The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1882-02-22

cattle and horses food and water to last
them till the storm had passed for
when 1t had reached its height, neither
man nor beast could stand against it.
Thornton, George and his classmate
prepared to go down to the barn and
help them, for the time seemed very
short. Every moment the tempest in
creased in violence. Quick as thought
Maud wrapped herself in her fur cloak,
and said she would go with them. Her
mother was so distressed that she would
have desisted, but that she caught
Thornton's look of disapproval and dis
gust, she thought, and then nothing
could have prevented her. Selling her
brothers hand she rushed out of the
house. The barns we're west of the
hotel, some little distance down the
hill. The wind carried them on as If
they were straws, and drove them
breathless against the building. Maud
had never dreamed Of its force. When
they were inside the barn, and the door
had been closed with difficulty, Thorn
ton said to her, very sternly:
"This is perfect folly. II you do
not go back to the house instantly you
will not be able to go at ALL"
Mr.. Little said the same the storm
roared so they could scarcely hear each
other even then. Maud was bitterly
ashamed of her folly, but not one whit
afraid. Even Thornton could not help
admiring even while he blamed her. He
asked Little to take her and ''the boys"
back to the house. He himself, being
strong and large, would stay and help
the men. 1t was the best plan. The
four had hard fight to return. Hold
ing each others hands, one keeping
behind the other as much as possible,
they struggled up the hill. Once they
fell fiat to the earth, but regaining their
feet after o moment they toiled on and
reached the protection of the house.
Little said he had never seen the "blow
come on so fast" There was no use in
his trying to go back to the barn the
men would do what was necessary, and
his strength was half used up in his
efforts already. After Maud had re-
gained her breath she went to the win
dow, and would not stir or speak. Her
eyes were fixed on the barns. The
others gathered round the fire in awed
silence. The terror of the storm was
upon them. It seemed as if nothing
could stand against its violence. Mrs.
Wellington was nearly fainting with
fright. She was certain that the house
would go. Once Maud turned and said,
in strained, hard voice.
Mr.. Little, how long does this sort
of thing generally last Z"
WoBo1 oh rNov, IN ha
the worst. and it keeps it up till next
morning."
fought not the men to come up pref
ty soon% she asked again, with ill-con-
cealed anxiety.
ooh yes, they'll be up directly, I
guess"
But they did not come. Once Maud
saw three fgares creep around the
partially sheltered side of the building,
but when they reached its front they
were struck down, and she saw them
crawl on their hands and knees back in
to the sheds. The full horror of the
circumstance struck her. Calling Mr..
Little she told him what she had
seen.
"Then they must stay there till it is
over !" she said, in low, unnatural
voice.
I'm afraid So" he answered,
anxiously.
Do try to help them," she pleaded,
so earnestly that the men all resolved
to try, though it was of so little use.
Taking a rope Little tied all the volun-
teers firmly together even the "howl-
ing SWELL" Livingston, as George
called him, offered to help. When all
was ready they crept along the west
ern side of the house with little diff
Guilty 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 ex.
hausted.
The short aftern oon had passed; the
early darkness made the terror of 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 che pressed
her dilated eyes against the pane, and
saw with speechless horror the roof Of
the large barn swept off as if it had
been paper. 1t was all the more ter
rible because not a 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 90 time Mr.. Little spoke
reassuringly. There was no danger for
themselves, he said; the house was
firmly built; large beams passed diagon-
ally 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 herself or
the safety of the house. She had seen
the roodess barn, and she strove to pic
ture the fate of Thornton and the two
men with him, without food, without
fire, with no roof to shelter them, and
perhaps crushed by the falling timbers,