The Cairo bulletin., 1914-06-06
WORK OF THE STORM
BY DON II GRANGE.

NNAA4RNA lAltlE AdN HNttA la1 ~ mt
weather The water in the ponds and
bitches had scarcely frozen over in.
deed the highways were dry and
dusty, and the oldest inhabitaIt said
that the bluebirds were as numerous
in the country as in June.
At three o'clock the cows we're out
in the green pastures. At six a gale
from the north was raging and the
snow driving in binding sheets that
man or animal could not face.
Of course. Mr. Rayburn and his wife
has selected that very afternoon to
drive over to the town of Hepburn,
IL miles distant. to see about some
business that should have been attend
ed to month before. and that could
be attended to any time within the
next month without loss to anyone.
They were two miles on their way
home when the storm-wolf struck them
and ran them into a farmhouse for the
night They we're only two OF hun
oreds that had to seek strange shelter
that night.
And back at the manor house as
darkness shut down and the blizzard
grew stronger was cook who flung
her arms about and wept and a Miss
Bird Rayburn who scolded:
Yes, it's blizzard, and father and
mother can't possibly get home to-
night, and maybe not tomorrow, but
what Of it,
u was reading that where there was
a blizzard there was always half a
dozen murders with it," persisted the
cook
Fanny you'd tire a cow with your
fears and your whining" was the
sharp admonitiOn You go back to the
kitchen and make a big pot of coffee
and keep it hot. Have things ready
so that you can get quick lunch It's
likely that some one will ask us for
shelter within the next hour"
Miss Bird was no heroine, She was
blufflng herself and bufIing the cook.
1t was a fact that she was frightened.
There was not another house within
half mile The telephone had gone
dead"
The first move was to see that every
door and window was secure, and then
the sentinel sat down to wait After
half an hour or so she began to wonder
whether she had really locked the out
side doors of the vestibule OF course
she had. Perhaps not, 1t would take
only a minute to make sure but sho
did not move There came what she
thought was a shout or Il cry for help
from the highway. Was it a cry or the
wall of the gale?
What Miss Bird did was to go to one
Of the front windows and raise the
shade and let the light shine forth into
the storm for a beacon. Five minutes
after she had taken her seat again the
front door opened and a man of snow
staggered into the room. She had not
locked tho doors after all
The unbidden guest staggered about
until he could clutch the back of a
chair for support. The snow had piled
ul nm hiCHtS tiliChl olh hiH butti'
with the storm had exhausted him, 1t
was a full minute before he spoke, and
then a nervous laugh preceded his
words
in two or three minutes | shall be
able to ask you to excuse this intru-
sion"
The girl was holding a revolver in
her hand She kept her eyes on him,
but made no reply
Sorry to bring this snowbank into
the house, but was that done up that
/ had to crawl from the gate to the
house"
Still no answer
IF your father is here beg the
privilege Of introducing myself. Mr..
Deering, my father, is in public life
The railroad magnate?" queried
Miss Bird.
"The newspapers refer to him as
such. I myself am generally spoken
of as Ted Deering, the son OF his
father
Neither OF my parents is at home
and it is doubtful If they get here
through this storm ! shall accept
you as Mr.. Ted Deering, however, and
there is hot coffee awaiting you. | had
the cook prepare for just such an
emergency
And you'll lay aside the revolver"
81 am not afraid
Miss Bird and Mr.. Deertng were
good Samaritaus that long, fierce
night. Two wayfarers were admitted,
thawed out and put to bed. and they
would have done the same by others
had the storm driftcd them that way.
When Mr., and Mrs. Rayburn finally
reached home there was a good deal Of
talk about billiards. but it was mid
summer before Miss Birds father
closed a conversation by observing:
why, if you and Bird love each
other, | see no reason to object, but if
you live with us / shall expect you to
keep the walks clear of snow in the
winter"
Copyright, 1914. by the Mcclure Newspa.
per Syndicatc)
---------------
Nasal Handicap.
Capt. Frank Sulzer of the Saliva
ton army is authority for the state