The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1899-10-31

: When the Cyclone Came
1 1t Reunited . Pair of Lovers In an
/. Unromantic Henhouse.

erWise.
1t was Sunday afternoon in late
June, hot and unusually still for that
windy country, but the rolling stretch
es of prairie grass and the great fields
of young wheat and corn still held the
freshness Of early spring.
But the cloud, mo larger than a
mans hand" is always present in some
form or other.
One was at that moment rising lazily |
on the western horizon, over the low,
green hills, just faint summer cloud,
unseen by the girl, whose eyes were
fixed on a nearer and, to her, much
more attractive object. This, as is apt
to be the case when maidens sigh, was
young man, who, on the other side of
a barbed wire fence, some little dis
lance away, was busily engaged in
washing his buggy, which was rolled
in front of his own little low sod house.
He was of middle size, dark haired
and featured, like herself, and clad in
the careless costume of overalls and
jacket of blue denim, faded and dingy
from exposure to sun and weather. and
the battered sombrero of light felt,
which were usual in his everyday occu-
patton of farming.
AS any one familiar with that part
of the country could tell at a glance,
they were young Bohemians, members
Of that great army Of hardy settlers
who have made homes for themselves
in the previously untitled west.
But hearts will be hearts in every
place, and Juliet may pine for her Ro-
meo in ancient castle no more than in
humble sod house, as did this common
place little heroine, with her plain but
kindly face.
Now, by custom immemOrial Sunday
is the rural holiday everywhere, and it
is especially so among our foreign born
citizens, who on that day sally forth,
/ clad in their best, ready for visiting
and merrymaking and seeing no incon-
gruity between church and mass In the
morning and dance in the afternoon
or evening.
So, considering this, it seemed that
the young settler, Albrecht Hollub,
| BIlOulu UC vi pACehSulG DC1ls anu lAfC
signs indicated to Vlasta that so he
was, or soon would be. Herein lay the
sting which changed for her the sun
shine of that glorious June day to
| gloom.
For Albrecht-as "going riding" in
his new buggy-going without her and
40 doubt with some other girl, when 1t
was really her place on that seat be-
side him.
And had she not proudly occupied it
until that unlucky night not yet two
| weeks ago, but seeming half a life
time, as a girls short lifetime goes!
Such little thing, too, as is general
" the case, to have caused all this
trouble. She was not sure how Al
brecht felt. Perhaps he was glad to
get rid of her. Here two great tears
dropped into the dshpan at the
thought Just a dance at a young
friends wedding, it being their custom
for a bridal party to go to justice or
country judge to have the ceremony
performed and then to return to the
brides home for grand celebration,
which usually lasted all night. Then
foolish quarrel, when Albrecht, heat
ed by excitement and beer, had insist
ed that she danced too often with the
brides elder brother. She had refused
to listen to him, of course, with the re-
suit that he had walked out into the
darkness and had never been near her
since.
Perhaps she had sought covertly and
: no doubt awkwardly to find an oppor.
tunity of making amends but he had
ignored or avoided her. though they
lived on adjacent claims; hence, fol
her, at least, bitter days and nights
She felt vaguely, in her simple fash
ion, the hardness of the woman's code
which bids her wait and weep" in ST
lence, a rule that has broken many be
sides country hearts like hers. An(
all this time the cloud in the west wai
rising. 1t looked much like puff Of
black smoke, and there were Others
not so dark climbing up beside it.
. The dishes were finished and pu
away in the kitchen SAFE" or cup
board, and the girl sat down by hel
{, window-she was very fond of tina
, window In those days and gaZed alb
sently out. The landscape was lief
desolate to her, for Albrecht had disap
peared probably to attire himself TO
his outing.
Her father nodded in the shady door
way over his long. curved pipe. In IN
inner room her mother discoursed volu
bly, to her second daughter In her ma
tive tongue, which is not forgotten b,
the old people at least. The shouts o
the numerous younger children cam
from without, where they rompe
among the farm wagons and machiI
cry, and the horses and cattle Craze
contentedly on the fenced in prairi
that formed the pasture. 1t was a
homely, but peaceful, and presently ii
girls eyes, heavy with unaccustome
yigils. closed. She did not see the clou
rapidly swelling and taking the ON
nous shape dreaded by prairie dwell
ers. the so called funnel form, which
this case was much 1attened one.
1t seemed but a few minutes lat
when Vlasta reused abruptly in dazt
bewilderment. A distant shout, one
alarm and warning, seemed echoing
her ears. How dark At had grow
And there were Albrecht and his lit
old mother, who kept his house, stan
ing before their door, exclaiming al
gesticuIating wildly. At the same m
ment there came a rush of furio
wind, bringing the sound Of a To-
menacing roar, while the mass of dus
green cloud appeared to quit the ho
zon and start swiftly on an earthwa
path.
vlasta guessed instantly the pc
that threatened and sprang up with
terrible cry:
''NIy father, mother, quick! The
clonel The cyclone!'
Then followed wild confusi'
screaming children running to tn
parents, frantic exclamations, bus
and hurry.
Whittier should they fly for refuge
that hour of terror? 1t was the &c
mother that solved the problem W
prompt presence of mind.
1.-THE henhouse, children! Let us 7
to the henhousep' she cried, and s
crowded her stout self and her b
feather bed, brought from the faith
land, valiantly through the narr
doorway, followed by her hasba
carrying his pipe and armchair, and