Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-01-20
/" Jack said suddenly at her

elbow.
She smiled and shook her head.
''There'd be strike" she said. Bill
ly's bossing that job-he and his
f, chum are making it union affair
You know they have a play union at
school, and are simply pining for, q
pretext to strike"
| HIM; doesn't that let you out?
Come along with me-" Jack persisted
| Again she shook her head. 81 have
to be buster than hive of bees" she
said. ''If you want to help truly, do
see that your mother and Miss Eunice
have the very best of everything"
| AS the town clock struck IL the sun
burst out in power and briAiance.
There were still cloud banks, black
and threatening, but with big rift
between. AS the crowd ranged itself
and the walters began dashing about
with laden trays, Louisiana sighed
with deep relief. In another hour the
strain would be overlook full fed
with gossip, no less with dainties.
would hurry away from the threat Of
the skies.
The breeze, as fitful as the sunshine,
suddenly hushed. A dead, GREATNESS
calm, thick and sitting, fell. The sun
rays burst through it so fiercely peo-
pie shifted uneasily under them But
the gay talk and laughter rose in well
bred chorus. Everybody was happy,
and grateful to the good fairies who
had made the occasion.
Then, in the twinkling of an eye,
winds ragged, lightning flashed, cloud
banks rushed together overhead with
81 w ar,I ~, Itv,c,
Tree tops snapped in the wind like
whiplashes or were twisted and rent.
Before people more than got to their
feet, staring affrightedly one at an
other, rain came, with hail behind 1t,
big pelting stones that left marks
where they struck.
Through the widest rush and scurry
Louisiana did not blanch. Billy cried
to her, "Run- Run home." But she
went about instead marshaling the
panic stricken through the gates near
est shelter, saving little ones from be-
ing trodden down, helping the level
headed to save those who had lost
their heads.
She did not know it, but Jack was
at her elbow. He had hurried his
mother and cousin into their waiting
carriage. Gently, strongly, wisely, he
untangled snarls of vehicles, bundling
in people until they could hold no
more, and waving them off. Still the
storm ragged. But it was safer almost
anywhere than among the overgrown
barber trees. Half of them lay pros.
trate and lightning had struck more
than one. The place lay high, so it
was the very heart Of the storm. The
wind tore words from the lips unspo
ken and blew away the wild crying
of the frightened mass.
! Louisiana did not try to speak =
only guided or led instinctively. The
work was almost done. The draggled
miserable line had thinned to ragged
clumps when all the winds of heaven
gathered and blew at once. Round and
round and round they blew Louisiana
felt herself clutched in the whirl and
taken off her feet. Then sense OF
suffocating heat made her faint She
know no more until a dash of rain or
her face revived her full hundred
yards from where she had stood
Il AS she sat up weakly, somethine
stirred beside her-Jack, prone ant
pallid, his lips blue with pain
Il am all right; only my arm is
broken | think" he said, trying tc
smile at her
1t was his right arm. But his left
hand CROPPED for hers, and when il
found it he said: THE storm knew-it
blew us away together Darling, we
will stay together, always"