St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1892-04-02


Was il a memory or prophecy:
Was il OF life long past, or life TO be!
Or was II idle fancy OF the bra;nl
All! who shall say We may not live agains
Overland Monthly.
THE GOLD HUNTER.
How Restless Jack Holloway
Found His Fortune.
The thunder crashed through the
narrow canyon like heavy artillery
manifolded ten thousand times The
rocky eminences, shrouded in the I'M
natural gloom Of the storm, seemed to
~remble under the terrific roll and re.
~erberation of the sound. Tho birds
shrieked IN terror from their hidden
perches, and the rushing waters of the
mountain stream danced in satanic de-
light at the fearful display Of natures
volcanic wrath The wind and rain
came rushing. swirling. bowling down
the narrow way with all the fury of m
outraged god Logs. bushes, rocks and
small trees were upr0oted and went
crashing down the mountain way in
the van of the tornado. 1t seemed ~
If the elements Of the sky and sir had
united all their forces to destroy the
immutable~ rocks that reared their
heads in sub majestic peide. -
A Thunderstorm In the wild moan
tains of the west is an impressive sight
The heavens and earth rock Is in some
mighty cradle. and the roar Of rain,
mountain torrents. rolling thuader and
falling rocks, thresten instant demoli-
ton to the whole scene. One closes
the eyes en- terror and waits for .
change. Man is powerless in such
natural uphcavals There is no hiding
place. no saeltering spot Of safety.
Even the towering mountains threaten
to fall into the valley and crush Ill ami
mate life out of existence. -
A calm. serene sky arched over the
earth shortly before the storm, and the
swift approach of the thunder cloud
was only equaled by its wild intensity.
Jack Holloway was half way through
the canyon when the muttering thuu-
der warned him of the impending dam
ger. He took swift glance 1t the
clouds. noeed' the low murmuring Of
the winds. and felt the oppressiveness
in the atmosphere. His knowledge Of
the storms in the wild mountain passes
made him decide quickly to look for .
place of safety.
Its going to be . stunner!" he ejacu-
lated. rs hs goaded his tired horse into
a trot, and the rocks will be rolling
down here like ninepins before long"
A short distance down the CANYON, he
expected to find the home of settler.
and he hurried On - rapidly - his
jaded steed could GO
before . tornado, and the next moment
it broke upon the quiet scene with
dcmoniac fury. The lonely rider refined
in his horse with . quick jerk and dis
mounted. Leading him mp against the
side of the canyon. the two tried to
crouch close enough to escape the de-
sccnding rain. But the wind was angry
and puffy. It sent great binding show
crs in the face of man and horse. They
crouched lower, but tue rain easily
reached and drenched them
This Is tough, Polly, isn't it?" he
remarked. "But we can stand Il To-
gether."
The horse whinnied and placed her
wet head ON her masters arm. Jack
Holloway loved his horse, and he wound
his arm around the brute's neck. The
two thus stood. quietly facing the
sweep Of the storm.
Its better in here"
Holloway turned around, and won
dered If it WAS . voice, or his imagine
ton.
"You will get wet out there"
This time there was no mistake. It
was the tre0bline voice Of . woman,
sailing to him. He looked up shove
his head. and not . dozen feet away be
saw . natural cave in the ppelky wall,
aud the form Of woman standing 1t
the entrance. She wos beekoning to
him.
He obeyed the summons and scram::
bled MP the rocks to her side. Polly
whinned. and he returned to help the
noble animal to the sheltered cave.
81 thought il was better up here"
the young woman said, half apologet-
ically, land knew you didn't zee the
cave" :
Holloway turned and looked at her
for the iirst time, and in that glance he
noticed that she was more than ortli-
narily pretty. with strong. expressive
face.
you're right" he said, sit is better
mn here. wasn't familiar with this
cave. knew Tom Suffers house was
down the canyon farther. bat the storm
wouldn't let me get there"
"Yes, Cousin Toms house is . mile
away" she replied
'Oh. then. he's your cousin? I'll
claim friendship with you On that
score, for Tom and I came west to-
gether..
He took on his hat, and extended .
hand. Her eyes frightened, and she
answered with more animation:
"fiow glad I am. lean trust you then.
I was . little afraid to speak to you ut
first Thought you might be-"
.So,ne tramp horsethief, wanderipg
bandit Or something of that sort. y he
with . smile. \
WELL" IN. acknowledged, with .
little lush. Its not always safe to
speak Nth every man yOu meet in the
canyon"
s.AssorsdlS no&s
but when You put your arm around
your horses neck I knew that ! was
safe in speaking"
He wondeped no less 1t the woman's
than at her beauty. He
. little ct her innocent remark.
Il don't think we Gao get down to |
Cousin Toms for some time" she con-
tinued, looking out Of the cave. He
win be worried about me. I told hin
that I was going TO take walk mp The
canyon, and would Be back before
long"
1T won't last long" Holloway ven
tured. loolEings weather-wise. - he no
ticed h0n1aDee-ef eeoeeEn toward TIA
cloudA s'These storms are always |
hort. but fpriouA They como sDd g