Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1892-04-30

couples, one triplet, and Mr.. Saumarex
rode with the Copleigh girls and |
ioitered at the tail Of the procession won
dering with whom Saunarez would ride
homo. Every one was happy and con-
tented, but we all felt that things were
going 70 happen. We rode slowly, and
IL was nearly midnight before we reached
the old tomb, facing the ruined tank. In
the decayed gardens where we were go
ing 10 eat and drink Twas late in com
ing up, and. before went into the
garden, saw that the horizon TO the
north carried a faint. dun colored feather
But no one would have thanked me for
spelling SO well managed an entertain
ment as this picnic-and dust storm
more or less, does no great harm.
We gathered by the tank. Some one
had brought out q banjo-which is a
most sentimental instrument-and three
or four of MS sang. You must not laugh
ut this. Our Amussments 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,
<<t<N*& N&Hi'Ns4 w 60 ~ W ~ - BtNAH-
tifnl 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 ii until the moon went out and n
burning hot wind began lashing the
orange trees with u 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
II might be blown down. So we felt our
way TO the orange trees where the horses
we're spicketed 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 rnustaches. 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 a sluice, all
ways at once. There was no danger, OF
course, unless the horses broke loose. |
was standing with my head downwind
and my hands over my mouth. hearing
the trees thrashing each other | could
not see who was next me till the flashes
came. Then found that was packed
near Saumarez and the eldest Miss Cop.
leigh, with my own horse just in front oi
me. recognized the eldest Miss Cop.
leigh, because she had u pagri round her
helmet, and the younger had not AL
the electricity in the air had gone into
my body and was quiyering and ting
ling from head to foot--exactly as a corr
shoots and tingles before rain. 1t was
grand storm. The wind seemed to be
s.ssking up the earth and pitching il Il
leeward in great heaps; and the heat beai
np from the ground like the heat of tn,
day of Judgment.
The storm lulled slightly after the
nrst half hour. and heard a despairing
] little voice close to my ear. saying 10 it
. self, quietly and softly, as if some los
soul were flying about with the wind
Nt1s AtNas tlt6 y AbdAlk<EAa AllNi
Copleigh stumbled into my arms. saying
Where is my horse2 GET my horse.
I want to 20 home. want to go home
Take me home.
| thought that the lightning and tbs
black darkness had frightened her: 30
said there was no danger, but she must
wait till the storm blew over. She an.
swered: ut h not thati 1t is not that
/ want osgo home. Oh. take me away
from here!''
i said that she could not go till the
light came; but felt her brush past me
and 60 away II was too dark to see
where. Then the whole sky was split
open with one tremendous fash, as il
the end of the world were coming, and
all the women shrieked.
Almost directly after this | felt o
mans hand on my shoulder aud heard
Saumarez believing in my ear. Through
fhe rafting of the trees and bowling oi
the wind | did not catch his words al
once. but at last / heard him say: "rvs
proposed TO the wrong one. What shall
| dor Sanmarex- had no occasion te
make this confidence 10 me. was never
a friend of his, nor am | now: but
fancy neither of us We're ourselves just
then. He was shaking as he stood, with
excitement. and | was feeling queer all
over with the electricity. could moi
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.
z - G#s
Then he shouted: Where's Edith
Edith Copleighg" Edith was the younger
sister | answered out of my astonish-
ment: What do You want with herr
Would You believe it. for the next two
minutes he and Iswere shouting at each
other like inaniacs-lle vowing that II
was the younger sister he had meant 10
propose to all along. and | telling him
till my throat WAS hoarse that he must
have made mistake. | cant account
for this except, again, by the fact that
we were neither of Us ourselves. Every
thaAg seemed b. me like o bad dream
/ from the stamping Of the horses IN The
darkness 10 Saumarez telling ms the
story of his loving Edith Copleigh since
the first. He was still elawing my
shoulder and begging me to tell him
where Edith Copleigh was, when an.
other lull caue and brought light with
1t. and we saw the dust cloud forming
on the plain in front of rs. So we knew
the worst was over.
The moon was low down. and there
was just the glimaner of the false dawn