Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-04-05

Them Away--Houses crumpled and 1
Tossed About.
Living. breathing aud travelling in
the heart of one OF the greatest hurri- 1
canes which ever has swept over the |
United States. leaving death and de- I
struction IN its wake. was the expert |
ence Of w T. commar. Il shoe sales |
man. who stepped of of the Burling- |
ion train after travelling for miles with |
ii cyclone that wiped whole towns of |
the map.
Il never want TO witness another !
thing In this world So franght with |
horror" he said. Il boarded the train
nj Lincoln. Neb.. and travelled in the
heart Of the cyclone for miles and
watched its dcaihlike hand creep
about the towns We passed and crash
them in u twinkling. helped TO car
~ in the human beings who. bruised,
crushed and hysterical. we stopped TO
pick up and take TO Omaha for medi.
cal attention.
Il had stepped ont on the back plat
form for breath of air. 10 was about
i o'clock. maybe Il little before. and !
noticed a peculiar light in the sky. II
you have ever read south sea island
stories you will know that an uncan.
ny. yellow glare seems to precede Il
hurricane Well. there was that light
In the sky when noticed IL first. But
there was something else that seemed
far more terrible Ia me nj the moment.
Il don't know that can describe il.
except 10 say that Mt first thought
some one behind me had whispered.
II was whisper. but Il whisper OF
voices we ARE not supposed 10 hear In
this world Ii was sibilant. strange,
ethereal. aud ii sounded like the pec,i-
liar sucking hiss that one hears when
a train rounds u curve. But there was
n strange power back of il. | don't
know why il affected me in the man
ner 1t did But somehow It was
forecast threat of frightfnl things
To- come
Cloud Grew Larger.
"All the time the sound grew. and !
noticed that the queer cloud in the
sky was growing larger 1t was black
and cone shaped. with the small end
toward the earth Then | knew what
was going TO happen. was faseinat-
ed. 4 moment before there had been
light. clear and white, with just gen
tie wind TO rnile the few clouds IN the
sky. Now all was changed.
THE gentle whistle had grown 10
- 80 ....,,e.,., ,.,,,,t.rf.4esS fllad tha
air. Then all Of sudden ] saw that
the high cloud was enveloping every
thing. For moment my heart stop
ped. and my breath seemed 10 be
drawn from me as II by powerful
bellows My face was peppered with
fiying gravel There was a terrific
roar. Il shnddering OF the earth. and
the cyclone had crossed our trail not
fifty feet behind Ms.
For Il moment could not catch my
breath My face was singing with
the sand and gravel that had been
hurled against me. went inside the
car.
"rhc wind crossed the track and
swept on in northeasterly direction.
as near rs | could tell. by that time
we were near Ralsion. Neb.. which j.
within twenty-five or thirty miles OF
Omaha Far up the track could see
the lights Of the town. For one mo-
ment wanted to hide from the sight.
but curiosity dominated me and ! re-
turned to the platform There was
one man there. Mr. Coon. and We
were soon joined by other passengers.
Not man Of us said a word. fas-
cinated we watched that little group
Of houses where human beings were
waiting unknowingly for the hand Of
Providence 10 strike them. felt like
crying out warning 10 them. but the
vacuum following the storm, stole my
breath again. and my reason finally
got the better OF my impulse.
One Crash For Whole Town.