Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1898-03-25

TO De the spray against MS lbce. All
other instant, and without warning
big drops Of rain began to fall and an
ominous black cloud covered the blue
Of the sky.
Sheets of water rained and blew from
the northwest Big green waves that
afterward became yeasty lashed them
selves angrily against the sides Of the
little steamboat that rolled and pitched
in its efforts to upright itseli
against their fury. Thunder rolled
and binding and zig-zag streaks OF
lightning played across the sky. The
rain poured in torrents and swept over
the deck, wetting everything in iti
path, and driving the now thoroughly
frightened people to the opposite side
of the boat, which, with its uneven
weight, leaned and tipped in that dl.
rection. Water rushed in upon the
lower deck. The Captain shouted;
Some of you go to the other side Of
the boat. Don't all rush to one side
or you will have us overheard" Tn,
women became excited, and a genera
rush to the cabin began, until the or
der was given that no more shOult
come down into the cabin.
The fury Of the tempest in the mean.
time never abated. The steamboat
was shrouded in a mist of wind and
rain, and the erstwhile jolly crowd was
now a panic-stricken one. Lunch bas.
kets and boxes that were carefully
placed under the seats were saturated
with salt water.
Meanwhile, the young minister had
laid firm grasp upon the girls arm
and half lifted, half dragged her to q
passageway leading to the cabin, thai
was enclosed by glass windows and
doors, and thus protected her from the
rain. She did not seem to compre.
hend the extent of her danger, and
looked on at the movements Of the
panic-stricken crowd like some curious
wild-eyed child.
The sky became inky black. Moth.
ing could be discerned on the open decB
but the terrible sheets and gusts OF
rain, made gray by the blackness. Just
then the heavens seemed to open, dn6
binding flash of lightning played and
capered across the boat; a deafening
peal of thunder, like the bursting of q
thousand cannon, seemed to shake the
very waters of the Deep and to echo
and re-echo across the boundless waste
1t was terrific, and people clapped
their hands to their ears, and white
faces became blanched. A sharp, shrill
piercing scream arose above 1t all. A
scream of agonized fear 1t came from
the deaf mute, who swayed for a mo
ment, and would have fallen had not
her ever watchfuf companion caught
her and supported her in his arms
What had caused her to screami
Fright, perhaps, he thought, as she wit
messed the battle OF the elements. Sure
ly she has not heard that thunderboli
as it hurled itself from on high. Pshaw!
Was she not deaf, and how could she
hear? 1t made him almost glad tc
know that she had been spared thai
peal, that caused many heart to stand
still for an instant.
He held her fast in his arms ane
softly spoke the name Ruth" She
lifted those eyes with a glance az
sweet as an angels. Her heart flutter
ed. She smiled with a smile of rec
ognition, as If she had heard. Intui
lively he felt that she had heard his
voice. He had read once of such 6
miracle-that a volley of thunder Sc
dense and so terrific as to deafen a per
son of ordinary hearing had in somt
miraculous and divine way restored tht
hearing of a man who had been dea.
from birth. And, perhaps, this pre-
cious gift had been restored to the cir
he loved. He spoke once more the
name he had spoken in his dreams
and she gave sign that she heard. Il
was too true. 1t was miracle Of thu
storm, and he bowed his head ant
thanked God
If he could but hear her voice Bui
that inestimable pleasure was to bt
denied him. And yet his dream wa,
coming true, for he dreamed that he
sailed the sea with her in his arms!
oh, gentle dreams! Oh, destiny!
1t was not long before the storm
ceased as suddenly as 1t came, and tn,
heavy black clouds receded, and thu
blue in the sky was as bright as wheI
they started out. The little steamer
cut pluckily through the water. and il
half an hour the party, now in excel
lent spirits had reached the cool, shad,
grove. The miracle wrought durini
the storm was the talk of the day, ant
not less talked about was the devotion
Of the minister to the happy unfortu
nate who knew now that she loved him
and with an unfathomable intuition
given to creatures like herself, knew
also that John Grimshaw loved her
He did not love her less because sh,
could not speak, else the banns would
not have been published, and the mar
riage that took place in St. Matthias
Church six months after would neve
have occurred. She never spoke Z,
him with her voice, but her eyes ant
her lips and her hands spoke to him al
ways, and Sunday after Sunday as b.
looked over his congregation, the sam
little figure, with a face Of sweetnes
rather than sadness, looks up into hi
eyes intelligently and hears the bless
ed words as they fall from his lips.
Roller Boats.