News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1905-10-04

curing glance, from his post as band
cutter, he shouted, pointing with his
whip to the southwest, where lay a
low bank Of greensh gray cloud:
"Look-a-thar! Cyclones comm sure's
you're born"
Cyclone yer granny pshawed the
old man, wiping the dust from his
wrinkled face. Yer jes' a wantin' a
rest, ST Tompkins. G'long with tn
tl@shin'w he shouted, and the men
obeyed, though with apprehensive
gances toward the southwest and the
sky overhead, fast covering with fly
Ing gray scud.
"Wheeoo-oom-n," once more sang
tie grain eating monster till ten min
utes later it broke off in a strangled
wheeZe as the driver leaped down from
tie platform and hastily unlocked his
own team from the circle of horses.
'Ye en- thrash yerself inter tn jaws
o death ter save a few cents, OF Skin
flint" he shouted defantly at the old
farmer and broke for cover, "but I'm
a-gon' ter the cave. See ther'!'
l.pplHiHS UP uDONe the uOllLOn was IL
terrible shape, more dreaded by the
prairie jewellers than the plague, a
huge greenish black funnel form cloud,
hanging point down like a great bal
loon partly overturned and with claw
like anchors dragging the earth be-
meath, leaving death and desolation in
its wake.
The sitting air was deadly still. Not
a leaf stirred; not bird peeped. The
doves had flown to the barn caves and
We're watching the oncoming storm
with fear in their gentle eyes. The
ned, wrong side out, like menace of
disaster
The colts and cows out in the pas
lures stampeded, believing and neigh
ing for shelter as the wind broke with
a dull roar about the now frightened
horses, maddened and snorting with
terror, the men made a wild rush for
the cyclone cave.
Old Zeb ran shouting to the house,
whose quiet occupants were unaware
of the danger that menaced them.
"Philury," he yelled, tearing through
the house, shutting doors and win
dows, cyclones comm! Quick, git yer
mother up, an I'll carry Naph! Hurry,
fer Gods sakep'
The girl started up from 'the oven
door where she was trying the cake
with q broom ctrou ond +I1rpad xyhita
But she was prairie bred and used to
this terrible storm fright. After one
fearful glance out of the south win
dow she hastily shut off the stove dam
pers and drafts to prevent fire disas-
ter, if possible. Then, running up
a shawl about the invalid's thin Shout
derS, and, half supporting, half carry
ing her, fed to the cave, whose slant
ing trap door the threshers held open
for them.
An instant later old Zeb came STUN
bling down the cave steps carrying the
sick lad and followed by a muffled
roar from the stealthy, low crouching
storm beast with the flame darling
eyes.
Gosh jam it"' gasped Flint as he
laid the boy down on the cement floor
and felt wildly in his breast pocket.
I've lost tibet pocketbook on tn way!
An it he'd over $1,000 in itv' He
walled, his voice drowned in the in
creasing uproar outside.
Philury pushed open the door a
crack and popped out. A gust of wind
slammed it down again in her face.
Il see it, pa, a-layin' on the porch
I'll get it!' she cried. And before any
one could restrain her she had Shout
dered through the trap door and sped
like deer toward the house.
The howl of the storm burst above
like baffied beast of prey as the cy-
clone broke in all its mighty fury upon
the land. Great trees snapped like pipe
stems in it's giant grasp, whole house
walls sailed by overhead, a flock of
squawking hens went over as secure
ly held in the teeth of the wind as if
in the claws of a fleeing tiger, a sheep
was picked up bodily from a neighbor-
ing field, the roof of the porch lifted
off like a hat from above Philury's
devoted head as she stopped for the
lost pocketbook and turned back to-
ward the cave. The smokehouse crum-
bled and went up like pack of cards
in her path.
Run, Philury, runw shouted the
men, in a frenzy as they watched. eX
pecting every instant to see her gath
cred to the cruel bosom of the storm.
She reached the cave. Another step
and she would be safe The door open
ed jOyfully to receive her. But an in
slant is time enough for things to hap
pen. Just as the little flying foot was
planted on the top step a great scant-
ling from the demolished barn struck
the door, and she fell beneath it, plung-
ing white and unconscious into her
fathers waiting arms.
80 God"' he whispered over and over
again as he bent with twitching lips
above the STILL limp little form Of his
firstborR. 20 Godw
But she was only stunned and soon
revived under the dash of cold water |
from the tubs where the milk was
- Ill. 49,.