River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-04-27

Taking a rope Little tied all the volun-
teers firmly together; even the s'howlinq
SWELL" Livingston, as George called
him, offered to help. When all was
ready they crept along the western side
Of the house with little difficulty. But
when they reached the corner they
went down like planks. They tried
again and again, and then came back
into the house tired and exhausted.
The short afternoon had passed; the
early darkness made the storm more
awful. Maud still strained her eyes
through the deepening gloom. The
storm at that moment was at its height.
Clutching the window frame tightly
with her fingers she pressed her diiated
eyes against the pane, and saw with
spec chless horror the roof OF the large
barn swept off as if it had been paper.
1t was all the more terrible because not
sound of the falling timbers could be
heard above the ceaseless roaring of the
wind.
1t was an AWFUL night. No one
thought of sleeping. They clustered
together about the fire in silent terror.
From time to time Mr.. Little spoke
reassuringly. There was no danger for
themselves, he said; the house was
firmly built; large beams passed d.
agenally from floor to ceiling through
the partition walls; it was not possible
that they could give way. But the
awed hearts were not easily assured.
Maud alone had no thoughts for her
self or the safety of the house. She
had seen the roofiess barn, and she
stroye to picture the fate of TIL ornton,
and the two men with him, without
food, without fire, with no roof to
shelter them, a1d perhaps crushed by
the falling timbers, for it had been too
dark to see the extent of the disaster.
She told no one of the sight which she
had witnessed. Only she and Little
knew what had happened. All that
was best in her came to the surface
that long, agonizing night. Never
again could she silence her better, no
bier SELF Very base and contemplate
seemed all her wiles, her caprices, her
coqueteries. 1t had been her wild folly
that had placed Thornton in this danger.
If she had not delayed the men they
could have returned to the house be-
fore it was too late. If lie were alive
when morning dawned he should know
how bitterly she had repented.
She remembered how she had trihed
with him when once the summer be-
fore he had told her That he loved her
more than he had ever loved any being
before or ever could again. She had
not meant TO drive him away from her;
she had only meant to tease him for
little. But he had taken it all in ear
nest, and now of course he had ceased
to think of her except to despise her.
If he had continued to love her would
he have been so silent? She little
knew that the man who was all sim
cerity could not understand the in
sincere.
He would never care for her now, of
course, and she loved him with all the
force of her strong, ungoverned heart.
After that night of agony she could
never be the same.
The pale daylight dawned upon her
white face The wind died slowly
down as the sun came up the troubled
sky. The ruin of the night was reveal
ed to the weary watchers.
Three men came slowly up the hill,
tired, hungry, half-frozeD, but safe.
They had made comparatively warm
nest for themselves in the hay, where
they had passed the sleepless night
The part of the barn which sheltered
them and the cattle and horses had
been uninjured, and not man or
beast had been hurt by the falling
beams.
Mrs. Wellington could not be in
duced to remain an unnecessary mo-
ment in the terrible place, and late in
the afternoon the subdued party were
on the cars returning to Boston. Thorn
ton confessed that it was the most I'M
night he had ever passed,
but that he would cheerfully have I'M
dergone far greater hardships for the
reward that it brought him. Before
they had reached the city he had
learned of the agony which the nights
suspense had been to Maud, and she
had acknowledged her love for him in
answer to the passionate reiteration of
MS devotion to her. And this was the
work OF an East Blow. -Harper's Ba
sdr.