Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-01-15
TfffffH TfffffH PARTISAN
A Romance of the American Revolution
nv w. GILMORE SIMMS

and not more unpleasant. But let us
hold up, major, for a while, and push
for the thicket. We shall now have
the worst of the hurricane. See the
edge of it yonder-how black! and now
only hear the roaring!"
"Yes, it comes. I feel 1t on my
cheek. 1t sends a breath like fire be-
fore it, sultry and thick, as If 1t had
been sweeping all day over beds Of the
hottest sand. Lead the way, Hum
phries.
Here. sir-follOw close and quick.
There's a clump Of forest, with moth
ing but small trees. lying to the left
now. sir. that flash will show 1t to you
there we can be snug till the storm
passes over. 1t has long body and 1t
shakes II nightly. but 1t goes too fast to
stay long in its journey, and a few
minutes, sir-a few minutes is all we
want. Mind the vine there. sir: and
there, to your left, is a gully, where
an old trees roots have come up.
Now, major. the sooner we dismount
and squat with our horses the bet
ter"
They had now reached the spot to
which Humphries had directed his
course-a thick underground Of small
timber-of field pine, the stunted oak,
black jack and hickory-few Of suffi-
cient size to feel the force Of the temp
est, or prove very conspicuous con-
ductors of the lightning. Obeying the
suggestion and following the example
of his companion, Singleton dismount-
ed. and the two placed themselves and
their horses as much upon the shell
tered side of the clump as possible, yet
sufficiently far to escape any danger
from it's overthrow. Here they await
ed the coming of the tempest. The ex-
perienced woodman alone could have
spoken for its approach. A moments
pause had interviewed, when the sud-
denly aroused elements seemed as
suddenly to have sunk into grim re-
pose. slight signing Of the wind
only. as it wound sluggishly along the
distant wood, had its warning, and
the dense blackness OF the embodied
storm was only evident at moments
when the occasional rush OF the light
ming made visible it's gloomy terrors.
IT'S making ready for charge, ma
that calls in his scouts and sentries,
and orders all things to keep quiet,
and without beat Of drum gets all fixed
to spring sout from the bush upon
them that's coming. It won't be long
now sir. before we get it; but just now
it's still as the grave. It's waiting for
it's outriders-then long streaky white
clouds 1t sent out an hour ago, like
so many scouts. They're a-coming up
now. and when they all get up to-
gether-then look out for the squall.
Quiet now. Mossfoot-quiet now,
creature-don't be frightened-it's not
a-going to hurt you, old fellow-not
bit"
Humphries patted his favorite while
speaking. and strove to soothe and
quiet the impatience which both horses
exhibited. This was in that strange
pause OF the storm which is its most
remarkable feature in the south-that
singular interregnum Of the winds,
when. after giving repeated notice Of
their most terrific action, they seem
Utmost to forget their purpose, and
for a few moments appear to slumber
in their inactivity.
But the pause was only momentary,
and was now at an end. In another
instant, they heard the rush and the
roar as of a thousand wild steeds of
the desert ploughing the sands; then
followed the mournful bowling Of the
trees-the shrieking of the lashed
winds. as if. under the influence of
some fierce demon who enjoyed his
triumph, they plunged through the
forest, wailing at their own destruc-
tive progress. yet compelled unswerv-
ingly to hurry forward. They twisted
the pine from its place. swapping it
a
ground which it had SO long sheltered,
called up. even amid the roar OF the
tempest. thousand echoes from the
forest. The branches of the wood were
pr0Strated like so much Gather, wreSt-
ed and swept from the tree which
Welded them without a struggle to the
blast. and the crouching horse and
riders below were in an instant COW
were the precursors merely; then came
the arrowy flight and form of the hur-
ricane itSelf-itS actual bulk-its en-
bodied power pressing along through
the forest in Il gyratory progress, not
Fifty yards wide, never distending in
width yet capriciuuSly winding from
right to left and left to right, in a zig
vag direction. as II playful spirit
thus strove tn mix with all the terrors
# destruction the sportive mood of the
most idle fancy. In this progress. the
whrle wood in its path underwent
rrustlation-the tall. proud pine. the
deep-rOOted anu unDenulHS Odh, TIE
small cedar and the plant shrub, torn,
diSmembered of their fine proportions:
some, only by timely yielding to the
pressure. passed over with little in
Jury. aS if too much Scorned by the as
Sailant fer his wrath. The larger
trees in the neighborhood of the spot
where our partisans had taken shelter
shared the harsher fortune generally
for they were in the very track OF the
tempest. Too sturdy and massive to
yield. they withheld their homage, and
were either snapped off relentlessly
and short. or were torn and twisted ur
from their very roots. The poor horses
with eyes staring in the direction OF
the storm. with ears erect. and names
flying i'm the wind. stood trembling In
every joint. too much terrified. or toe
conscious of their helplessneSs, to at
tempt To fly All around the crouch
| ing Iarty the woods seemed for several
seconds absolutely hattened. Huge
Il