Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-15

drawl. and what was not drawl was droli. and
there nothing but his habit OF follow
ing her about all day and holding her
hat, fan or parasol and fetching her
chairs and shawls to show that he shared the
slightest shade OF sentiment or sensibility what
soeycr. or that any animating principle save
sclf-idolatry possessed his innnimate soul In
Claras mind he had grown TO be an enigma,
and sine prudently abided its solution. But the
strain upon her patience was tremendous.
Before September the doubt must be decided
or a tempting opportunity let slip. And what
girl in love will willingly or lightly let GO a
chance? Perhaps the idol had little game Of
his own to play and was not so easily to be
caught by chaff, but ii so he sagev kept the
secret to himself and neither voice nor glance
nor mode of conduct betrayed a single atom of
his thought % eyes that searched him with in
terest IA " alike to him and her.
The mount is overcast by clouds at once and
strange effect of light and shade is visible.
The emerald intervale far below lies clad in
sunshine, the Saco sparkling through it like
path Of spanglcs. while the White Horse
Ledge is Swallowed by white mass of clouds
which sweep up from the western horizon to
the zenith. A sort OF sunburst breaks from
| the edge of tie black and broken storm cloud
where 1t skirts the sun at noon.
II say sings out Freddy Gold, "we're in
for n wetting. Better hurry up or go down
with the cold fowl before the rain comes
Thunder, by jingor'
Il never saw such cloud as that in Wall
| street or on 9Th avenue that l RENE mber," said
Jack Reynolds. IF it pours what are we to do
with the girls?"
Here. let us finish the champagne anyway
before the fun begins. The ladiesn'
The deuce! What racket there is to be in
fifteen minutes"
Am tight or are those clouds waltzing?"
The company are standing up now in no
small state of trepidation. parasols and some
umbrellas brought by few prudent spinsters
OF the party are raised; shawls and traps are
bundled into the baskets in q trice and in
stinctivoly the ladies gather together in fright
ened groups. while the gentlemen form an ir-
regular ring about them, as il the rain from on
high can thus be warded off. Tree or shrub
OF shelter there il none. A few big powders
stand like sentinels of the turret over the I'M
even surface of the ledge, whose face to the
east IS almost as perpendicular as the wall of a
house from base to summit for a thousand
| feet. IL IS a striking sight, which cannot but
stir the blood OF the most courageous. Many
a cheek blanches and many a hand trembles,
and well they may, for from the western hori-
zon past midheaven sweeps on the thunder
gust, the hurricane and the whirlwind with a
velocity rare in that high latitude. 1t is a
| breath OF the southern cyclone blown from it's
course, menacing with destruction everything
| i'll its track and able to puff from the rocky
| table like bits of paper the whole assembled
throng of terrified picnickers
FREDDY 10 right; the clouds are waltzing
wEirllng i'll great circles and descending to the
earth like cones or tunnels, two vast whirlwinds
of dust and leaves and dead birds, which would
suck up a river into waterspouts as soon as it
touched the Saco with its lower end. The fore
most blast begins to sweep the top of the table
land and almost hurls the party from their
! perch All eyes watch the gyrations of the
deadly squall.
''We'u be blown off the LEDGE" shouts Jack
''All sit down fat
We'll be drowned with rain," shouts Freddy,
''in u second!'
Gentlemen" calls firm, distinct voice,
there Is danger, as you say, but you are men,
| and you must face it. Help the ladies to the
shelter OF those powders. Ladies, you must
lie down close to the rocks on the ground, as
near as you can, and take hold of hands. Men,
| you must link your arms together and sit on
| the outer side OF the ladies' forming phalanx
| to resist the assault of the wind and water.
| Hurry! All right! Here it comes! Hold taut!''
The energetic words and action are those of
a brave man. whose commands come from him
with the presence OF mind OF a colonel Of a
! regiment or the captain Of ship. Nor is there
| time to spare. The cyclone, whirlwind. water
| spout are full upon them, as he himself stands
bent over the prone party regarding the tumult-
uous onset. With railroad speed the two col
umns of cloud rush violently together with tho
| report and roar of park OF artillery. amid the
| fierce flashes and play Of hundred forks OF
chain lightning, the repeated roar and crash OF
| thunder of the tropics, forming mass of
irresistible power which swings straight for the
river, drinking up the water till the bed is dry,
and plunging in zigzag course direct toward
! the doomed ledge. The man never flinches,
| but lays himself back against the bowlder in
readiness for the worst, his eye flashing. his
form and features fearless. spirit bold to dare
the sternest perils. The edge Of the column
Of fire and water strikes them like a
broadside, lifting them and waving
before it lets them fall. But the oordeafsfisas
| out above the clamor Of the gale, "Grip tight
for your lives!" from the bold voice as tie man
throws his own good weight crosswise upon the
| heap OF struggling, gasping and swaying hui
| mainly, now drenched and stifed by the
moving flood. 1t is over in an instant, and all,
| frightened, faint and feeble, stagger upright
| and stare in each others faces If awakening
| from sleep and fearful dreams. Several ara
| bruised and strained, but none are severely
hurt; the precaution has saved them from
broken bones, IL not from horrible death at
the foot of the granite ledge they had SO lately
climbed with SO much fun and frolc. Clothes
are torn to tatters, however. Baskets have
| disappeared entirely with hats and parasols,
and tresses long and waving hang dripping to
the waist unnoticed.
The first to speak after the awful fear is
Clara.
"Oh Mr.. Delby," she softly says. stealing ND,
pale and pretty, close to their rescuer's side,
''but for you we should all have been killed out
right. How brave it was OF you! You are q
hero indeed!'
Awe! Nothing to speak Of. You're not hurt,
l hope. Quite blow, wasn't 1t? Shall we 20
down? Well be home in time for tea"
'Reardon old fellow, you're a brick" cries
Freddy Gold, running up and wringing him
by the hand in warmth.
WED have been in kingdom come but for
you, says Jack Reynolds with unwonted feel
| ing.
Pray say no more. The merost trifle, as
| sure you"
They press about him to lionize him, but he
moves modestly away with smile Of playful
ness. The descent is begun. There are glis-
tening glances, hearty handshakings and count
less congratulations along the pathway ON the
part OF all. and bright flush reddens one
young face that flames moro truth at sight than
any tongue could tell in a fortnight. Such
Pushes spring from fires Of hope and happiness
ahead upon the hearth Of life and loves young
dream and their heat comes glowing from the
heart.
The storm is over, but its course is noted in
broken trunks, uprooted trees. torrents scurry-
ing down the hill apace and breaking in snowy
soapsuds on the wel-washed stones lopped
branches strewn about, dirt and driftwood
tossed hither and thither in heaps, rough fur
rows torn in the earth aud rocks displaced and
riven. In fact, such miscellaneous litter of
upset nature is seldom brought before our no.
tice, save when the elements wage their war of
furious forces, turning her garniture topsy-
| turvy and for the nonce gaining the upper
hand. Conway has rarely had such a wrench
and drench before, but fortunately the quaint
little village escapes with q sound wetting and a
good-slzed capful of equatorial wind.
Old kearsarge mountain towers above North
A.