San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-07-15
IN THE STORM.
The Spectator

southern portion of Louisiana, on that 10Th
of August you would have been struck by
the livid, greenish hue of the sky where II
met the horizon. During the day previous
stiff breeze had been blowing from the north
east, and the sun went down a round, red
ball Strange clouds barred with black and
purple, which lightened into crimson lines
where the ominous red light touched them,
made phantasmagOria of strange and mon
strouS shapes, the precursors Of that fearful
storm which desOlated the gulf parishes of
Louisiana At the Bayou Gallon the chill.
dren of Pierre Vincent, a Bassne fisherman,
had called to their mother to see the strange
sunset
Via, maman, see the bloody fingers in the
skyI AS if they We're pointing at us!"
Yes YES" their mother had answered,
looking anxiouSly at the sky, for was not her
husband Pierre Vincent, ont at Last Island
on a fishing expedition! But see, your
bloody fingers, as you call them, are gonel
Go in. the wind is blowing up cold, and the
rain is beginning"
The wind changed during the night, and
blew in sharp gusts from the east-southeast,
and when Adele Vincent opened her shutters
in the early morning. the rain was falling in
sheets, and the wind, as it tore through the
high marsh grasses, brought with it the
thunderous voice of the gulf as it swept over
the low lying beach. =
"Etienne," Adele said to her eldest child, q
fine, handsome little fellow who stood beside
her, "doSt thou not hear the storm crane
croaking in the marsh when the wind lullsi
1t is dreadful weather, and, o Etienne, thy
papa exposed to it all! And we are not safe
here"
"Ah, but, petite maman," and the boy, who
was only 10 years old, Strengthened himself
up and tried to look brave and fearless, IAN
| not here to take care of thee' and papa will
be back tomorrow. He knows the marsh,
papa does! He knows the coast, and he snaps
his finger at storms, for he knows just where
10 run his fine boat, L'Eclair. And Uncle
Baptiste is with him, and papa and Uncle
BaptiSte fear nothing! nothing!"
mo, they have no fear, but | have for
them" and the fishermau's wife, signing
deeply, entered the little cottage 1t was
poor dwelling, but very neat There was
some attempt at adornment in large, hand
some shells on the mantel, sprays of coral,
and some strange specimens of seaweed
Wrecks on the gulf coast, numerous enough
at some Seasons, bad furnished the cottage
cles. There were two beds, snowy white in
the front room, and a spinning wheel and
loom filed up the rest of the space. An old
woman, the mother of Vincent, sat near ONT
of the beds lingering her praying beads at in
tervals and talking to two beautiful little
twin girls who sat at her feet playing with
ball of coored worsted A baby lay ASLEEP
in a cradle. d.
i- al
Adele said to the old woman, "and it is get.
ting worse every minute Suppose Pierre
should be blown in the marsh like jean Eloi
in the storm Of L'Isle Deruiere All, it was
ten years before even his bones were foundr
The old woman's eyes gazed absently be
fore her, and she shook her head Thou
shCuidst not borrow trouble before it comes,
Adele" she said in patois even more marked
than he- daughter-in-law's 1t is bad luck!
TIE sea will work its will, whether you laugh
or cry All, yes it swallowed my husband
and my son Matthew, and it is hungry yet
for Pierre. Perhaps it will take us all; who
bnowsF And she mumbled her prayers
while her beads slipped rapidly through her
trembling fingers.
"Do not be frightened maman," whispered
Etienne, you know bonne maman does nOt|
hllO" "idIsSue II say my SOul6lIuleS, sue Is SO
old See, Lise and Marie are frightened and
crying, and they will hot let the baby sleep
Adele took the two little girls in her arms
and soothed and quieted them, though her
own heart throbbed high with terror She
went about her usual duties mechanically,
pausing now and then when the thunder of
the waves beyond the marsh grew louder,
and the little cottage quivered and rocked
with the fury of the blast To her ears the
voices of the sea and wind bowling, shrek
ing, laundering, were cAmoring for victims
Her husband, where was he9 COULD his light
craft ride IN safety through thisstdrmi There
was no safe harbor on that low lying coast.
no trees no elevation to break the fury of the
gale. All, they had been 50 happy in the Lit.
tie cottage! Her Ferre was SO industrious
and sober and though they lived far from
neighbors her life WAS too busy a one TO need
any one outside her own domestic circle.
As the day wore on the fury of the tempest
seemed to gather fresh strength Looking
out OF Der window Adele saw that one I'm.
broken expanse Of tossing waves lay between
the cottage and the gulf, only checked by the
ridge upon which the house was situated.
The lake at the back was over its banks, The
gray, greenish sky, the gray waters churued
here and there into foam by some obstacle,
ghe gray marsh grasses, the waving tops Of
which were visible above rhe dark waters,
made uD such scene OF desolation and do