The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1885-10-09
COLORADO.
Girls Caught on tho Plains by an
Approaching Tornado.
Escaping the Lightning and tho Tempest
-ExpcrIcncc In a Guich-IIow IL
Appeared when tho storm
Wss Over.

Wchad been nearly two months At the
ranch. ard the weeks had been an al
most unyarying round Of delight for us
both. Nearly all the daylight hours we
were out Of doors. watching the phases
Of life so new TO us Often at night
we went out to little cniinence where
we could see the sheep come home to
their corral What n solid phalanx Of
wool they looked, and what twinkling
little sticks their legs were. Poncho had
recovered, and WIS gravcly at work
every day. used to think the dogs
face wore an mir Of tenderness as well
as anxiety when he was conducting a
detachment Of sheep with lambs. OF
course. that was mere fancy, but VAL
verde bore me out ia the notion. To
his mind Poncho was capable Of any
thing. He would not bc surprised IL
some day the dog had suddenly adj
dressed him IN the English Of the plains
II was 4 quarter to three o'clock Of a
mild. cioude>s afternoon when my sis
ter. Nan. and myself started 10 return
from ranch six miles away. We had
ridden over there 10 dinner. and came
Cayly cantcring hcmcward. the sun
bright, and for once but very little
wind blowing. According TO my cx-
periencc, the West. with its great
plains. is the place 10 become acquaint-
cd with wind. Hardly day passes but
the air sweeps over the vast stretches
in way that Is annoying until one
gets accustomed 10 IT, IL roars through
TIE canyons. sucking hoarseiy along the
gorges. II is one Of the mighty as
re 4 Of the country. and TO me the
least pleasant Of anything had known
thus far. But this day. as I have said.
Il was calm. The sage only moved
gently as we role toward il. and we
seemed TO hear the notes Of birds borne
20 a from an immense distance. A
great many curlcws were circling about,
and the prair:e dogs sat up in front Of
the houses. looking at us with pert
and inquiring gaze.
There's something in the cry Of the
birds that I do not like" said Nan.
There's tone az forcboding in Il, and
II Is not IN appropriate tone for 50
magnificent q dav." But she laughed
at her own words as she spoke them.
A gray wolf leapcd across our path ct
some distance. stopped an instant and
eyed us. then fled away rapidly Again
Nan turned uneasily in her saddle and
looked about her. As size shook the
lines on her pony's neck she cxclaimed
II am certainly under spell DO you
know. girls. that | actually thought
that gray wolf had something 10 tell us,
Il we could only UNDERESTIMATE
49,
forget her fears, and we all became
cheerful. rs was lifting for horsewomcn
in Colorado. As look back upon that
afternoon. the ride, the bright sunlight,
and the experience which followed. all
SEEM although painfully vivid, rs II
they had happened in a life OF mine In
some other world; can never associate
them with myself in this existence.
We were riding toward the northeast
having been to 4 ranch lying toward
the Vega Pass, though number Of
miles this side OF Il That feeling which
the birds had awakened had proved
very transient NY sister suddenly
asked In . tone Of interest untingcd BY
fear. II we had noticed the cloud in the
southwest, and was II customary for
Colorado skies TO exhibit such
freaksP Upon that we all turned
US about. and rs Nan, with a
quick cry, pulled up her horse. we
also stopped our ponies and gazed.
h Speaking Tor myself I only felt then a
keen interest, without alarm, At the
sight before me. Until looked az my
cousins face did not think Of fear. A
great way of, Il appeared 70 me, wa
told afterward Il must have been abo VI
Ton miles distant whom wc first saw II,