The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1904-02-13

tpOAG "NAN III NV SiHNSA pSh' AAN
hastily to secure these, when a curious
thing happened
\ few scattering drops of rain had fall
len but now, with vivid y" h Of light
ming and terrific thunderclap, the storm
burst upon them. Loosened doubtless by
the crash that seemed fairly to shake the
earth, a large portion of the partially over
hanging roof of the bed gave away, and
Just as the farmer reached to secure his
tools, descended, partly filling the rather
deep pit. The man had barely time to
>traighten himself when he was caught by
the falling mass. In an instant he was
buried to the armpits and pioned as secure
| ly as if bound with steel chains.
Near the surface of the ground there
had lain an occasional boulder, and one of
these, looscned from its place, fell upon
his right arm. By quick sharp pain he
! he knew the arm was broken. The al
ready frightened horses, made frantic by
the fash aud the terrific report, started at
mad pace for the barn, dragging the
/ partly filed wagon.
4 Fortunately Tor Holbrook, his head had
not been covered. But bits of gravel were
/ srill falling, aud he knew he might be COW
erred at any moment Badly bruised and
I tightly jammed in his narrow resting place,
4 he yet retained full possession Of his facul-
/ tics aud watched the rush and whirl Of the
great storm He could not but think that
some one would come to deliver him.
/ There was Joe Would he not come out
as soon as the return of the team showed
him tha, there was something wrong
/ suddenly a deeper darkness fell, and
then with a mighty aud sudden rending Of
limbs aud even trunks Of trees, the full
! furry uf the storm burst down delVge
Of rain and rcsi>tless wind Half fasein-
atei the helpless man watched the lorna
do. for such j, was
Suddenly a great cloud Of rails and bro
Ken corn flew by, and he knew that the
fence Of heavy oaken rails BY the corn
field bad been swept away The whirhng
rail. fell in al directions, many in the
creek bed close by, others carried far be-
youd
And then such downpour In few
minute, the water began to roar in what
had been shortly before the nearly dry
creek bed Awe-struek, the imprisoned
man listened to the fury Of the elements.
At length the 6erceness Of the wind began
10 >ubsile. but the roar Of the creek in-
creased The cloudburst had extended
far up It's course.
suddenly the steady roar Of the creek
va, succecied by curious and ominous
silence. Just above the gravel bed the
ground descended quite rapidly. Turning
hi ryes that way, Holbrook was able to
SEE nearly 70 the bed Of the creek
\ singular thing had happened. The
uprising water had reached many Of the
rail, and broken limbs and debris that had
fallen in the creek and along its banks,
Some Of these had caught at 4 place where
a great rock aud stout water beech mar
Fpsed the stream More soon caught and
became eatanglcd with these. Masses Of
litter ol al kinds we're held and drawn in,
and in few moments rough but etfec-
tive dam kept back most Of the water,
The father looked at it first wonderingly,
anI then a thought struck him with a chill
that sent the blood rushing back to his
heart. \ short distance up the stream
from the biz rocks the banks Of the creek
we're comparatively low The rising water
must soou overflow at this place into the
sankeu roadway that led down to the gray
el bed Only few minutes---two or three,
perhap-wouli be required 70 fill the lit
lie nj, and then he would be drowned ike
arat in a trap,
The cold sweat broke out on his face.
Exerting every ounce Of his strength, be
made frenzied effort to move from his
pri,oa. Not one hair 5 breadth could be
lift himself, and the strain on the injured
arm caused a sickening pain that made the
trees sway and dance dimly before his eyes.
He shouted with all his strength, and
then. with eyes fixed steadily on the place
in the low road where he knew the water
must appear, prayed humbly for help.
The strange dam held fast, and steadily
the water rose And now tiny stream
trekled down the roadway. Quickly it
increased in size. The farmer saw it and
set his teeth firmly He would die ike a
man
suddenly his heart throbbed wildly, and
he listened eagerly. Surely he it-heard
the quick rush of feet And then at head
. long pace around the old gravel road came
his boy. He had run for the gravel pit
instantly on learning that the horses had
! come to the barn without his father.
Holbrook : face lighted with thankful
ness at sight Of his son eager face. Not
that he hoped for escape-he considered
that impossiblc-but now he need not die
alone. Here, lad, herer' he called ;
/ for Joe did not at first see the man 50 near
/ ly buried.
With a swift glance the young fellow
| realized the situation. For an instant his
brain reeled as he saw his father peril
He looked for the tools to move the mass
of gravel They were buried and an in
stant 5 thought told him that an hundred
tools were useless there. \ rushing stream
was roaring into the bed now-already it
was more than half full Of muddy water.