The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-06-29
FREAK OF The STORM.
(Chicago Daily News.)


The traveller in Southern Minnesota
sees but little to remind him of the
great storm which spent its fury there
in the summer Of 1SS-. 1t is land of
gently undulating prairies, set with
sparkling lakes and lined here and
there with rivers of pure water. There
are comfortable farm houses, surround
ed by fields which yield richly Of grains
in their season, and there are hard,
white roads which lead to the hustling
villages.
Along one of these roads there passed
on a certain day not long ago, book
canvasser in the pursuit of his calling.
And at one of these comfortable farm
houses he stopped. An old man was
sitting upon the porch, complacently
viewing the fair scene before him. A
number of chickens scratched in the
gravel of the front walk. A shepherd
dog lay in the grass beneath the trees,
idly swapping at flies.
Something in the scene gave the can
vasser hope. He could not tell what 1t
was. Perhaps it was the old mans face
which, despite its rough beard, shone
with intelligence, possibly it was the
chickens which were a breed famous
for it's flesh, it might have been the dog.
But whatever it was, the canvasser
drew encouragement therefrom, and ac-
costed the old man deferentially. The
greeting was returned with smile and
shake of the hand.
'Cyclopaedia, eh?" the old man sad
Yes, my boy, I'll look at it; but give
you fair warning that 1 am not likely
to buy. We have a great many books
and my old eyes are giving out.
can't read as much as l should like to.
1 find most of my intellectual recre-
alton nowadays in talking. / like to
talk. l suppose you do also, else you
wouldn't have taken up this line of
work. Sit down."
After taking the proffered seat, the
canvasser turned page after page Of
the book over silently, and finally came
across what he wanted.
Now here" said he, sis an article on
cyclonic storms that -"
"Cyclones! said the old man; II
know more about cyclones than could
learn from cyclopedias in a thousand
years. Bless you! 1t was not such a
great while ago that we were all torn to
pieces by cyclone-or a tornado, which
is off the same piece guess-in this
very spot"
II have had little experience my
SELF" said the canvasser modestly.
They are terrible things"
well" returned the old man, slowly,
that depends on how you look at II.
Opinions differ on that as on other
things. For my part, I agree with you.
They are terrible; but ny son--him
that you see coming across the meadow
yonder--has rather kindly feeling for
them, and his wife is the same way"
You see, they had been keeping COM
pany for two years or such a matter,
in just the ordinary way--sitting up late
Sunday nights and choosing each other
in all the kissing games and going off
their feed every day or two, and all
that-at least John did, and I suppose
girls was the same. I'd about made up
my mind that they'd have to be married
pretty soon, and I wasn't particularly
pleased, either, because the boy was on
ly Fl and the girl IS, when all of q sud
den they had a kick-up.
John came home one Sunday night
fright after church, with face looking
like a buckwheat field. He jerked off
his hat and hung 1t up. then pumped
himself down in a chair, with his hands
In his pockets, and gazed steadily at one
hgure In the carpet for an hour 1t
was some sort of a lovers quarrel. I
don't know what 1t was about, and I'll
wager they can't recollect, either; but
1t was mighty serious matter at the
time. They had parted in anger She
WAS headstrong, and John was stub
born. like his dad. 1t actually looked as
II 1t might be permanent.
John came to me the next day down
in the field. The set look was stilI upon
his face. and his voice trembled.
/" Father he said. 4 am going away;
] can't stand II here--now.'
Il didn't try to turn him from his pur-
pose. Wen, my son. ! said. you're
your own man. I've got confidence