The Cairo bulletin., 1908-09-10
E,,..'.:iIIIsIii|,E|''

nEcHu 10 ne "a
nothing in the presence of the id',
sport of nature. If you wish 10 feel
your heart contract and the dc
sense of weakness under your SHIT
ribs that every human feels some Il u,
during life unless that life be It;
placid as country brook; If You
would in your inmost soul quail at dan.
ger 50 vast and awful that your nind
can not grasp, but only stupidity won,
der at them, dangers that you can
not combat, that you can only shrink
from because Of their nfnity--in
word, II you would realize for a while
the most utter sense of fearful dan
gers against which no human power
can avail you, go up to the top Of the
| Washington monument during a thun-
derstorm.
II is not a pleasant experience. In.
deed, Il would be terrifying to any
one. But YOU are fond of strong son.
sation, or experience during which yen
Hive years I'm minutes; II you have the
spirit that makes men hunt tigers aud
fight duels, YOU Will enjoy it-after it
is all over.
You go up the dark SHAFT in the
elevator Below YOU Washington. the
| beautiful, is spread ont like a mosaic.
| over on the Maryland hills the sun is
still shining holly on the green trees.
but the vivid colors of the city are
dimmed by the threatening shadow
cast by the black. sullen cloud that
| comes tumhlng and raging from The
direction of the five o'clock sun. Be
| hind it is nothing but blackness, and
| far back In its track you can see the
| delicate, wonderful. yeiIlike fringe
that Is formed by the torrent of rain
falling several miles away where the
| ciond has passed
The trees are wrenched and twisted
| by the gale and seem to shrink in
terror from a dread enemy The clouds
Of dust grow thicker and thicker. and
the flags floating from the tops of
buildings stand out stiff like bits Of tin.
blown straight away from their poles
by the wind The vague roar. not un.
Ike the swish Of the sea. only con
tnual and growing louder and louder
each moment rises 20 where you are
You begin to thank goodness that you
are mp above all that. when there is
crashing report like the voice of
sixpounder You look quickly toward
the black cloud II is almost upon
you Ii looks so solid so much like
a great mass of black iron, that you
almost fear its impact against the
white marble box you are in Tho
earth has disappeared. Only the tops
~ the high buildings, and the trees.
and the majestic white capitol rise
above the thick gray cloud Of dust
A burst of white light, so bright that
# half blinds YOU before you can shut
your eyes sends your blood bounding
In your heart Then in the space Of
quick breath after the fash comes
a crashing crash that seems to signal
the wreCking Of everything in the
world In one instant The simultane-
Gus discharge Of 10000 cannons could
not give q more oyerpowering impress
sion Of awful destruction than does
that one thunder crash Everything
seems shaken. The black cloud Is
upon YOU. In a moment you will be
IN fits midst. You can see its whirl-
ing, surging riotlng wreaths of vapor.
tangled into one great black mass.
seeming so solid that II you threw
hall AZ II il would rebound
Another binding white fash do
prives YOU momentarily Of the power
NJ sisht You feel the sudden damp
chin of the cloud on your cheeks. as
hourh YOU had been struck in the
lace with a Wet handkerchief You
are IN the very midst Of the storm
cloud. Peal after peal Of thunder
shakes the air till your ears ache with
he heavy blow Of tho sound waves
M around YOU. through the great
mass Of the cloud the lightning dances
md flashes. weaving a network of
ire through the cloud. You make sure
.ou will never escape from the burn
ne white meshes OF that awful net
You feel a tap on your shoulder
he elevator has come and YOU had
ot heard it for the rear ~ the storm
-he man had TO tap YOU on the
boulder TO turn ysIr attention from
he narrow window where YOU stood.
'ou get IN the cage and GO down the
ark silent shaft where the electric
ghts twinkle along the black inside
z The walls The noise n the storm Is
one and nothing but the crash of
he heavier thunder peals can reach
1ur ears When Won are ont in the
D. "a -H-1rHn ar-r-~4Af--
aeus commonUlace. This Is only an
-dfusrv shower. vou tell Yourself But
lat feeling Of awe. ~ fear. and help
ssress comes over Won again. q faint
fex e what sou feif I'D In the top
the monument. aud you can't snake
Of
one never forgeis such an e1yerI