Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-04-29

alOLe, Dut dOpt0 WOulQ nave
the canyon and gone over the hills to Thu
| place. kept on, determined not to give VI
SO soon. Once when 1 looked back timor
o.Isly, frightened by the awful stiffness O.
the canyon, saw the heavens were dark ane
angry.
Soon dull thunder peals echoed from thu
hills and sharp fash Of lightning dgzzlet
me for moment l knew one of those suddeI
and terrible thunderstorns peculiar TO 6
mountainous country was upon me- believe
half my unhappiness at the ranch was caused
by the fact that / had to stay alone in
thunder showers, and the terror they inspired
then will never leave me. AS the roar grew
louder, the lightning more vivid, 1 began tc
long for human conpanionship. prayed
might find the wagon and woman init, and
Iplanned story to tell the people that would
explain my strange appearance. ran faster
all the while with the energy of despair.
The air grew close and murky, the sky over.
cast, the clouds low hanging, and strange
moaning wind swept down the CANYON
rustling the scattered willows A few rain
drops battered ON my shoulders, and wished
for my shawl that in my excitement had
forgotten to take. heard the rattle of
wheels, and just ahead as l turned a bend in
the creek, saw wagon going rapidly down
the canyon. The driyer-a man-was sitting
with bowed head and did not need my frantic
calls til l was close to him. lie refined in
his horses and looked back. ''Molly!'h he cried:
In my fright and haste had recognized
neither team nor driver l stood and looked
at him in miserable dismay, yet / was glad,
too, for the thunder storm was very present
and real, and my running away was all in a
miserable future. At least Glenn would be
with me now, If we never saw each other
again. Where were you goings" he said
coldly. A hasty answer rose to my lips, ar
rested at the instant by the strange express
sion on Clem's face. He was looking up the
canyon; turned and saw far above dark
line, like number of cattle crossing the
creek bed. The rain was coming now in great
swift sheets, while the thunder reverberated
over the far away hills and the lightning
flung its red glare across our white faces
Glenn ran to the horses, cut their harness
and struck them with the whip. "Tll give
the poor beasts chance" he said, as they
galloped across the sand. Then he caught
me by the arm. ''Run for your lfe," he
cried hoarsely, dragging me along.
Above the roar Of the tempest there was
another sound, steady and coming nearer.
A fearful crashing of waters, like Niagara
dropped suddenly down in quiet landscape.
l looked up the creek and saw dark moving
mass with curious motion no one can de-
scribe. 1t had not the smooth fulness and
onward rush OF an ocean wave, but rather O.
mad dance. 1t had no white crest or shining
surface; it was black and oily, like mud in
waves, and came with tremendous velocity
Ahead of US, mid stream, was little mound
that had been part of the eastern shore,
probably separated by such a flood, and
thither we ran. On the island were a num-
Der Of cottonwoods, and one giant that must
have penetrated to some hidden spring, for
its foliage was green and bright The
ground about its roots had been washed
away, leaving some of them exposed, while
the bank we climbed was SO spongy and
yielding that great mass of the sandy earth
fell after us as we struggled up. The island
was four or five feet higher than the creek
bed, and we reached its shore just in time,
for already there was dirty scum, presage
of the torrent, Kissing over the dry, hot sand.
Glenn pulled me up into the big tree, and
just as he did SO a wave, all Of ten feet high,
leaped upon us. 1t reared straight up in the
air. hurting timber, trees, dead cows, pail
from some rancher's door, woman's hat
and chair. l thought, as these things
whirled by, had any one else been surprised,
too, and would We go floating in CHASTITY gay
ETY. down that black river? Close behind
this wave came q second one, and the two
chased each other in diabolical merrinent
They churned up the sand, dug great black
hollows between each other and went tum-
bling along, followed by foaming stretch
of water, too swift for waves in its pell nell
haste. AS the water rose Glenn dragged me
further up the tree, both of us wet and shiy-
ering.
Around us as far as we could see was a
wide world of dark waves, boiling, rolling,
hurrying on. There was strange fascina-
ton in it, too. l knew no swimmer could
breast that awful current; that the PREACHER
Gus sand would drag him down like giant
armed octopus; yet there was such swift
motion of water, such rolicking. dancing
glee, such a whirling of air and shore, that
one wanted to join the procession and hurry
along, too The waves were full Of rotten
tree trunks and debris of a wooded hillside,
showing the cloud had come down some
mountain side miles away; and with the trees
were homely household utensils and furni-
ture, a calf, and washtub that sailed jovi-
ally along until it struck a timber and sue
cumbed. had seen our wagon disappear on
the crest of the first wave, but was sure the
horses were safe. Then l began to think of
ourselves. The tree was swaying perilously,
the water seething about its roots.
SIS it still rising!" said to Glenn, who an
swered YES" quietly holding me tight all
the while.
Don't let me gof' cried piteously; sat
least let us die together" l became aware
that he held me very close, and was brushing
the wet hair of my face.
81 wish | had my coat" he said tenderly;
''that poor little dress of yours is so thin
How you tremblel Do l hold you too tight?
Is this the end of your martyrdom, wonder!
Poor Molly, your married life has been one
long torture"
cit would not have been if you had loved
me-" cried, ard then I told him all my
troubles that had boarded up and gIoated
over as miser does his gold. / told him of
the saddle he promised, the many other little
acts of neglect, of things that go to make up
the sum of a woman's happiness; his indiffer-
ence TO baby S sickness and my own woes. Il
had no friend" stammered; ''no one to bid
me have hope and take up heart again. Oh,
Glenn, there are more tragedies in the homely
every day than viii ever be written in books
or understood by menlr
l saw his face droop, his mouth culver,
and then l felt sob rise in his breast Glenn
crying-the great strong man! I could not
bear that Forgive me, l was wrong
said. II fancied all this You did not mean
il" But he only muttered, Blind! blind"
Still the food went on; still the dark
waters encompaSsed US about, till thought
Verify, the fioodgates Of heaven are open
Then, as the old tree rocked and writhed ia
the torrent, Glenn told me simply and hon