The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1938-06-09

just about ready to move r. He had his sample trunks all packed and
was to take him to ST. Lucia, another small island in the windward
group. Then, what happened?
Storm warnings! Barometer falling! No steamer that day
nor for a few days to come. Tom was going to see that hurricane
now. He couldn't get out of it.
The hotel Tom was stopping at wa a frame structure. They said it
wa safe-said it had stood up under other storms-but Tom had his
e sc t a. H Hebsons enoie e % tr r so1 SAFEST place 70 's ''O"0 III N'SS'''
Along about 1s sundsown, rain "a and ID wind wine began be- us coming ning. in 4 short no3t,a a thd
of advising the natives that the storm was headed their way-boomed
shelter. Then the wind began rising Observation-Disclosures
Havoc Wreaked by the Fierce Storm.
All through the night lightning flashes ripped the black skies while
ing now, and chanting prayers in the streets. Everywhere people we're
ssssn fbgt gis sneuf No oe oae Wsnt up their the houses as best they could No one
At 5 I: m: the cannon on the fort doomed again. this this time
us u.s." And o nit its n heels s., the sd fury of Of thst. storm, flashing shs and a tear,
7 to the farthest limits of the town.
The seawan was the first to go. Its solid concrete bulk, running the
battered against it. The Custom house jetty-he Belle jetty-the Fish
market by y, the s senwan weFe wrecked &c +h by the the fury rn:n Of the WIND sa+ and c aa5eq
and higher. Roofs went flying off houses. Sheets of tin went sailing
tops Of palm trees snapped off as if they had been match stems. Coco
nuts went winging and bounding in all directions, like a barrage Of
In his hotel a block and a half from the seawau, Tom Brady watched
from their fastenings. The rain was coming in. The wind blew all the
furniture against the opposite wall.
He Found Out What Fear Was.
.u Downstairs ms nsta ana they " ERE ERE lifting ting a huge &c w scHde trap rap DOOR door and
pecing the roof to go next. And in those moments, Tom Brady
found out what it was to be afraid.
he dies. Tom saw just that. There, all alone, d thousand miles away
from home, on a strange island, among strange people. he tAHught out
his own obituary. He prayed, and he isn't ashamed Of it, He promised
the Lord he'd be a better man if he was spared this 'irne-and he meant
it-every doggone word Of it-at the time.
Still the tempest ragged. A church stecp!e came crashing down.
Death, ruin, destruction were all about him. Tom himself was literally
thrown about the room by the sickening impact Of the blow. From time
to time the wind would shft-srke the hotel from another angle. Then
the men in that room would board up the windows again and be safe
for a time. In all, Tom was boarded up for % hours-the worst %
hours he ever spent in his life. And it wasn't the dang that bothered him
so much IS the inactivhy-ke uncertainty. The terrible nerve-rack-
ing sensation of wating-waiting to be washed away by the ocean, or
buried alive under a falling roof.
1t was the next mornmg-at 4 a.. I, when the storm finally PASSED
over. The town was a shambles-the streets full CT dCbr:5-;"t houses
in ruins. Tom took some pictures and thanked Cd he was utvc. He
says: Il went to church religiously for about four or five Sundays after
that, and then, like a good many more of us, not being scared any l.. re-
I started to miss again"
Like a good many more of us is right!
Copyight-WNU Service.