The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1906-11-16
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rife gale with the trite remark:
~ pity the poor folk ashore on q
night like this"
What curious tumble of emotions
iostled in his brain. A step from the
sublime to the ridiculous! Not even a
step. They were inextricably inter-
woven, the wool and the warp of
things. He recalled the odd expression
of an officer who had passed unscathed
through the inferno of Splon kop.
81 had no sense of fear" said he,
"but my teeth began to ache"
Brand, student even of himself,
discovered that his dominant sensation
was one of curiosity.
eff it has to be-" said his nervous
system, "let 1t come quickly" He felt
like man lying on the operating table
waiting for the chloroform
Suddenly the bright flame of the
lamp lessened. The use that was his
second nature caused him to raise the
wicks and admit more draft Even
while his deft fingers arranged the
complex burner his ear caught q
change in the external din. The shrek
of the wind dropped to thunderous
growl. This was q gale, not tempest
God be praised, the crisis had passed.
The hurricane had lasted thirty-five
minutes A similar tornado sufficed to
wreck one-half of the city of st. Louis.
This one, as he learned afterward,
swept around the south of Ireland,
created tidal wave which did great
damage to the Scilly isles and the
headlands of the south coast, yet spent
itself somewhere in the North sea.
Dwellers in inland cities were amazed
and incredulous when the newspapers
spoke Of its extraordinary violence. n
truth is harder to swallow than lie
all the time.
Up clattered Enid with the steaming
beverage, Constance, the lantern bear
err, providing the rear guard.
81 do believe it Is blowing worse than
ever" said Enid, striving desperately
to be unconcerned. In reality the an
CRY wind was no longer able to behead
the waves. With rising tide and the
gale assisting there would soon be
sea worthy of Turner in his maddest
mood
"Good gracious, dad" cried Con-
stance, chow pale you are! And your
forehead is wet What have you been
doing?'
Brand hastily mopped his face with
a handkerchief
During some Of the heavy gusts"
he explained, II was compelled to
stand on the trimming stage. And-the
micrometer valve required adjust
ment"
She eyed him narrowly. The margin
of suspicion was wider.
"There is nothing else wrong?" she
asked.
He approached and kissed her ear.
'Snce when did my little girl begin
to doubt me?" he said quietly.
Her eyes filed. Even the hint of q
reproach from him was intolerable.
For the life of her she could no longer
control the flood of terror which welled
up beyond restraint.
''Forgive me, dad" she murmured,
-but I thought and l still think, that
we were and are in position of the
utmost peril / can't help knowing
that it is high water about 2 O'clock.
1t is now only quarter to 1. The
worst Is not over. Do you think / can
not read your dear facet Dad If there
is danger don't send us away again."
Tears were streaming down her
white cheeks. Enid, holding the tray
in speechless bewilderment during this
outburst from her proud and self re-
liant sister. set it down on the writing
desk with crash.
"Oh, dear" she walled, 81 don't want
any cocoa If we're gug-gug-going to be
drowned!
Certainly If Stephen Brand had i'm
agined two minutes earlier that he was
about to laugh long and loudly In gen.
uine surrender to an uncomfortable
spasm of mirth he would have feared
lest his wits were leaving him. Yet
he hughed now until his vision was
blurred. And the wonderful relief Of
It! What tonic after the ordeal he
had endured!
II CHANGED just then that an eman-
cipated wave embraced the granite col
umn. hit the cornice and deluged the
lantern, it's disintegrated mass striking
the glass with force enough to break
any ordinary window. The astounded
girls could not refuse the evidence Of
eyes and ears. Here was the frantic
sea leaping to a height of 40 feet and
more, get their father was treating the
Incident hs the merriest joke of many
month.
No better cure for their hysteria could
be contrived. Brand was obviously not
acting. The hearty pulsatons of laugh
ter had restored his ruddy color. Evil
IDENTIFY they were alarmed about moth
Ing.
"Here Enid, drink your parting cup!'
ne cried. "Have no fear. 1t Is only
the dochan doris before many another
feast"
Feeling somewhat ashamed of them
selves, though smiling very wistfully,
they obcyed him. lie slipped his cocoa
with real nonchalance. Another wave
turned a somersault over the lantern.
Brands only anxiety was to blow at
TIE steaminG liquid and cool 1t sufii-
4.ipntIv