The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-01-01
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.,.,. NCaARlz, D. Barwzll,
s'9yns7'. y0',H W.RAAR3T snar bR,1sn RIGHTS
RESERVED.

leaves that had been piled up against
the previous fall. At last a stroke of tn.
shovel cut through the shell Of dry earth
and the fresh. damp air rushed ina most
welcome relief to their parched lungs. Ten
minutes more hard work and Leslie had
made the hole big enough SO that he man
aged to squeeze himself through and crawl
out.
Its pouring down rain," he called
down to Antoine. Your barns are both
gone, ana the house is down. I can't csc
n light anywhere. Seems as II every house
round here had been blown away. I sec
a big light over toward East st. Louis
looks as II the whole town was on fire."
Ie dropped on his knees by the window
Shall we stay here till m~orning-or shall
I try to get over to the station and bring
help? Judging from what I can see here.
1 don't believe there's any station left"
It was finally decided that he had bet
ter make he attempt, anyway, and he
left, promising to return as soon as no
could get help. Then In the darkneSS
Louise crept over to her fathers side.
where he sat on the stairs, and pleaded
with him to forgive her and the man
who had saved both of their lives that
day. and had proved himself to be brave
and true-even enough that old Antoine
Bordeaux might be proud to own him
for a ~son-in-law. Antoine would have
done so, but there was the memory OF
tina solemn oath taken the afternoon be-
fore: TN ask Father Du PREF, daugh-
ter" he kept saying to her. But !
| swore on't-I swore on it-and I must
keep my OATH"
The morning light was streaming
through the little window when there
came a sound of voices. and then Leslie's
CHEEKY face at the aperture, as he called
down to them. A sound of axes and saws,
and of timbers being thrown to oneside.
At last the door was wrenched from lts
frame. and Bordeaux and Louise walked
forth from their prison, climbing over the
mass of debris to the yard outside.
Antoine could hardly believe his eyes.
Gould this mass of t,mbers and plaster be
the old home that had sheltered the fam
lily for the past three generations or
more? Net a wall was left standing. AS
he looked about him, he saw that the
| great barn which stood a hundred yards
from the house was level with the
ground, the mighty timbers had been
thrown and tossed aside like matches. OF
the beautiful orchard that had been his
pride every tree seemed to have been torn
up by the roots. Half a mile away had
stood the little station of New Baden.
with its fifteen or twenty houses and the
white Catholic church standing in the
middle of the village. Houses. store and
church We're all gene-only the long, low
~ ~ hiitAA g. ssSN XII a. AAa' 1SD
ton had been left standing.
Leslie and Louise had followed him, and
just then the old Catholic priest, tears
streaming down his eyes, came through
the mass of broken and uprooted trees
and debris that filled the front yard.
May the saints be praised: you are
safe" he said, as he took Antoine's hand.
"a terrible thing is this, Antoine; a ter
rible thing. Not a house left standing in
New Baden. Even our blessed church is
destroyed. The dead lie at the station in
rows. Thirty bodies-and more being
found all the time. East st. Louis is in
ruins, and the dead are there by hun
dreds. A calamity sent by God-when the
heavens themselves fell and crushed our
people" And, overcome with emotion,
the good priest bowed his head and wept.
Did you hear that, father?" whispered
Louise. as she laid her hand on his arm.
Fl says the heavens fell. Look and see.
Not a timber Of the old home left stand
ing-not a tree left rooted in the orchard
and the good father says the heaven
fell. You need not break your oath-and
you can forgive Fred and l."
Old Bordeaux face was a study. Then
the fathers heart spoke. ''You may be
right. daughter" he said. I've done my
duty by you when you were a child; I'll
not make you unhappy now that you are
woman grown. And young Leslie is a
brave fellow-most brave enough to have
fought under Napoleon. Well build a
new house here on the ruins of the old
one, ard make your wedding day the
house-warmlkg."
And now old Antoine tells his little
grandsons the story of the night when the
heavens fell.