Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-10-18
= THE STORY OF THE CYCLONE.
Atlanta Cor. In 4Mystic Brother

. A.. AuAntA COr. In IN ystlc BFOlher.
In "A certain town in North GeOr-
gia where fiOurishing lodge of
big hearted knights OF Pythias in
located, there lives a poor widow
who for several years-since she
buried her dear husband in a north
ern State-has tOiled and drugded
to earn a scanty support for herself
and little children. Want and pow
erty have been her portion, and
what few possessions she had at her
husbands death have been sold
piece by piece TO keep the gaunt
wolfe from the door, until but little
remained. Her humble cabin on
the outskirts OF The town was bereft
OF everything but the bafeSt neces-
stiles and the name of home. Re-
turning after many years of absence
to her native State she found herself
without friends, without money land
seemingly forgot of both God and
man. BraveIy she bore her lot and
by unceasing toll and hard manual
labor she managed to support her
self and babes in honest poverty.
Ii really seemed hard that the cy-
clone which carried devastation and
destruction in its path through
North Georgia few weeks ago
should seek out the lOwly cottage
of this poor widow on which to
vent its terrible force. Yet such
was the case, and although she and
her little ones experimentation
~ 1t seemed-any bodily harm or
injury, she found herself in a few
dreadful moments bereft not only
OF friends, hut OF house and home
and surh few possessions as she had
called her own. And yet this terri
bic cyclone in all its fury and terri
BILE power-uProOtiDg the largest
trees and OVerturning houses and
scattering everything as if I'm blind
wrath-prOved TO be ministering
angel-aye, the very hand of God
81 Himself stretched out in mercy and
kindness to raise up friends to her
who was His special charge, and
plant fresh hope and brightness In
the sOrrOW-strickened heart that
had trusted in Him. One OF the
few InementOes of her dead hus-
hand, which neither hunger nor
want could force her TO part with
was his Pythian uniform. Care
fully packed away in an old chest
she had kept 1t all these years I'M
conscious of its value to her, other
than what il possessed because he
who had been all The world TO her
had worn it in the sweet glad days
of long ago. Since then no eyes
but hers had ever looked upon it
until the cyclones ruthless grasp tore
il from its resting place and amid
the ruins of her home laid bare belt |
aud baldric, sword and helmet.
Among those who went there to |
look ON the terrible work OF the ele- |
ments was one of the Pythian |
Knights. The uniform has caught
his eye, few eager questions an.
sWered completes the story.
A brother Knights widow and |
orphans in distress! 1t is enough
RO time for words now beyond q
hearty assurance of sympathy,
friendship and relief. Quickly the |
news goes round and soon a dozen |
knights are on the ground and q
dozen more anxious and ready to |
do their part in the labor of love. |
A home is quickly provided and |
furnished with all that is needful
To make il comfortable. The poor |
widow, ignorant that there was a
lodge of Knights of PythiaS In her /
neighbOrhOod, or that the uniform |
of her deceased husband would car
nv any pecial message TO the hearts |
of his surviving comrades who were
to her personally unknown, is lost
i'm wonder and gratitude to find |
herself all at once fairly surrounded
by kind friends Vieing with each |
other ministering to her wants and
speaking words of comfort and good
cheer that carry with them the
happy assurance that never again
will she experience tho awful DESC
the world.
were rendered the most happy
The widow and her children sud-
denly incompassed by warm hearts
and willing hands-each one q very
husband and father in his tender
or the brave band of
knights who found in this oppOr-
tunity fair field in which to eXer-
else and put to practical test the
beautiful lesson OF Friendship,
Charity and BenevOlence inculcated
by our beloved Order.
Here surely was chiValry more
of the name than all the
bravest deeds of most valiant
Knights i'm tilted field or tourna-
nent of days gone by.
How true il il, too, that
"God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform"
Scientists pirate learnedly about
The origin, causes and effects of
welcomes. and evolve Ingenious theo-
-;es i'm their overpowering ignorance.
No doubt they would laugh to scorn
he idea that God aent this mighty
.npine-typieal of His boundless
,oTer and inscrutable OmnipOtence
funded OF miles across our conti-
,e1f ~ Introduce poor widow lady I
M orphaned children In the hills
,gGeorpia 10 the friends and protec-
ors he had In store for them, and
"a "a 'ehivaIroas band of Pythfan
Z = s,lShfs 10 the charges which duty
m love have confided to their care.
- a. ti,e causes what they may these
:, o. The effects, and verify they are :
itoeether good and lovely 70 con-
ali si y