El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-16

conteptedIy on the fenced in prairie
that formed the pasture. 1t was all
homely, but peaceful. and presently the
girls eyes, heavy with unaccustomed
vigfls, closed. She did not see the cloud
rapidly swelling and taking the omi-
nous shape dreaded by prairie dwell
ers. the so called funnel form, which in
this case was a much fiattened one.
1t seemed but few minutes later
| when Vlasta reused abruptly in dazcd
bewilderment. A distant shout, one of
alarm and warning, seemed echoing in
her ears. How dark it had growni
And there were Albrecht and his little
old mother, who kept his house, stand
ing before their door, exclaiming and
gesticulating wildly. At the same mo-
| ment' there came a rush of furious
wind, bringing the sound of low,
menacing roar, while the mass of dusty
green cloud appeared to quit the hori-
| ION and start swiftly on an earthward
path.
Vlasta guessed instantly the peril
| that threatened and sprang up with q
terrible cry:
"My. father, mother quick! The cy
clone. The cyclone?'
Then followed wild confusion,
screaming children running to their
parents, frantic EXPLANATIONS, hustle
and hurry.
| Whittier should they fly for refuge in
that hour of terror? 1t was the good
mother that solved the problem with
prompt presence of mind.
1.-THE henhouse childreni Let us run
to the henhouser' she cried, and she
crowded her stout self and her best
feather bed, brought from the father
land, valiantly through the narrow
doorway, followed by her husband.
carrying his pipe and armchair. and by
the others with whatever they chanc-
ed to catch up, all racing through the
thick, whirling dust to the designated
place of refuge.
In fact, it was the most suitable one
within their reach, being really a low
dug out" in the side of a small hill,
the front or open side facing south and
filed in with a sod wall, containing
only a small, rough door and a tiny
window whose four small panes were
thickly coated with dust.
In they rushed pellmell, causing wild
discontinue to the usual occupants of
this abode, which flew, futtering and
cackling wildly, from their rude nests
and perches. The father was in the
act of closing the door after the last
one was in when it was pushed violent
ly open from without, and Albrecht
and his mother, lacking such a shelter
of their own. flung themselves among
them.
Then the door, like that of the ark,
was shut and braced by the fathers
stout shoulder. And none too soon.
for the air was thick with flying debris.
There were II Of them-more souls
than the ark carried and crowded into
a much smaller space, but that matter
ed little at such a time.
The fowls screamed, the children
walled, the big mother and the little
mother rocked and prayed in each 9th
er's arms, and the father bemoaned
his farm and stock; but as for Vlasta-
the cyclone had given her what the
fates had otherwise denied, and the up
roar and danger were all dominated by
the joy that Albrecht was again beside
her, so close that she could almost feel
his deep, hurried breathing.
1t was but moment, and then, with
a deafening roar, a rush of darkness, a
choking breath of sulphur the storm
center was upon them
NlaSta remem bered how 1t happened,
but when she was able to realize any
thing her arms were around Albrecht's
neck and he was holding her to him
and murmuring words Of endearment,
which she felt rather than heard. MY
love, my little one"-though she was
as tall as he-"do not fear. l will keep
thee safe. 1, thy own beloved"
Vlasta's pet white pullet futtered
on their shoulders like the white wing
ed dove of peace. The storm went
swiftly on it's resistless way, leaving
desolation behind it.
Their houses were in ruins, their lit
tie possessions torn to pieces or scatter
ed far and wide, even a large part of
the growing crops rooted up or ground
into the soil.
But their lives were spared, and they
are hardy and courageous. Sod houses
can soon rise again and other crops
grow green on sunlighted plains, and
before long in the new home there will
be sounds of revelry by night" and
another merry wedding dance.-Buffalo |