THE DOWNPOUR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 204, 29 August 1934, Page 16

THE DOWNPOUR.

(By Muriel Wight, Puke Road, Tacroa: age 14.) It was late afternoon of a winter's day. Heavy black clouds had been hovering in a threatening manner all day. Now, with the coming of night, they spread sullenly over the sky. At their approach the sun retreated, leaving behind a dark, overcast sky.

When the sun had hastily hidden his face from the angry clouds, the wind sprang up. Tt whistled furiously throng!) the treoe, round corners, and down the chimney stacks. While the wind pursued its way, gaining in volume and fury, still more clouds rolled over the hills.

Soon, however, the wind appeared to become exhausted and died quietly away. Then came the rain. It poured down in a solid sheet, drenching trees and flowers and those unfortunate people who were abroad then. It pattered angrily on the pavenionte and rattled drearily on the windows. In a short time the pavements were streaming and the gutters rushing like swift rivers. Surely sueh a downpour could not last. Presently, however, there came a lull. The raiii stopped as suddenly as it started. During this paime in the storm the sun peered wanly from behind the clouds. The wind rose again as strong as ever. Night was fast approaching, but.the storm showed no signs of abating. In a dreary, monotonous tattoo the rain continued to patter on the roof. Apd it was to thie dull, soothing music that I at length fell asleep.

After raging all night, the storm had subsided by morning. A chill, penetrating .wind, which made me shiver and draw my coat closely around me, was still blowing. In the pale wintry sunshine the land around me looked battered and dismal. Trees and flower? were bent and broken, while a few late autumn leaves fled dejectedly before the wind. Water was lying everywhere on the low-lying land, and, overnight, t/w sluggieh rivers were so swollen with rain that they became angry, rushing torrents. Indeed, it is astonishing th*. destruction that is left in the trail of a storm.