THE HURRICANE.
WEEKS pass by; it is August, and the midst of the rainy season. This
is the time to be ready for hurricanes. No one feels safe, for at any
moment he may be taken by surprise, and his home, with its massive
stone walls, may be dashed to the ground.
Such a thing never yet has happened to Manuel's family, but that does
not keep fear away. Does not Manuel remember the story of Josephine,
afterward the beautiful wife of Napoleon? She spent her young days
on an island not far from Porto Rico. In a few hours the plantation
on which she lived was wrecked by a hurricane and hardly a trace of
her home was left. It is fearful to think of what she and her family
suffered, but Manuel and Dolores cannot keep the story out of their
minds when the midsummer storms arrive.
They are kept in terror at least three months of the year, for the
hurricane season begins the latter part of July, and the great winds
may come at any moment from that time on to the end of October.
If the children should visit the shore now, they would find all the
boats drawn up high and dry in sheltered nooks. The fishermen are
afraid to venture out to any distance for fear of sudden danger.
This very morning Manuel's father looked at the barometer before he
left the house, for that is the first thing to tell him a storm is
approaching. Then he directed Alfonso to see if the iron bars were in
good order for fastening the casements; everything must be in readiness
for a sudden departure.
After his ride around the plantation, he stopped at the hill-cave, or
hurricane house, and directed one of the workmen to leave the door open
for awhile, to air it.
This cave was dug out of the side of a hill near the house when Manuel
and Dolores were still babies. It is lined with a thick wall of stones;
it has no windows or other opening except a low, narrow doorway. At the
first sign of a hurricane, the whole family flee to this cave, and stay
there till the storm is over.
Look! the sky is overcast. And now it has become the colour of lead.
How sultry it is! Not a leaf moves, except when a sudden gust of
wind takes it by surprise. The barometer is falling rapidly. See the
lightning flashing over the sky, with no sound of thunder to follow it.
Dolores begins to tremble and cry. Even her mother grows pale, and
often crosses herself in silent prayer. The planter moves quickly
around, giving orders to the overseer about the workmen and the
cattle. Stout-hearted little Manuel is very busy. He must not let
Dolores think he is afraid. No, not for anything! He helps Alfonso
carry the food and cushions out to the hurricane house, while the doors
and shutters of the mansion are being locked and barred.
There is no time to be lost. A man has just ridden by, telling of the
strange appearance of the ocean.
"It was perfectly still," he said, "but far out on the water long,
quiet, sweeping waves rolled in toward the shore, then broke suddenly
at a fearful height close to land."
And now all hasten out to the cave. There is no laughing; every one is
still and sober. The door is shut and made fast. It is as dark as a
tomb within. The air is heavy. But no one thinks of fretting; all are
too busy listening to the howling of the wind and the noise of falling
trees.
The planter steadily watches the barometer by the dim light of a
lantern. Manuel and Dolores cling to their mother, one on each side.
Teresa strives to appear calm, and her duenna is the only one who tries
to talk.
Hours upon hours pass by. Ah! what does that trembling of the ground
mean? It makes one feel dizzy and strange. It is the shock of a slight
earthquake. It is over now, and at the same time it becomes quiet
outside. Papa once more looks at the barometer, and says it is rising,
and it will soon be safe to venture out.
When the door is opened, and they feel the fresh air on their faces
once more, they look out on the darkness of night. But the stars are
shining with their usual brightness, and the air is filled with peace
and quiet.
Was it all a dream? Oh, no! for broken trees and branches bar the
pathway to the house, while pools of water are everywhere about. The
dear old home is safe except that a part of the veranda has been torn
away.
The sunlight next morning shows that many of the roofs at the quarters
have been blown off, while much damage was done to the coffee-trees.
No human being or animal on the place has been injured, and all give
thanks that the hurricane has passed.
"Let us hope," says Manuel's father, "we shall not see another such
storm this year. One bad storm is quite enough for a season, I am sure."
The time of danger passes by, and although there are many severe
storms, not one of them is so bad that the family are obliged to hide
themselves in the hill-cave. The autumn rains are very heavy, and
Manuel and Dolores spend much time in the house or on the verandas.