Year: 1870

n


disappointed, as we had been all along


though an old Indian woman, who dwelt


in lodge on the side of the mountains


far up the valley, and who chanced along


and paused In the doorway for rest, de


clared that we should have the greatest


storm within two days that we had evel


known. But we put little confidence In
/ this, for we considered her half crazed


and had she not been, we thought it was
| little that she could know of what was tC
come.


The next morning when we arose, we
/ found that it had rained a very little
some time during the night; but the sky
and clouds did not look so threatening al
they had done for days previous. We had
an early breakfast, and when it was oveI
| set out over the mountain to do my
days work, telling my wife that 1 should
not be back before dark, but should surely
| return some time in the evening.
found, when reached fathers, that
he was not as well as he had been the day
before, and that mother was much wor-
ried about him. He declared that it was
nothing, only one of his attacks to which
he was subject, and that he would soon
be over it. Mother shook her head, and
hoped that he was right and went out
into the field to work, and did not come
| again to the cabin till noon.


Instead of being better, he was much
worse, and mother declared that must
saddle the horse, and go down to Conway
for Doctor Bugly; but father would not
! hear to this yet SO after dinner, went
back to my work, and in the course of q
couple of hours, my sister came running
| out to call me. Father was growing
worse fast, and had given his consent that
should go for the doctor. / was not
long in making ready. The horse was in
the pasture close at hand, and it took but
q few moments to catch it, and throw on
the saddle and bride. lost little time in
the house, and then set out on swift
gallop.


had ten miles to go over rough road,
before reaching the doctors, and I knew
that unless made good time, should not
get back till after nightfall, and then /
should have to cross the mountain to my
own cabin, which would make me late
home. I had promised Mary that /
would return, and knew that she would
pass sleepless night, if did not, as she
had never yet remained alone through the
night.


were fixed upon the clouds which seemed
to be gathering from all directions, and
piling themselves upon the mountains be-
hind me, until the sky in that direction
had the appearance of the deepest mid
night. They had gathered there every
day for month past, but nothing like the
way bucy HCEO QOAuB AOHs 04OaS OAoCA
masses that seemed to cover the sky,
would roll swiftly along and pile them
selves upon those already resting there,
and as / often turned my head and
watched them, could not help thinking
of what the old Indian woman had said
the day before, of the great storm which
was coming.


I hurried on, and reached the doctors,
who found was sick himself, and not
able to ride the distance he would have to
go that night I described IS near as
could the symptoms of fathers complaint,
and he fixed some medicine, which he
gave me, with directions for using, and
then went out and mounted my horse to
return.


The doctor followed me to the door,
and we talked for q minute or two of the
strange Appearance of the sky to the
northward. He was of the opinion that
we were going to have heavy storm,
and that, according to the looks of the sky,
I should get good wetting before got
back to fathers. replied that would be
willing to take that, If we could only have
the rain we so much needed, and then
set out, leaving him standing in the door
way, with his eyes fixed upon the sky.


My face was now towards the mountains,
and the great mass of clouds piled above
them; and it almost made me tremble as
I gazed upon them in their bleckness, and



while darted out from their folds. l had
lived among the mountains since was
little child, but had never seen anything
like it before, and I could not help think
ing that some fearful thing was about to
happen.


was not more than halfway back to
fathers, before the rain came down in tor
rents It hardly seemed as though it could
be night, yet the darkness came with it,
and in little time, ] could not see rod
ahead, along the way was going. In less
than five minutes, was wet to the skin,
and the water was dripping from me in
streams.


1 made good use of the stick I carried,
and as the old mares head was towards
home, made good time, and In the
course of an hour from the time it COM
menced to rain, reached fathers, as wet
as though had swan that distance in the
river / found him easier than when set
out, and giving mother the medicine
had brought, and hastily eating some
supper she had prepared for me, 1 set out
over the mountain for home, against the
could not keep the path in the storm and
darkness.


knew that it would be hard work to
do SO, for the rain came down as though
we were going to have another flood;
but 1 had promised Mary that would
come back that night, and meant to
make my word good to her, if could do
SO. And then was afraid of the water.
If it continued to rain as it was doing
now, 1 was afraid that the water would
rise, and come so near to the cabin, as
to give her alarm, and to put them In
danger.


1 knew every step across the mountain
well, as had been over it many times,
both night and day; but found, as l
began to ascend, that had never un-
dertaken the job when it was so dark
before. To keep in the path, had to
go slowly, sometimes feeling for the
track with my hands, when my feet were
at fault, and all the time the rain was
falling in such torrents as had never
known before.


I came to a small brook about half way
up, which / had crossed that morning
upon its dry bed. Now it was foaming
torrent, ready to overflow its banks, and
crossed with difficulty; but got over by
holding fast to the bushes that grew upon
either side, and kept on toward the sum-
NIT, where knew my greatest difficulty
lay, as it was destitute of trees, or even
bushes of any size, the path leading over
the bare rocks, with nothing to guide me
in the darkness, and prevent my losing
my way.