Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1892-04-07


storm was visiting a gentleman
who lives on an island Just west of the
mouth of the Rhine. We had dined
and were enjoying some cigars when
the daughter OF one Of the dyke guards
came'to the house with the news that
northwestern storm was blowing
the one wind the Hollander breads. At
once the whole household was in COM
motion. had been once in hurri-
cane in Cuba, but that was dry storm;
the Holland storm was different was
provided by my host with an oil coat
and fisherman's hat
AS all the other men went cut, felt
1t my duty to follow them, but when
l got out of the door | became bewil-
dercd. ! could hear the booming of
the sea against the dixie, but could not
see; elsewhere had always found,
even on the darkest nights, certain
glimmer of light, but there the dark
ness was like that of closed room,
and the rain did not seem rain, but like
the downpour of cataract; the ground
was covered everywhere with water,
which, as the island lies twenty odd
feet below the ordinary level of the
sea, could not run off was so bewil-
dered that turned to go back to the
house when friendly hand was laid
upon my arm, and a gentle voice said:
Come, let me show you the way"
Recognizing the voice ! said, in
amazement: Surely you are not go
ing out in this tempest?'
"Oh! yes; | always help when there
is danger to the dixie"
We reached the dixie safely, but
soaked, at least | was, for not being
amphi bious the water had the better
of me.
The scene at the dixie was, If the
term is permissible, sublimely hidcous.
The sea was piled up almost to the top,
and every wave washed over The
roar was deafening Such masses of
water came over that the men were
constantly knocked down, but my little
friend seemed as by a miracle to escape.
She was but slip of girl, not over
seventeen, but she took her place in
the line Of men like true heroine.
What astonished me most, however,
was the singular change IN her appear
ance; there was row of lanterns, SO
| saw her clearly. At the dinner she
had been exquisitely and most daintily
dressed, and as she sat at the piano l
caught glimpse of fairy. like foot
clad in a silk slipper made from the
same material as her gown. At the
dixie she had on pair Of rough fisher
man boots which came above her
knees; into these were poked pair of
boys trousers and the astonishing cos
tune was finished by long, yellow
oilcoat and mans hat tied to her head
with handkerchief Yet she could
not help looking pretty. told her
afterwards that she had reminded me
of Rosalind. -
AS ! could be of no possible help,
after an hour went back to the house.
The distance was only about quarter
of o mile, but how ever reached that
house has ever sincc been matter Of
wonder to me. Three times | slipped
in the soft, spongy mud; my hat blew
off and never was found; | was so wet
that although it was summer time |
felt bitterly cold; I missed my way and
got into a plowed field, but | reached
the house at last and a cup of hot tea
brought at once by an obliging house
maid cheered me immensely; but then
came serious question. had taken
only little handbag with me; what
should wear? But the maid solved
that question. She took to my room
a pair of trousers, slippers, and
most comfortable dressing gown,
saying that she would come
when had changed my things and get
my wet clothes and dry them for me.
Within ten minutes / was by COM
Portable fire that had been built in the
dining-room, with jug of hot water
and decanter of brandy at my side,
and the maid disappeared with my wet
garments.
That girl was genius.
In about two hours she brought my
things back; not only were they dry
and clean, but had been ironed so that
they looked better than they had
in the morning. The shoes, dry as a
bone, had been neatly blackened, and
with clean shirt from my bag l
looked myself once more. The tenn
pest went on with undated fury, the
wind howled and shrieked like an
angry demon, and the downpour of
rain still continued, and | could not
help thinking with the most sincere pity
of the gallant men and that fair young
girl who were guarding their dixie.
What use their being there was, or
what they could have done, heaven
and the Hollander alone know. can
understand protecting a dixie from the
outside with mats, but what can be
done from the inside. They certainly
were not there for pleasure. Doubtless
the shrewd Hollander knows trick or
two about his bikes that a stranger
would never guess. Not only his fields,
but his very life depends upon it.
After q time the wind went down,
the rain ceased, the sky frightened and
the watchers returned with the infor-
nation that the wind was still blow
ing, had changed its direction and the
dixie was safe.
On account OF their kindly courtesy,
shall always have a tender spot in
my heart for the Dutch, but should po-
litely request to be excused from being
out again in another Hollandish tenn
pest. am not sufficiently amphibious.
e. ]. Biddle, in St. Louis Republic.
Lightning Could Not Catch Him.
member of the Atlanta ga police
force claims to be the only man in the
world who has been struck at" by
lightning four times within two hours
and not once hit He was one day