Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1890-06-27

thing was better than sitting still IN our
own dark houses When we moved off
under the full moon we were four
couples, one tIiplet, and Mr.. Saumarez
rode wish the Copleigh girls and /
loitered ct the tail of the procession won
dering with whom Saumarez would ride
home. Every one was happy and con-
tented, bat we all felt that things were
going to happen. We rode slowly, and
it was nearly midnight before we reached
the old tomb, facing the ruined tank, in
the decayed gardens where we were go
ing to eat and drink. was late in COM
ing up, and. before l went into the
garden, saw that the horizon to the
north carried faint, dun colored feather.
But no one would have thanked me for
spelling so well managed an entertain
ment as this picnic-and a dust storm
more or less, does no great harm.
We gathered by the tank. Some one
had brought out banjo-which is a
most sentimental instrument-and three
or four Of lis sang. You must not laugh
at this. Our amusements in out-of-the-
way stations are very few indeed. Then
we talked in groups or together, lying
under the trees, with the sun baked
roses dropping their petals on our feet,
until supper was ready. 1t was beau
tiful supper, as cold and as iced as you
could wish; and we stayed long over it.
/ had felt that the air was growing
hotter and hotter; but nobody seemed to
notice it until the moon went out and a
burning hot wind began lashing the
orange trees with a sound like the noise
of the sea- Before we knew where we
were the dust storm was ON us, and
everything was roaring, whirling dark
ness The supper table was blown bodily
into the tank We were afraid of stay
ing anywhere near the old tomb for fear
it might be blown down. So we felt our
way to the orange trees where the horses
were picketed and waited for the storm
to blow over Then the little light that
was left vanished, and you could not see
your hand before your face.
The air was heavy with dust and sand
from the bed of the river, that filled
boots and pockets and drifted down necks
and coated eyebrows and mustaches. 1t
was one Of the worst dust storms of the
year. We were all huddled together close
to the trembling horses, with the thunder
chattering overhead, and the lightning
squirting like water from sluice, all
ways at once There was no danger, Of
course, unless the horses broke loose. l
was standing with my head downwind
and my hands over my mouth, hearing
the trees thrashing each other. l could
not see who was next me till the flashes
came. Then found that l was packed
near SaumareZ and the eldest Miss Cop
leigh, with my own horse just in front Of
me. | recognized the eldest Miss Cop
leigh, because she had pagri round her
helmet, and the younger had not. All
the electricity in the air had gone into
my body and was quivering and ting
ling from head to foot-exactly as a corn
shoots and tingles before rain 1t was a
grand storm. The wind seemed to be
picking up the earth and pitching it to
leeward in great heaps; and the heat beat
up from the ground like the heat of the
day of judgment.
The storm lulled Slightly after the
first half hour, and l heard despairing
little voice close to my ear, saying to it.
self, quietly and softly, as if some lost
soul were flying about with the wind;
"Oh, my Godl" Then the younger Miss
Copleigh stumbled into my arms, saying;
where is my horse2 Get my horse. !
want to go home l want to go home.
Take me home"
| thought that the lightning and the
black darkness had frightened her; so !
said there was no danger, but she must
wait till the storm blew over. She an
swered: cit is not that 1t is not that
want to go home! Oh, take me away
from herew
said that she could not go till the
light came; but felt her brush past me
and go away. 1t was too dark to see
where. Then the whole sky was split
open with one tremendous flash, as if
the end Of the world were coming, and
all the women shTieked.
Almost directly after this I felt a
mans hand ON my shoulder and heard
Saumarez believing in my ear. Through
the rattling Of the trees and bowling OF
the wind did not catch his words al
once, but at last heard him say; "rve
proposed to the wrong one! What shall
l dol" Saumarez had no occasion to
make this confidence to me. Twas never
a friend of his, nor am l now; but
fancy neither of us were ourselves just
then. He was shaking as he stood, with
excitement, and | was feeling queer all
over with the electricity. l could not
think of anything to say except: more
fool you for proposing in a dust storm,
But did not see how that would i'm.
prove the mistake.
Thon he shouted: ''Where's Edith
Edith Copleigh?' Edith was the younger
sister. l answered out of my astonish-
ment: what do you want with herT'
Would you believe it, for the next two
minutes he and were shouting at each
other like maniacs-he vowing that il
was the younger sister he had meant to
propose TO all along, and telling him
till my throat was hoarse that he must
have made mistakel l can't account
for this except, again, by the fact that
we were neither of us ourselves. Every
thing seemed to me like bad dream
from the stamping of the horses in the