The Opelousas courier., 1900-02-17

t6E Ill u0f uatAF0 tOuSue, WHICH AS
never forgotten by the sold people,"
at least. The shouts of the numerous
younger children came from without,
where they romped among the farm
wagons and machinery, and the horses
and cattle grazed contentedly on the
fenced-in prairie that formed the pas
ture. 1t was all homely, but ceful,
and presently the girls eyes, heavy
with unaccustomed vigils, closed. She
did not see the cloud rapidly swelling
and taking on the ominous shape
dreaded by the prairie jewellers, the
so-called funnel form, which in this
case was q much fattened one.
It seemed but a few minutes later
when Vlasta reused abruptly in dazed
bewilderment. A distant shout, n
OF. slarm and warning, seemed echo
ing in her ear. How dark it had grown.
And there were Albrecht and his little
old mother, who kept his house, stand
Sing before their door. exclaiming and
ge~sticulating wildly. At the same mo-
ment there came a rush of furious
wind, bringing the sound Of a low,
menacing roar, while the mass of
dusky green cloud seemed to quit the
horizon and start swiftly on an earth
ward path.
Vlasta guessed instantly the peril
that threatened, and sprang up with a
terrified cry.
my father, mother, quick! The
n~yyafnDaf The nyoINnafB
Then followed wild confusion,
screaming children running to- their
parents, frantic EXPLANATIONS, hustle
and hurry.
Whittier should t hey fly for refuge
in hat hour of terri or? It was the
good mother that solved the problem
with prompt presence of mind.
"The henhouse, children! Let us
run to the henhousel' she cried, and
she crowded her stout self and her
best feather bed, brought from the
fatherland, ~valiantly through the mar
row doorway. followed by her husband
carrying his pipe and armchair, and
by the others with whatever they
CHANGED to catch up, all racing through
the thick whirling dust to the desig-
mated place of refuge.
Ia fact, 1t was the most suitable n
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, contain
ing only a small, rough door and o
tiny window, whose four small panes
were thiekly coated with dust.
In they rushed pell NELL, causing
wild discomfort to the usual occupants
of this abode, which few Auttering
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
violently open from without, and
Albreeht and his mother, lacking such
a shelter of their own, flung them-
selves among them.
Then the door, like that of the ark,
was shut and braced by the fathers
stout shoulder. And none to soon, for
the air was thick with flying detris.
There were twelve of them-more
souls than the ark carried, and crowd
ed into a much smaller space, but that
mattered little at such q time.
The fowl screamed, the children
walled, the big mother and little mother
rocked and prayed in each others
arms, and the father bemoaned his
farm aud stock; but as for Vlasta, the
cyclone had given her what the fates
had otherwise denied, and the uproar
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.
It was but q moment, and then, with
o deafening roar, a rush Of darkness,
a choking breath Of sulphur, the
storm centre was upon them.
Viasta remembered not how 1t hap
pened, but when she was able to real
ize anything her arms we're around
Aibrecht's neck and he was holding
herto him and murmuring words Of
endsarment, which she felt rather
than heard. my love. my little
one"-though she was as tall as he
do not fear. I will keep thee safe
I, thine own beloved"
Vlasta's pet white pullet auttered
ON their shoulders like the white
winged dove Of peace. The storm
went swiftly on its resistless way,
leaving desolation behind.
Their houses were in ruins; their
littla possessions torn to pieces or
scattered far and wide, sven o 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 sunlit plains, and
before long in the new home there
will be sounds Of revelry by night"
anu a,s.other merry wedding dance.
Mr. Lecky on Kruger.
MI. i ecky'e appreciation of prAsi-