Los Angeles daily herald., 1884-11-05
Hill Nye ON CxcIOnes.

Those who know me best will remember
that have never, openly or secretly, writ
ten or uttered sentiment that could in any
way be warped into an adverse criticism Of
the cyclone. Whatever may have learned
or observed derogatOry to the cyclone and
Its cruel and treacherous nature, | have re-
ligiOusly kept to myself. have even gone
so far as to stand up for and champion the
cause of the cyclone when its enemies
sought to damage 1t In my hearing When
others spoke in harsh and severe terms Of
the vandal, murderOus work of the cyclone,
! said, "Ah, yes, gentlemen, but do not over
look the great work of puriiicitiOn that Is
being done by 1t in Its mad CREATIONS, Think
how necessary are these atmospheric un-
heavals to rid us OF superfluons electricity,
aud purify the stagnant air"
] didt until suffered personally among
men, and even the blue nosed md sore eyed
ho0dum pointed At me as | passed, and
siid, There goes Bill Nye, the friend of the
cyclone
And what is my reward for all this? Like
II peaceful Ute stealing up through the am
bush to saw open the windpipe of n dear
friend comes the ring tail peeler of the sky,
scarcely moving the green leaves as he steals
along the valley on his hind legs The air
Is like the atmosphere of death. No sound
Is heard except the dun thud Of the wood
mans axe rs II buries itself In the heart of
pine tree that belongs to someone else.
The sun has dropped behind a dull gray
cloud that is faced with pale green. still
lower down the stecl-gray and purple clouds
came boiling over the tree-tops. The tree
toad made II few desultory remarks, Katy
did says good evening, and the premature
twilight has come. Up from the southwest
comes II sullen muttering, "A crash, a roar
| like twenty oceans in joint caucus, the rush
| of falling trees, the crash of giant hail
stones the thunder of falling waters and
like the deadly charge of heavens artillery
II is over. That is cyclone-one of the
adult variety when II Is feeling we'll When
you see one of that kind sliding up into the
sky, do not try to twist its tail MS Ii goes by.
1t takes strong, quick man to reach ont
| cyclone. He must be strong in the wrists,
| cOol-headed, and soon In movements.
| The cyclone which visited Northern Wis
| consin on the sth instant was about mile
| and half wide, and lasted through period
of time, would say, such as would be meas
| ured In pronouncing the word "scatl" in an
ordinary tone of voice. 1t blew down three
| churches, sparing all the saloons, jerked the
| school buildings crooked, knocked post
| Office silly and demolished dozen stores
| and places of business, 1t killed two of the
most promising young men and the purest
woman in the village. Then 1t went out
tending to my own business, tipped me over
and broke my leg. Everywhere it sought
out the young and fair. 1t spared the old the
sinful and the tough, but spent its fury on
tiful Is II surprising that it jerked me gal
ley-wes? No, indeed am only surprised
that am alive
had intended to say word or two about
what to do when YOU see cyclone coming,
but this letter is already too long. One gen
eral rule may not be out of place, however.
First, be sure that 1t Is Il cyclone. Thentake
your family and adjourn to the State peni-
tentiary Those who have spent the major
part of their lives in the penitentiary will
remember with pleasure the feeling of Sc
curity they experienced while there. may
truly say that have never feltthat same old
security myself since I-but why rake up
old personalities? They will all come to the
surface when run for President.