Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1885-11-14
MAR J IND JOHN.
In M"idcm ?fa Thun1,r Storm
IN the NoHnfaias Of Tennessee.

There was terrible thunder storm
coming ur, and thunder storm
among the mountains Of Tennessee
meaiis much to the traveller over the
narrow and winding roads, ea IN one
full of peril from falling rock or rush
ing water 1t was growing du,kv.
too, ant III the gloom and the hurry
to reach shelter | came near riiin"
over woman who was coming down
the road at run She screamed
and jumped aside. aud as she stood
for IA moment called out:
The storm Will be here in ten
minutes. Ran for the house"
For an instant | caught sight of \
white face under "A sunbonnet. The
eyes were wild, the teeth set hard
and i thought ofa n'rni;c. II WA,
! pnlv f.r an instant, and then a flash
of lightning set the horse off at full
"allnp. He ran for half mile as if
frightened for his life, turned to the
. right and leaped fence, and as he
halted al the door Of a cabin u voice
/ Niiouttt iI my "ti
Git down aud come in! Ike will
stable the hoss.
The stor,n broke at that moment
an1 What with the Wind, tie rain. the
red flashes and loud rolling thunder.
we could cnly SIT and look at each
other for the first quarter ofan hour.
Then the storme lullcd into s'eldl
pour, accompanied hy an occasional
fierce gust, and knew that it would
he dalbreak before we saw the last of
it,
Tie man placed provisions on the
table aud snt down to the beard with
me. He made II great effort T., appear
no5pi,ai and cheerful, but / noticel
that he was listening inten l., as if
for a voice OF step, and twice he
rose up and went to the window.
BY and by | rccollocted Of seeing the
woma.., ard asked:
rs there Il cabin within mile or
so Of this down the roaI?"
''Nnne fur nigh on TO three" he re-
Piled.
Then Goa help the woman I met
half mile below as the storm was
breakinS"
a woman! Did she have on a
sunbonnct?"
Yes"
"And dark dress?"
Eyes"
"That was Mary, my wife: Sb,.
sail she would, but | didn't believe
it."
"Would what?"
He rose up and flung open the
door t, look out. A sheet of ram
blew half WAY across thc room. ey-
tinguishinG the candle and leaving Us
in darkness. and the cabin rocked
under wind rs if it would blow over. |
The man shut the do u relyhte the F!
candle, and, placing it ut window |
so that its light would shine down
the road, he came over to me and /
said:
"Yes, that was my wife. We have
been married two years. Yonder in
the cradle sleeps cur infant"
"And what possessed Ler to start
out in this awful storm"
II did, he exclaimed, in an ac-
cusing voice, I'VE had a quarrel.
But for me it would have been only
a tritle. Sis was proud and haug.l-
tv, though loving and alfectionate,
and while / knew ] was iu the
wrong, 1 was determided to humble
her. An hour ago, when | deman-
ded, with the bearing of & tryanl,
that she retract certain statements,
she calmly dressed herself
aud set o~t for seven mile walk
to her fathers /
"You must have Been insane to lie.
her GO"
"G ,d forgive me, but 1 would not
say one word to keep her! l didn't
believe she would 60, and when she
went ont, kissing the baby GOO ,-bye,
hut having neither word Or loook for
me, l would not ask her TO STAY"
"And what are her chance in this
Storm"
HIS face was death1y pale and his
voice trembled like chiid's, as he
I'm going to look for her, and
want you to miEd the cabin and the
child. Tue little one is a sound
sleeper, and the storm will grow no
Taking down his rifle, he opened
the door and dashed out into the
storm, and l was left alone. For
hours there was no break in the fury
e AZ a H.. L