ESCAPING THE WIND STORM

THE first house that Frank Lee built for his family, was frail and poorly built, with walls of a single thickness of boards. It was set on a hill, near a little draw, where a spring large enough to supply the family needs for water was located.

At certain times, Klickitat winds blow furiously, sweeping the roads clear of dust, and picking up small articles and carrying them far afield.

The Lees were also from Indiana, where cyclones occurred, and Mrs. Lee, Jule, was terrified by a wind storm in the night.

When a severe blow came up in the night, Jule would waken her husband, and they, bringing the two small brothers, Pete and Maurice, would come through the dark to our house, which was built in a canyon, and so was not affected so seriously by the wind. It was not an uncommon thing, in that windy locality, for us children to awake in the morning and find the Lee family had come during the stormy night. We were always delighted to have the boys to play with.

One terribly windy night, the Lees were awakened by the wind, and arose and dressed ready to make the walk to the Tate house. Jule wore a pair of her husband trousers.

There was much snow on the ground, and traveling was hard. Of course, the boys could wade through easily, but Jule had difficulty getting through the drifts. At last she became exhausted, so Frank picked her up and carried her. After she had time to rest a while in her husband arms, he set her down and she struggled on again. After fighting their way through the snow, they finally reached our house in the canyon, and relief from the frightening wind.