Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1895-03-08
DOR04HEA INGRAM.
A Story of Early Colo
NAL Days.
BY CHARLES c. HAHN.
CHAPTER IIl.-GContInued)

CHAPTER Hl.-(COntInued)
From this day on the minister mad no
doubt OF HillarJ's le 'gue with the evlI
one. aud, Just as be meant TO be, Tor ne
was a man of honest conviction, or preJu-
dice. he would have had his enemy
brought up for trial, had not his value IN
the settlement been so great that ms
neiehbors counse'e1 patience But 'he
siltns influence Of the minister q lts
effect End af'cr short solourn In the
village, Hillary, as we have seen, ha
bullt cabin in the woods and removed
there with his daughter.
On the very day OF the trial the minis
ter hid another manifestation OF the
STRANGE power which was being exercised
over his daughter, then about ten years
old. During the dag the had tecome
sultry, surely portending a thunder storm
The leaves upon the fruit trees scarcely
seemed to move. Towards noon dark
cloud had drifted Ell them from the
south, but it passed away and was seen
TO break up in tie nor h. This advance
guard of the storm, however, was followed
in less than half an honr by an army OF
smaller clouds, which came slowly up
wards. and at length after mrch blowing
about in the upper air, joined together
and began to settle down over SagnaucK.
A deep rumbling was b ard among them IN,
and then. as if the thunder had broken
the water barriers, few large drops OF
rain fell psttering upon the forest leaves
and on the cabin roofs. A gust OF wind
followed, part ally relieving the pioneers
of the suitriness and then the refreshing
water began 10 fall in steady shower;
Flashes of light appeared in the SKY, ana
the crash and loom Of the disturbed ele-
nents were heard. That sharp rafting,
so terrible because of the indehnlteness
of the lightning's course, followed rap.
idly, and to On imaginative mind II
seemed as though heaven had opened up
for a magnificent battle with the tall
giants of the forest. dash here,
streak of light. crash, dull rumble
above. and the tall o k which had held
its head aloft for half century was rent
in twain. never in its pride to look down
upon its small brothers again. TIE
wind forces. too, were reused. and rushed
through the forest, tearing away Rrea'
limbs. scattering the colol ed autumn
leaves and bowing great trees before them.
After half an hour the force of the
storm was broken, the sharp crash of the
thunderbolt wa heard no more, the wind
went down and ra fell copiously in o
steady vet gentle S over, which lasted
until nearly evening. But after that the
Ekv for an hour or more was lighted now
and then with those zigz 6 streaks OF
lightning which frequently follow
storm.
thunder storm is always a grand
sight, but to The simple Puritans 1t meant
much moro than it does to their descend.
r. OinHc the
fury of the elements was o display of the
power of God, and they listened rever.
emily to His voice as if they we're indeed
at the foot of second Sinai.
But in the clse of the Rev. Henry
Granville, the storm brought him out in
the weakest o rt of his character. There
was something so terribly positive in the
descent of thunde1bolt that he covered
and cringed before it. The roar of the
wind through the forest seemed so re-
gardless of his We .kness, that he trem'
bled vet more when he heard it; and the
lightning fash and the falling rain were
so far bsyond his power to st ~ them, that
humbled and weak his only recourse
was to gather his family about him -ant
pray.
in his chair at homs, his thin lips MOVING
in prayer, his eyes tuned fearfulIy, ye
with fascination of fear that he conlt
not resist. toward the window, and nj
form cringing and shrinking back q
every crash.
Achsah was the only one who was no
terrified at the orm. She had refuse
TO 90 to her father and had lain dow
upon a rude couch where she could wdtcl
the play of the Lightning. When he
father tried to sink deeper into his arm
chair at some vivid flash of light, sh
laughed and clapped her hands.
WAS not that a goo strokef" sh
would say to the ministe". Some tai
tree in the forest was shattered then,
doubt not" And her father imagine,
that her smile had an cir of fendisl
gayety.t
As the storm increased, she becam
even more gay, and the poor faith sa'
unmistakable signs that the ga city wa
the effect of some nervous or mental ez
citen ent which lie could neither comprt
bend nor alloy. But suddenly he heard
cry of pain, and, turning to his child, sa
her living back upon the couch, with pal
face in which fear and bodily sufferin
were both plainly marked.
what is it, Achsah?" the ministt
asked.
1Som, one is sticking me with thorns.
The child WIS hastily undressed: an
upon her body were found several place
where the blood was starting through ID
skin Nausea followed, and then the 81
fell back upon her pillow, exhausted;
"Oh, l see him, papa, see him. SD
said, after time.
See who. AchsahS
The girl did not answer, but soon erie
out again:
He has hurt my arm.
The now thoroughly frightened ma
uncovered her arms. and, sure enougl
upon one Of them we're to be discerne