The Republican journal., 1914-03-26
A Game Of Chance.
By w. H. Winslow, Phi. D.

lnSlOW, IN. u.
torrid zone. There's not cloud in the
sky, and the atmosphere is full of a
brassy mist, as it is before pampefo or
a typhoon, remarked Wendell, yawninE
YEARLY.
1.-The millennial age may be approach
ing. In Joels prophecy we read, I will
show wonders in heaven above and signs
in the earth beneath, blood and fire and
pillars of SMOKE" repeated Mary
solemnly.
'sOh! 1 feel dreadfully nervous. am
afraid something terrible is going to
happen. Perhaps it is to be the end Of
the world" cried Alice in alarm. Her
representative nerves were irritated by
changes in magnetic and electrical con-
ditions of the atmosphere, when less
sensitive mortals experienced only tor
pidity or headache.
ssDo not be afraid, little girl; the
heavenly bodies are held in place by i'm
pressed motion, revolution and gravita-
ton, and cannot escape Jehovah's con-
troll, comforted Mary, assuming cheer
fitness she did not feel.
''You think nothing can change the
orderly movements of the planets, stars
and sun, because nothing ever did happen
to disturb the celestial harmony so far as
history records, except in the doubtful
story about Joshua. A comet, a nebula,
or planet might become cratic in its
movements, disarrange the orderly mo-
ton of the solar system, and cause de-
struction to our little earth. The world,
according to Bible prophecy, is sometime
to be destroyed" continued Chapman
gravely.
s"There was "a queer halo around the
moon last night" added Dyer.
''Look up the valley. See the players
falling. What can be the matter?" cried
Mary excitedly.
ooh God! so they are. 1t must be from
sunstroke or heart failure" replied the
doctor.
cit is the terrible sunlight. See, the
grass and leaves are turning yellow:
What threatening, copper colored sky, -
shouted Wendell.
ooh, what can we do? What can we
do?" screamed Alice wildly.
"Down to the brook all of you, quick,
and douche your heads and arms in the
cold water" shouted Chapman, as he
half carried Alice there and dashed water
over her head and neck and upon bis own
rapidly.
himself in the same manner, and they all
stood up to their knees in the river.
Heavens! See the leaves shrink upon
the great oak! There is not breath of
wind. l breathe with difficulty. Surely
something dreadful is impending, "groaa-
ed Wendell.
The shade lessened as the fierce heat
from the sunbeams fell upon them
through the rapidly shrivelling foliage.
Thew could hardly breathe or see clearly.
The sun and its locality was filled with
yellow. coppery, lurid flashes and flames
of terrible combustion.
"We must find shelter or die yelled
the doctor.
''Follow me! Take all our food along -
commanded Wendell hoarsely. and.
grasping box and Mary arm, he rushed
UP the bed of the stream towards the
hills, keeping as much as possible in the
shade of the bushes and the bank.
The others splashed and slipped and
rushed along behind him until they ar
rived at an opening in great ledge
from which the waters gushed in foam
ing torrent. Without hesitating mo-
ment, Wendell and Mary plunged into the
flood and disappeared and his companions
followed. The light failed thirty feet
within the cave. Dyer lighted the way
with matches, and the party struggled
to a sort of shelf along the side OF the
cave and above the water, where they
| dropped exhausted.
1t was a terrible race for life. The
ladies' were half dragged, half carried
up the stream, through deep pools, over
logs and boulders, among slime, lichens
and moses to their resting place. The
air was delightfully."- cool within the cave,
and they allayed the fever of their blood
and the turbulent throbbing of their
hearts by drinking the cold mountain
water and by dabbling in its peliucid
pools.
''Thank God ! we are saved - painted
Mrs. Dyer;
"Thank Wendell, rather, for his quick
thought and rapid execution" blurted
Dyer.
nature; but that is no reason why one
cannot save others as we'll as himself, "
asserted Chapman.
81 felt stunned and hopeless, when
suddenly memory of the source of the
stream and the existence Of this subter-
ranean passage was awakened. l dis
covered this freak of Nature last sum-
mer, during botanical ramble, and re-
solved then to explore the cave at some
future time" explained Wendell.
'How lucky to have you in the party.
We owe our rescue and our lives to your
judgment and prompt action. The
thankful hearts around you will remem-
Der it forever" said Chapman earnestly.
1--WE can imagine what may be hap
pening on the earth's surface. l fear
greatly for the safety of my mother and
our friends" said Mary almost crying. .
"We may have "a wreck of matter and
crash of worlds but we are helpless
now to hinder it or to help others. We
can only hope and pray our loved ones
may be spared" said Wendell, in tones
of sympathy and consideration which
comforted them somewhat.
1--WE look as if we had crawled through
sewer" whimpered Mrs. Dyer, as she
twisted her hair to get rid of its water