The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-02-16
THE RAINS CAME
ny LOUIS Bloomfield
Copyright. 1897. 1898 1899 by Louis Bromfeid
Distributed by Ledger Syndicate


Distributed by
In the night school beyond the
bazaar the Smileys herded to-
gether the q boys of the class
and led them onto the roof OF the
one STORY extension. The building
was new and built of reinforced
concrete with a steel frame. and
although it rocked and cracks APP
peared in the walls, 1t stood fast,
and there on the roof there was
little danger even IL a second
shock followed the first.
From the roof they heard the
roar of the approaching water and
the cries of terror from the
square before the old wooden pal
ace. They heard 1t rushing to-
ward them up the street OF the
bazaar, knocking about the an
cient wooden houses as 1t APP
preached.
AS the roar OF the flood died
away Mr. Smiley peered over the
side of the house with caution,
strainng To discover what remain
ed of the familiar street after the
passing of the flood. and Mrs.
Smiley, aware now that miracle
had occurred said, What shall we
do now. Homer ?" And in Mr..
Smiley some impulse, some in
stinct. some power dormant since
he was born, stirred and came to
life. 1t was almost physical sem
sation like waking from sleep, not
drowsily and unwillingly, hut with
pleasure and confidence and SEN
sation of vigor and strength. In
the blood of the humble, quiet Mr..
Smiley there came to life a whole
procession OF ancestors of whose
presence there he had been quite
unware until this moment :.
He answered his wife in voice
which Bertha Smiley knew was
different, a voice which told her
that she could count on him
through everything as guide and
a protector.
He said: WED better get out of
here on to high ground. I'll so
downstairs and have look around.
You stay here with the boys and
keep them from doing anything
silly"
But Mrs. Smiley objected. mo"
she said you might get lost or
cut off from us. Wen be just as
safe going with you as staying
here, and at least We'll be together.
It's much better that way" She
had to shout to make herself heard
above the sound of the rain and
the terrified whimpering of her
charges.
With Mr.. Smiley leading the way
and Mrs. Smiley bringing up the
rear like a faithful sheep dog. the
party struggled down the stairs
and, in water above their knees.
made their way into what re-
manned of the street. In the dark
ness II was impossible to see more
than three or four feet on any
side. but the going was less evil
than Mr.. Smiley had expected, be-
cause most of the houses and the
wreckage had been swept clean
away.
Every few minutes as they adj
vanced. Mrs. Smiley kept calling
the roll of the class. shouting out
their names in order to make GER
tain none of them had gone
astray.
And presently from the head of
the line, she heard the voice of Mr.,
Smiley shouting back. TITS all
right. ! missed the summer PAL
ace, but here's the high school.
It's still standing" And the
building, partly wrecked, doomed
out of the darkness, 20 feet to the
left of them.
As they passed II, Miss Dirks
standing on the steps. heard the
voice of Mrs. Smiley shouting
threats and encouragement in
Gujerati and calling the roll for
the tenth time and for moment,
standing there with her hand on
the door of her precious school.
she felt, like an old sheep dog
which has been left behind, sud
den desire TO join them and help
in the shepherding.
Vaguely above the biting pain,
she felt a sudden envy of Mrs.
Smiley. wishing that all her girls,
half Of them probably drowned by
now. might have been herded to-
gether like the Smiley low-csste
boys and driven To safety. with
herself barking at their heels. For
moment she felt an impulse to
call out TO them as they passed,
10 join their little procession on
it's way to safety, to return once
more into the current life, TO build
as she had done before all that
had been destroyed in a moment;
but almost at once she knew that
she was old and tired and no
longer had the strength, the ter
rible strength and the terrible pa
thence that were needed and she
thought, What am ! thinking of !?
Ill