spread the same conviction. Electric
currents seemed to snap from one con-
sciousness to another. We dropped our
books, and turned our eyes toward the
western windows, to look upon a
changed world. It was as if we peered
through yellow glass. In the sky soft-
looking, tawny clouds came tumbling
along like playful cats -- or tigers. A
moment later we saw that they were
not playful, but angry; they stretched
out claws, and snarled as they did so.
One claw reached the tall chimneys of
the schoolhouse, another tapped at the
cupola, one was thrust through the wall
near where I sat.

Then it grew black, and there was a
bellowing all about us, so that the com-
mands of the teacher and the screams
of the children barely could be heard.
I knew little or nothing. My shoulder
was stinging, something had hit me on
the side of the head, my eyes were full
of dust and mortar, and my feet were
carrying me with the others along the
corridor, down the two flights of wide
stairs. I do not think we pushed each
other or were reckless. My recollec-
tion is only of many shadowy figures