III the air and earth
was condensed gathered in one aw-
full shrek. Earth and sky were OBJ.
liberated. Dick hope felt himself
lifted up and flung like fash through
the air.
| When he recovered TO 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 raging beast, had simply taken
them up in his teeth, SO to speak
tossed them aside. and pursued its
path. Where they were lying the wa
ter was so shoal that it scarcely Gov
cred 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 Il 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 to his eyes
Dick does not know to this day, but
suddenly his eyes became clear, and
he could see his wife lying with hel
n