The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-07-23


an supper we was TO have in the
evenin'. IL
Pretty soon tie women folks began
to flock in, all dressed in their best,
an lookin' as fresh an bloomin' as a
flower garden after a shower.
58ts.But Sne was the prettiest of the hull
lot, dressed in her white frock, with the
pink ribbon tied around her waist.
..Silas Peterkin, he was there, of
course, an as soon as see him went
TO the house.
LAS l was standin' on the back steps,
out of sorts with myself an everybody
else, heard voice say:
"eDavid!''
"An' turnin' round, I saw Sue,
lookin' as smilin' as basket Of chips.
"'Aint you comm down to the
barnp' says she.
~ rather guess I amt wanted
says !.
want you
.She looked and spoke SO sweet that
was e'enamost mind to 90. But
jest then l heard Silas calling her; and
mutterin' somethin' about havin' some
tools to grind. walked off.
II was most sorry fort, though,
when caught . sight Of her face as
she walked away with Silas, an saw
how sober it was.
.'Sittin' down on the back steps,
went to work; the raspin' of my file
soundin' deal pleasanter to my ears
than the fiddlin' that floated up from
the barn down in the medder.
l AT l..
number of days past, but this had been
thes hottest one of all. Not a leaf
moved, and there was somethin un-
nat'ral in the stiffness of everythin'
around. There was strange look to
the sky, too; it was streaked overhead
with purple an vi'let, with sort Of
/ yellow glare in the west.
s'Oid Bose, the dog. who had been
wanderin' restlcssly about for the last
hour, now set up a mournful howl.
when went, to fodder the cattle
found the poor critters huddled togeth-
er in one corner of the yard, utterin'
low bellows of terror and dismay, their
instincts warning them, as all these
signs did me, of the tornado that was
approachin'.
1 Coin back to the house shut every
door and winder.
Then thinkin' of the folks in the
barn-that was the most in danger OF
anything ran down the garden to.
ward the meadow where it stood.
''But had hardly gone two rods be-
fore it came-liftin' me off my feet and
hurlin' me against an opposite fence!
picked myself up and hurried on.
As l come in sight of the barn-or,
rother, where it once stood-the air was
| filled with dust an flynn shingles an
| timber!
"As soon as it cleared away bit, !
saw Sue standin' in most perilous
position right in the midst of it!
II shouted to her to come away; and
jest then the wind took her up as if she
was but feather, bearin' her directly
toward me. Iopcned my arms an she
came right into them.
.'As she did SO. one of the fyin' sticks
hit one of my arms, maxim it useless
but holdin' her tight with the other,
took her to some low bushes in little
hollow between two hills.
1.-The tornado was as short as it was
| violent, and though good deal OF
damage was done, luckily, no one was
4 hurt much.
Sue escaped without scratch. NJ,
arm was broken; but considerin' who
nursed me, you needn't waste any pity
on me for that!
Il heard afterward, as soon as the
alarm was given, Silas Peterkin took tt
hls heels, an' never stopped until h.
reached his fathers door.
..Whether he heard that the old MAJ
vowed that he'd set Bose on him if Ii,
a ever came nigh Sue agin, can't say
but his visits ceased from that day
II sent him an invite to my weddin'
which took place a few month
arter; but as he didn't come, I'm sor
i of mistrustful that he was afraid o
4 another tornado. -