St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1882-02-25

be forgotten, a grand, terrible sight, as
the angry clouds came up, rolling over
and over, as it seemed, through the gap
which opened out toward the east.
Within the house there were hurried
Mrs. Little and her sons
went about making everything as fast
as possible, while her husband and his
two men went to the barns to give the
cattle and horses food and water to last |
them till the storm had passed; for when
it had reached its height, neither man
nor beast could stand against it. Thorn
ton. George and his classmate prepared |
to 90 down to the barn and help them,
for the time seemed very short. Every
moment the tempest increased in yio-
lence. Quick as thought Maud wrapped
herself in her fur cloak, and said she
would 90 with them. Her mother was
so distressed that she would have de-
sisted, but that she caught Thornton's
look of disapproval and disgust, she
thought, and then nothing could have
prevented her. Selling her brothers
hand, she rushed out of the house. The
barns were 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 We're inside the
barn, and the door had been closed with
difficulty, Thornton said to her, very
sternly:
This is perfect folly. If you do not
90 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
bovs'' back to the house. He himself,
being strong and large. would stay and
help the men. 1t was the best plan.
The four had a hard fight to return.
Holding each others hands, one keep
inc behind the other as much as posi-
BILE, they struggled up the hill. Once
they fell fiat to the earth, but, regaining
their feet after moment. they toiled
on, and reached the protection of the
house. Little said he had never seen
the elbow come On SO fast" There
was no use in his trying to 60 back to
the barn; the men would do what was
necessary, and his strength was half
used up by his efforts already. After
Maud had regained her breath she went
to the window, 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. 1t seemed as if
nothing could stand againstits violence.
Mrs. Wellington was nearly faintlng
with fright. She was certain that the
house would 90. Once Maud turned
and said, in strained, hard voice:
"Mr Little, how long does this sort
of thing generally last?'
"Wa'al, it begins abaout noon to be
the worst, and it keeps it up till next
morning"
Cough not the men to come up
pretty soon?" she asked again, with i'll
concealed anxiety.
"Oh yes, they'll be up directly,
guess"
But they did not come. Once Maud
saw three figures creep around the par
tally 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 into the
sheds. The full horror of the circum-
stance struck her. Calling Mr.. Little,
she told him what she had seen.
"Then they must stay there till it Is
overp'' she said, in low, unnatural voice.
I'm afraid so," he answered, anx'
iously.
"Do try to help them,'' she pleaded
so earnestly that the men all resolved te
try, though it was of so little use. TAX
inc rope, Little tied all the volunteers
firmly together; even the bowling
SWELL" Livingston, as George callee
him, offered to help. When all was
ready, they crept along the western side
of the house with little difficulty. Blu
when they reached the corner, they
went down like planks. They triet
again and again, and then came bacl
into the house tired and disheartened.
The short afternoon had passed; thu
= early darkness made the terror OF thu
' storm more awful. Maud still strained
her eyes through the deepening gloom
: The storm at that moment was at it
t height. Clutching the window-fram
tightly with her fingers, she pressed he
dilated eyes against the pane, and say
D with speeches. horror the roof OF tn
e large barn swept off as if it had been pa
per- It was all the more terrible be
;. cause not sound of the falling timber
t could be heard above the ceaseless roaI
: ing of the wind.
$ It was an awful night. No on
Y thought of sleeping. They clustered te
d pether about the fire in silent terror
+ From time to time Mr.. Little spoke re
it assuringlY. There was no danger fo
J. themselves, he said; the house was firm
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