Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1896-04-01
HAWTHORNE ESMERALDA COUNTY, NEVADA, APRIL 1, 1896.

picnic" because every one knew San
marez would propose then to the eldest
Miss Copleigh, and besides his affair
there was another which might possibly
come to happiness The social atmos-
phere was heavily charged and wanted
clearing.
We met at the parade ground at 10.
The night was fearfully hot. The horses
sweated even at walking pace, but any
thing was better than sitting still in our
own dark houses. When we moved off
under the full moon, we were four
couples, one triplet. Mr.. Saumarez rode
with the Gopleigh girls, and loitered
at the tail Of the procession wondering
with whom Saumarez would ride home
Every one was happy and contented, but
we all felt that things were going to
happen. We rode slowly, and it was
nearly midnight before we reached the
old tomb facing the ruined tank In the
deoayed gardens where we were going
to eat and drink. l was late in coming
up, and before went into the garden l
saw that the horizon to the north car
ll0u luiuti auI SoiOlCu iChtICls bub
no one would have thanked me for spoil
ing so we'll managed an entertainment
rs this picnic, and dust storm more or
less does no great harm.
We gathered by the tank. Some one
had brought out a banjo, which is n
most sentimental instrument, and three
or four Of US sang. You must not laugh
at this. Our amusements in out of the
way stations are very few indeed Then
we talked in groups or together, lying
under tho trees with the sun baked roses
dropping their petals on our feet until
supper was ready. 1t was beautiful
supper, as cold and as iced as you could
wish, and we staid long over 1t.
had felt that the air was growing
hotter and hotter, but nobody seemed to
notice it until the moon went out and
burning hot wind began lashing the
orange trees with sound like the noise
of tho 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 bodi-
ly into the tank. We were afraid Of
staying anywhere near the old tomb for
fear it might be blown down. So we
felt our way to tho orange trees where
the horses were picketed and waited for
the storm to blow over. Then tho 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 filed
boots and pockets and drifted down
neeks and coated eyebrows and mus
taches. 1t was one of the worst dust
storms of the year. We were all huddled
together close to the trembling horses,
with the thunder ohattering overhead
and the lightning squirting like water
from sluice all ways at once. There
was no danger, of course, unless the
horses broke loose. was standing with
my head down wind and my hands
over my mouth, hearing the trees
thrashing each other. l could not see
who was next me till the flashes came.
Then I found that I was packed near
Saumarez and the elder Miss Copleigh,
with my own horse just in front Of me.
I recognized the elder Miss Copleigh be-
cause she had pagri round her helmet,
and the younger had not. All the cleo
tricity in the air had gone into my
body, and was quivering and tingling
from head to foot, exactly as corn
shoots and tingles before rain. 1t was a
grand storm. The wind seemed to be
picking up the earth and pitching it to
leeward in great heaps, and the heat
beat up from the ground like the heat Of
the day of Judgment.
The storm lulled slightly after the
first half hour, and heard despairing
little voice close to my ear saying to
itself, quietly and softly as if some lost
soul were flying about with the wind,
"Oh, my God p' Then the younger Miss
Copleigh stumbled into my arms. say
ing: "Where is my horse? Get my horse
l want to go home. want to go home.
Take me home. "
thought that the lightning and the
black darkness had frightened her, so I
said there was no danger. but she must
wait till the storm blew over. She an
swered: "It is not that 1t is not that.
I want to go home. Oh, take me away
from here. D."
1 said that she could not go till the
light came, but felt her brush past me
and go away. 1t was too dark to see
where. Then the whole sky was split
open with one tremendous flash, as if
the end of tho world were coming, and
all the women shrieked.
Almost directly after this l felt a
mans $ hand on my shoulder and heard
Saumarez believing in my ear. Through
the rattling of the trees and bowling OF
the wind did not catch his words at
once, but at last I heard him say: I've
proposed to the wrong one. What shall
l doi" Saumarez had no occasion to
make this confidence to me- Twas never
friend Of his, nor am now, but l
fancy neither of us was oursef just
then. He was shaking as he stood with
excitement, and l was feeling queer all
over with the electricity. l could not
think of anything to say except, More
! fool Won for nroDosinp in dust storm ~