Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-06-05
TIE DEMON AND THE FURY.
rHnRAcn OF TERROR ALONG THE BORDER.

II is 8 o'clock In the afternoon Of an
August day and it has been scorching
hot along the edge Of the great staked
plains Of Texas and Mexico.
As my horse drinks his fill OF the waters
of the Rio Pecos turn my face to the
eastward. 1t is 200 miles to the foot hills
OF Mt. Cooper-2O0 miles OF sand, sage
brush, and cactus. Never a blade of grass,
a tree, nor a drop Of water. Sand-deso-
lation-death.
To the north-150 miles of desolation.
To the east--sand, cactus, sagebrush-
despair.
1t is a country Of dangers-of terrible
suffering-vain prayers to heaven-of
grim death, and even here, within sight
and scent of the clear, cold waters of the
Pecos point you out the bones Of beasts
which died of thirst and exhaustion.
~ @Ahi What's that2"
4 My horse lifts his head high In air and
utters q snort of alarm. To the east
nothing moving. To the henorth--nothing.
To the south-nothing. To the west
the god Of desolation entering upon q
march of fury.
@Rumblel Rumblei"
1t is thunder storm sweeping up from
the Apache Mountains-born in the val
leys and ravines, and sent forth ON mad
race which may oover 800 miles. Here is
shelter at hand. Not to the grove, my
excited and trembling steed, but to this
mass of rock-behind this great bowlder,
standing on this ate since the waters of
the food receded. There is wind in that
blue black cloud-wind, rain, fire, fury.
Waitingi The black cloud has covered
the sun, and il Is almost twilight. A ter
rible silence has fallen on the earth. A
hare comes running to my shelter, and
hear her footsteps while she is yet afar
of. A serpent is running to the bank Of
the river for shelter, and hear the rust
ling away to my left farther than can
make him out.
Waitingi The blue black cloud comes
up majestically, and tongues of fire are
darting and leaping and licking up the
gases. My horse lies down with some
thing like q groan, and scared hare
comes running up and nestles under the
flap of the saddle. The silence is like
great weight holding one down. It is
deeper than any sleep. It is next to the
stiffness of the grave. Another serpent
rustles-another hare comes running.
hear the heart beats of my horse as II
some one were keeping time on drum.
Merciful Heavens The whole west,
from right to left, blazed up with fierce
light, and next instant the earth reeled
and quivered with the awful shock of
10000 pieces Of artillery fred at once. 1t
was the signal for the Fury to SPRING
for q thousand demons to scream and
shriek-for innumerable serpents of fire
to writhe and light up the blackness at
6tful intervals.
Now the rain falls-now the wind Is let
loose with terrible shriek-now the
lightning Is 90 constant that the eyes
burn. and the thunder claps merge into
an awful roar, as did the 800 cannon at
Gettysburg. Crashl Crashl Crashl 1t
is the cottonwood trees falling to earth.
Shrieki Shrieki Shriekl It is the De-
mon racing along the plain and uprooting
even the blades Of grass. Shock Shocki
Shock II is the fury hinging his fiery
bolts into the bosom Of the earth.
And 30 for an hour. Then we stand ND
TO zee the glory Of the sun again-to feast
our eyes on the blue skies of heaven. The
Demon and the Fury have passed US by
and are racing madIy to the east.