Category : Stories

Sub Category : YoungAdult

The 1908 Tornado

 Short story  By:  Martha Nesbitt 



 The skies had been behaving strangely all day. The clouds were unusual in color. some were a smoky greenish-gray Mixed and mingled with the more traditional thunderstorm clouds. But, Today James Jennings' attention was focused on the more unusual brownish-gray and the storm clouds with the greenish tint. Jim had seen similar clouds crossing the plains of Texas. The people of Purvis, Mississippi were unaware that death and destruction were headed straight for them.

James had other things on his mind besides the weather. He was a notary, a legal clerk, and the community's only healer. He had back orders for barrels he would be even later building and delivering If this storm was to hit head on and it was promising to do just that.

He had three small girls remaining in the home, they were his first priority. Mattie and Annie were near by socializing with the other youth in the community. The conversation revolved around boys, dating, the commencement ceremony that night, boys, graduation, and hopes and dreams for the future. Jim was determined to give his daughters every opportunity to see their future. Keeping that determination would call for some very unpopular decisions on his part.

Lilly and her sisters mirrored the consensus of the surrounding adults. The dust devils and swirling debris surrounding them must be the remnants of some storm on the coast. They thought this was nothing to worry about.

Everyone seemed to think Life would continue on as they knew it. The younger men would work the saw mill as they always had. The women would continue to garden, to keep their homes, and raise their children just as they had done for as long as anyone could remember. James Jennings was determined his neighbors would have every opportunity to continue their lives. He had to warn them. He needed to get his daughters to safety.

With Annie placed in the path ahead of them and ordered to run as hard and fast as she could ahead of him to the storm cellar, James grabbed the youngest Lilly and lifted her to his shoulders, he took Mattie by the arm and began to run with her to the storm pit.

With the protest of his daughters ringing in his ears James shouted to his older children and his neighbors "come go with my girls and me to the storm cellar" he pointed at the anvil shaped clouds as he pleaded, "Please come, when that storm passes; there won't be one house standing."

His sons Edward, and Peter called their father 'a silly old man'. They said he was 'behaving as a fool'. They strongly suggested their father go inside his house and remain silent. The older children had never seen their father behaving so irrationally.

"Sons, you're adults now. I cannot force you to go with your sisters and me. But believe me, If You have never seen me act this way before; it is because you have never seen a storm like this before. I have and I'm telling you, there won't be a house left standing or an unprotected soul alive after this is over."

To all who would not heed the warning he wished them the best and prayed that he was indeed a silly old man behaving irrationally.

When the fury of the storm hit many of those who had mocked him were in fear for their lives as they ran to the only safe place, the storm cellar. some lost their lives in the flee, Two of the injured were his own sons. All had lost their homes.

Among the more serious injuries was an infant. As the parents fled attempting to save their child and themselves debris struck their son sending a nail into his skull.

Several mature women broke down as they tried to comfort the mortally wounded infant. Twelve year old Annie took the infant. she cradled the dying infant in her arms as she softly sang a lullaby. She lovingly rocked the baby from this life to the next.

When others in the community began to praise Annie for her courage and compassion she softly said, the child needed my help. I did what any one of you would have done.

With the dead and dying all around him James feared there would be no one alive. So many of his friends, his neighbors were beyond help. for the dead he showed the only kindness he could. He and what others there may be would cover the bodies with whatever bedding or drapes the storm had left. Jim would begin writing the death certificates and arranging the best burial possible.

Following the storm James began to search for survivors. Two of the abled bodied men were sent to Forrest County with a message to the outside world, Tornado survivors need help. Town of Purvis, Mississippi was 4,000 now estimated 400. He organized those who were able into rescue parties. One bucket of debris at a time they sifted trough the rubble listening for any signs of surviving life.

The living required temporary shelter, someone had to construct it. In the remnants of the county jail James found thirteen able willing men to help. The wounded needed shelter from the soft rain that continued to fall.

With the outside help came martial law and tent cities. No one liked being placed on a curfew or told to surrender their guns. Some made their displeasure known in spite of the 'shoot to kill order'. No one believed the National Guard would fire on their own community. James accepted the curfew and the suspension of his rights, it was for the greater good. Some good men had to learn the hard way, until the infrastructure is rebuilt, this is their life.