Telegram-herald., 1890-04-04
A MARVELLOUS ESCAPE.
Fifteen Minutes with a Cyclons-A
True Story.

Speaking OF cyclones, remarked Mr..
Wilson 70 sne company about the library
FIRE. one cold November evening. II
think I can equal any story you have
told with my own experience In gen.
uine 'twistsr.'"
AS We had already heard some sur
prising stories, general exclamation
from young and old demanded the story,
and, after a little urging, Mr. Wilson
began:
We were living then, my wife and
the eight children (of whom the young
est was but four months old, IN NAL
com. pretty little village about five
miles from the city OF Grinnell, la.
The farm was as attractive as Ii could
well be-acre after acre Of rolling prai-
rie land, fine garden, and a young and
thriving orchard. Ny cousin had lived
on the place for several years, but when
his business made IL necessary for him
TO go farther West, he lad persuaded
me To come out and take the farm. /
had hoped TO go West for several years,
and | thought this an excellent opportu-
nifty, SO we moved out. and had been
living there about four years when this
big blow came.
1T was in 1882, on the eth Of June;
remembering the date.
1T had been an exceedingly hot day,
not a cloud TO be seen, with the sun
beating fiercely down, and not breath
of air stirring. We sat out on the porch
after supper, trying to find a cool place.
The clouds were beginning to gather.
and 1t looked as il there might be .
shower. The three little ones went
early to bed, and in spite of the op-
pressive heat were soon fast asleep.
'It couldn't have been far from eight
o'clock when heard sound which 1t
frst thought WAS thunder. The others
noticed it, too, and, as it grew louder. .
terrible rushing sound came with it, and
we looked at one another in silence for
. minute, and then ran to where ws
could look out westward.
my heart stopped beating, when
saw coming toward US with terrific speed
black, funnel-shaped cloud, the rush
and roar accompanying It gro owing louder
every minute.
"'Run for the cellar!' / cried. Nv
wife ran and seized the baby, and
caught up the two other children from
the bed. There was no time to lose.
''The one who first reached the cellar
door-it was one OF the older children
had just time to seize the knob, nothing
more, when-crashl such q terrific
noisel felt myself lifted in the air, and
thought my time had come. The next
thing l knew. felt the splash of cold
water in my face. l must have lost
consciousness, but the water revived
me, and in moment knew where l
was.
~ had come dorm head first into the
sell
THE water was some ten feet deep. I
was thoroughly at home in the water.
though / wasn't used to diving in that
fashion, and managed TO right myself
and come up head first.
THE we'll was not more than three
feet across. and the pump had been
broken short OF and carried away, leav-
ing a two-inch iron pipe standing
Up III TIC
81 was very nearly out of breath when
came TO the top Of tho water NV
hands touched something floating on
the surface. l thought 1t was the cat;
imagine my surprise whom | found il
was Charlie, our fve-year-old boyl
"He was terribly frightened, and ~
amazed ss was. 70 fnd himself alone
t. -
were not both of us impaled on that
iron pipe; how We escaped it can not
understand.
The Cyclone had PASSED on, and Q
terrific, steady wind Vas blowing. I
could hear il roar above our heads: and
By the flashes Of lGhtninT I could So,
that rain fell in torrents. We vere
both 80 wet We didn't mind The little
extra water that plashed down on Us
and ss soon as possible I raised Chsrlis
20 ny shoulders, and bv aid Of tn. kips
managed - work ny way 70 the too al
the veil. This took some little tine.
and The wind aud rain had nearly oess.d
when I act mT feet on solid earth again.
ard found ne we're unhurt
Bet such q scene ss LOOKED uron I
hope never - see again And dreaded
20 look about ne FOR fear ~ vorss
things Evidently ths house had been
lifted bodily from Is Foundation, snd
dashed down, snd everT thing thst bad
not been carried away by he wind lsy
about sae Tsri. many Of the zrss. tin
hers we're found rods sway driven IA a
tee Sara, as il they bad been bot t.rs-
Pegs
Son ] hssr5 n1T vites voice calling.
snd was happy nsn vhsn found
her s1d two - our listl. ones, terri bly
Tst and frightened. bat auhure
Bat where ras shA hab77
y csile6 re rau1es q TIE sfr-- cAfi-
s-en. ~ ve raa franaoau7 ka-e sai
taera 70 dnd seuss trace o. them. Nel-
lie tae sldest esnae runriaz from 80
o-rhsra ~tsh the hsby n her am. Sh-
sd sc hsd pfc<sd hin 81 fro-a ths
vet zrouna ~hsr~ e ras lvine. s-d =
fsd not s~sn eTies. shs rad fours her
SCI t6sr4 sat thzt - A. ssa kzrr