The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-06-22
INCIDENTS
AND OPINIONS


~ me weakest among them with respec,
There was plenty OF tramplirg an.
crowding outside. where the way va
wide. but here IN the crowded tent a,
one was injured. and few we're even JOS
tied
Mr.. Lanes entire fortune was a
stake, and in a few moments even his III,
would be az peril for he would no.
desert his post: but now al his faculties
were concentrated upon getting the PEG
PIE out safely. and he was the csoles'
person present. IN less than three min.
a;es the tent had been cleared and al
thar could be seen were the backs of th-
Spectators as they scurried away across
the path % the approaching storm.
Nothing had been done TO the main
tent. but under Mr. Lanes energetic
orders We devoted the remaining sec
ouds 70 christening guy-ropes CT the
menagerie canvas on the side toward the
tornado.
The Wind may carry Il free he ex-
planned. which viii be better than 70
have the overturned cages entangIed in
f it."
Even he had no adequate conception
or the awful power OF a Kansas tWss-
ter. II is useless practically 10 prepare
for such a storm.
The roar OF its approach now drowned
al minor sounds. and We knew OF no.
thing more &c do. Throw yourselves nat
TO the ground. Dir. Lane shouted. and
hang 20 IT like grim death. When it's over
rally here to help the injured and keep
the animals from escaping
For q second or two I hugged the
dry earth. elinging 70 the short. parched
grass. and feeling the tingle Of the cleo
trtcity IN the overchsrged air upoa ev-
cry square inch of my body. Silence
had prevailed among the animals until
now. Suddenly a Jackal began to yelp.
and instantly pandenoniuua broke loose.
High above al else. even the thunder
OF the storm. could be heard the roar
OF the lions as they thrashed about In
their cages. and the shrili trumpetinx
OF the elephants as they strained and
tugsed &C the chains by which they were
confined.
In an evil moment / looked up.-or
perhaps Providence 50 ordered it.-snd
my courage failed me. TIL then had
thought only Of remaining az nay post:
now my impulse was 10 fly
Across the Arkansas bottom lands I
saw the tornado strike a rsncher's build
ings and send them skyward in the
twinkling OF an eye. The corrugated Iron
roof OF the house was torn away entire.
and as il sailed aloft 1t looked exactly
Ike blanket caught in an ordinary
high wind The storm next came diagon-
ally upon the railroad. and a switch en-
fr, a
machine was caught up and whirled
about as II Il had seen chfd's toy.
All this l Saw in one comprehensive
glance. This monster Of destruction was
cutting path scarcely three hundred
feet wide and straight toward ne, al
there. at my left. bent nearly double. uu-
der the low bank OF the river. Vas shell
ter and safety.
d" Down. Down. 7 heard a dozen
voices shout; but I was upon my sest.
bent nearly double and vas snrlneinR
with great leaps toward the refugs rad
IN mind. One more bound ard I would be
there cprang with all my strength.
but instead OF dropping AZ the md down
-pon the river hank. shot upward. turn
"a over and over. saw the earth FAR
beneath me. and then Was drenched and
emost drowned by bucketfuls OF water
orn from the river
Il seemed TO be PLAYING ~ hide-ard-
eek with n COW or some other large dun
oiored animal. that like me. was anoat
n mid-air. Then something hit mo in
he head. and with n binding glare Of
light I became unconscious
Il had a vasue idea OF being uncnu-
ortable; and finally Of trying 60 sing
comic song. and because or my failure
large audience Kissed nc. I tried o.
ut my hand 20 my head. but found II
ould not be moved.
Very painfully I sat UP. IN the almost :
otai darkness. I at last discovered that f,
was on the damp grass IN the midst %
thicket % overturned trce-trunks AMI 5
visited branches. The sound Of running I
'ater close ~ hard showed me that vas j
ear the river. My right arm and left !
nkle we're helpless and numb and badly +
woilen. and I was sore from head %
BOT
slowly ard with frequent rroans
,und al Opening. and o<awiea through !
ie tangled hrush~ood. 0rtsids found
sfin dark, but across th~ simmer q
alter at ny left ! saw long rows q
ectric bEhtS-tbose q the city ~ wich- .,
a. u dawaed upon me tia, 7 must 70 :.
Ave been blown across tho river =
7 crzVist ahead 70 agony. but reso- =
re 10 End help After going " a sen =
p slope with great difcuffv. 7 iorf ny
.ianee ~ ths top ard rolled headionx
'wn IRE sleeper incline beyond 1hix a..
ought ne ~ roadsiss bus 4 ala rot
iow L. for I had tainted
Siz weeks ELAPSED before hae another i
cd moment When e. ca-tr. fsurd =
vseif - the Wichita Hospital pith Tn
E John Eifting beside tn bsf + raj "a
aiu fever complicated sifh s broken
n and saTaired ankle snd was afin
ore dead than alive - efrrsr ~.
san Antonio. - route fo~ s-~w or-
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