The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1895-11-08

but what can repair the damage
slready done2 People finally wehtto
bed; but there was little sleep tina.
night for the settlers The wind
still blew relentlessly and without dis
elimination. Everything in is course
was doomed
The next morning revealed q scene Of
desolation not easily described. All
night long the burning wind had con
tinued It's work Of destruction. The
leaves OF the corn instead OF glistening
in the sun were brown, and ratified
against their stalks as II dried in
kiln. The injury done to the pastures.
though less Obvious, was no less COM
plete Hungry cattle were already
circling around the parched field in
search Of fresh feed, and finding none.
Every hour revealed some new eyi.
dence Of the completeness Of the ruin
wrought Everything in the garden
was totally destroyed. The little trees,
which had been planted the first sum
mer, were brown as in autumn. Set
tiers who lad been there long enough
10 have small fruit trees beginning to
bear found the apples half baked on
tho trees. Nowhere could there he
found any sign OF vegetable life. In
csery direction the outlook was hope.
less Plainly there was nothing for
man or beast to subsist upon the rest
Of the summer or the coming winter.
What 80 do was the one engrossing
q,ipa,ipa. aud for it there was no an-
swcr Stock must be disposed of ut
once hut where were the buyers? The
horses could il not ba that such a
team conid he given away? Yet no
one could take them Must they lie
shot to keep them from starving? But
how cuuid the firm ever lie worked
without them? such were the qucs-
lions that were forced upon the Carter
household at every turn. lInt the chief
question, after all. was what 10 do
with themselves. They had no friends
in the east, as many had. TO whom they
could 90 for support. II they had.
they had no money to 20 with, neither
could they stay where they were with
nothing 10 live upon.
But that was not ali. The capitalist,
to whom they were To have made
final paylr ent this autumn, and then
prove up their land, would have them
in his power. He might foreclose, aud
they would not only be left penniless
but would lose their farm and what
money they had already paid. Look
which way they might, there was no
ray Of light or hope.
About eleven o'clock John came run
ming in with scared look. .Mr.
Brown is coming. ! can see his buggy
down the lauc now"
"Ileavcn help Us" said the father
fairly groaning with distress. No one
else said word. AS the dreaded Wis.
itor neared the honse Harry went out
to hitch tue horse. and Mr.. Brown en-
tered
Good morning, MIR. Carter"
Morning. was the only response.
Things look pretty bad to-day,
don't they?"
couldn't be worse" replied Mr..
Carter.
Crops all spilled, | reckon?"
IAN gone"
Nothing surer; and they say it's
that way all over the country" said
Mr.. Brown.
The poorhouse won't hold us ALL"
was the only reply.
"Iou haven't much prospect of pay
ing up that little balance on the note
this fall as can see."
Not n cent" said Mr.. Carter, as a
vision flashed across his mind of their
little effects set out upon the treeless
prairie, while they
II kinder thought that was the
shape things were in, and thought
might us well come around this morn
ing and tell you" Here their hearts
fairly stopped beating while waiting
TO hear what they knew was to he
their doom.
1T does look pretty tough. We've
never had the hot wind since / came