The daily sentinel., 1912-10-19
empest Wolverton
BY DR.. f. T. ELDRIDGE.

1t had been exceedingly hot and
dry for several days. gradually be-
coming more oppressive, until IL
seemed difficult to breathe and there
was q lanEnid depression which was
hard TO describe and sun harder
TO endure
About / o'clock In the afternoon
was urgently requested by an old
trapper, who had ridden IN q dis
tance of about 20 miles, to hasten
and attend his wife. who was des-
perately In need of my services. on
account of expected motherhood.
At the time | was surgeon for the
G.. b. w. & NJ. and the NJ. L. s. &
W. Il. Us being located at their
junction, which was the last town of
any pretentions between there and
Superior, at the head OF the lake OF
the same name.
Although | was not supposed TO
attend to those not employed by the
railroad company. still their necessl-
ties often secured my services, and
as this was case of life or death, to
one at least. and 1t might be both.
ordered by best team OF drivers. and
was soon on the road, used but lit
tie. except by loggers in the winter
through dense timber. which was par
ticularly welcome at this time and
the shade OF the great trees enabled
me to make good time notwithstand-
ing the unusual condition of the
weather.
Having meandered that part of
northern Wisconsin for several years,
and being conversant with every
log road in that section, II was not
dihicult to cover the distance within
n comparatively short time, and was
congratulating myself on my good
fortune, and the fact that IL seemed
to be little colder. as there was
slight amount of air string. when my
attention was called TO the fact that
the sun had been obscured and
was aware of a heavy Tumbllng in
the west, but as was entering the
small clearing that surrounded the
trapper's house, and as there was no
time to spare. | hiiched my team
under the spruce shed and attended
TO my patient
The roar in the west had increased
and Is interrupted with gusts OF
wind, which seem to emit n kind of a
dismal wall as they scurry along.
lifting bits of dead grass or other
light material and carrying them
10 come from no.
where, and to hasten away toward
the same locality.
Not being able to see the sky but
a short distance, on account of the
great height of the timber and the
very small clearing. it Is impossible
to estimate the fury of the approach
Ing storm, but It is evident that there
tu a fn, al
ate as to be in its path.
Nearly all light is excluded by the
immense squadron of murkey clouds
which now cover the entire heavens,
except n slight rift in the east,
through which pale light is still
struggling.
The tops of the gigantic pines, pa
triarchs of the primeval forest, are
swaying in the now increasing wind,
which moans and shrieks about the
little cabin. seeming to feel of its
structure as though to test its
strength, then passing on, rafting
the wooden locks of the stable and
frightening the horses. who seem TO
anticipate something of the fearful
forces approaching.
All light has now gone and the
nickering candle can only somewhat
lessen the glare of the almost in
cessant flashes which are emphasized
by discharges of thunder which are
most appalling, but which are but
little more sonorous than the contin-
ual roar of the cyclone which is
grinding the trees. scores of feet in
height, whose massive trunks have
withstood the storms of centuries, to
splinters, or twisting them from the
earth, and hurting them into space
to be scattered TO the four winds.
Just as We believe that the worst
has been reached there is lull in
the storm, then the entire wall of
timber to the west of the clearing Is
entwined by the monstrous trunk of
the tempest and literally torn from