The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1891-12-26


Story. - usual, but inste,l he said
, anN.ousIy:
Boys, | wish you'd take a look at
thoSr clouds yonder. Somehow L don't
like the looks of them"
Of course every one instantly looked
eagerly in the direction toward which
the Colonel pointed.
"Don't see anything alarming about
Them said one; though il does seem
as though they were pretty near us, now
don't it,"
Well" said another judicially, sit
does SEEN 80, that's fact! And there's
one place right back of tie village here,
that looks pretty dark. DO you see it?"
"Story, what do you think about it,"
quericd the Colonel.
Story gave one quick look at the
Coioncl's face and then turn ell his face
back TO the cloudy sky without one word
in reply. The Colonel laughed loud and
long.
"Oh, no! Brother Story, haven't you
got word to say? Come, it's time for
you TO own up beat! Its no time to hold
out any longer. believe that every man
that stood on that street corner that morn
ing after the storm is right here now.
DO you remember what | sworc, Story
that | would build me barn that God
Almig hty could not blow DOWN."
81 remember" came the answer; but
the speaker never took his eyes off those
silent clouds.
And | swear it again, right here,
70, Il.
studying, Brother Story. Come, face
round here. my friend; hate to talk to
the back of a mans head"
Story never moved.
''Do you give it up?' went on the
mocking voice. "Ofcoursc, you remem-
Der what you said at the street corner
that morning!"
As one having ears hears not, Story
half-faccd round. "Hush!" he said
sternly. Silence fell over the little
group; and through the stiffness a
strange, low sound reached them. In
stanily every man turned his eyes to the
west. Look said Story, in hushcd
voice.
There was no need of the admon;ton.
Every eye was fastened on little dark
cloud that had swung itself loose from
the rest. The strange, low sound deep
ened. The Colonel's horse pricked up
his ears, worked his delicate nostris
alfrightcdly. then shuddercd all over.
The Coloncl's hand frightened Instructive
ly on the rein, but he had no rcassuring
word for the quivering animal that he
had petted from tiny colt. Somehow
his throat had become hard and dry. lie
heard nothing but that weird sound, saw
nothing but that little swirling, black
cloud.
1t was forty years ago that the events
of our story happened. long before the
word "cyclonc" with all its drcal signiii-
cance was Il household word. and they
also, in State that To this
day knows but little about those terrible
But the terror of this
strange. "rewsome thing, whose roaring
now filled the air, was sufficient of Itself
to- smitc all color from the bronzcd faces
of that group of lookcrs-on and chill
them 20 the narrow with fear.
Lightly,as thistlc-1own, turning and
twisting. seemingly u plaything OF the
air. it sped along over the fields on the
south bank Of the river. At first it was
u round mass something like huge cam
non ball, then shaped by vicwlcsS hands
it took on funncl-shapc; finally it
started straight a. line for the river
bank. n group of tall clmls stood in It's
way. The soft cloud touched them and
then swept ON. \ few ragged and NUT
Hated trunks pointed 70 the sky, branch,
twig and emerald leaf twisted away by
ruthless force. 1t swoopcd down on 10
the river, which was full of logs. 4
river mln was standing on one of the
great Iog-bcoms at work. The yoiceiess,
lookeTS-On saw him face
round, and then the next instant he had
dropped into the water and was clinging
desperately to the boomstick, then the
cloud hid him from view. On sped the
cloud. For one instant they turned
their eyes from the cloud to the place
where they saw the lumberman He was
safe, though his face, which was Just |
emerging from the water, was rs white as
1 patch of foam. Then they turned to
he cloud again.
1t sped up the river bank, aiming as
'traight as an arrow sped from taut- |
strung bow for the Brainard barn. The |
'oft cloudy mass reached it, and never
lnted an instant as though hindcred, but
lightly and steadily kept on its way. But
or all that. the thin" happened that every |
nan had had Il distinct presentiment
would happen of that great, solid-buiIt
Darn. not one timber was left upon an !
'thcr. Full to the rafters with an abun-
liant harvest, with six great river-bat- !
eaux piled around it. in the twinkling of i
IN eye, barn and batteaux were snatchcd |
way, and not a vestigc of either left.
The noise of the cyclone died away.
colonel Brainard and Amasa Story