Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1873-08-30
Some Adventures Of a Danbury Fam
ilY.


There are men who dispute whe. they Go
not understand. Mr.. Coyille is such a man.
When be heard a carpenter say that there ~ere
so many shingles on the roof Of his house be-
cause the roof contained so many square feet,
Coville doubted tie figures, aud when the car
penter went away he determined to test the
matter by 9 ing up on the roof and counting
them. And he went up there. He squeezed
through the scuttle- Covile weigh 23O-and
then sat down on the roof and worked bis way
carefully and deliberately toward the gutter
When he got part way down he beard sound
between him and the shingles, and became
aware that there was an interference some way
in his further locomotion. He tried to turn
over and crawl back, but the obstruction held
him. Then be tried to move along little, in
hopes that the trouble would prove but tempo
rary; but an increased sound convinced him
that either a nail CT a silver had hold OF his
cloth, and that if he would save any of it he
must use caution. His folks were 10 the house,
but he could not make them hear. and besides,
he didn't want to attract the attention of the
neiehbors. SO he sat there until after dark
and thought. II would have been an excellent
opportunity to have counted the shingles, but
he neglected to use it, Ilismind appeared to
run into other channels. lie sat there an hour
after dark, seeing no one be could notify Of his
POSITION. Then he saw two boys approach
the gate from the house, aud reaching there
stop. 1t was light enough for him to eco that
one Of the two was his son, and although he
objected to having the other boy knowing Of
his misfortune, yet he had grown tired Of hold
lug on to the roof, and concluded be could
bribe tbe.stran &c boy into silence. With this
arrangement mapped ont, he took out his knife,
and threw il so that it would strike near TO the
boys aud attract their attention. 1t struck
nearer than be anticipated. Ia fact it struck
so close as to hit the strange boy on the head,
and nearly brain him. As soon as he recov-
cred his equilibrium be turned on Coyille's boy,
who be was confident had attempted to kill
him. and introduced some astonishmsnt and
bruises in his face. Then he threw him down,
and kicked him in the side, and banged him
on the head, aud drew him over into the gyt-
ter, and pounded his legs aud then hauled him
back to the walk again and knocked his head
head against the gate And all the while the
elder Coville sat on the roof and screamed foI
the police, but couldn't get away. And then
Mrs. Covilo dashed out with a broom, and con-
tributed few novel features to the affair a
the eato, and one OF the 6oartiers dashed on
with doube-barreel gun, and hearing th'
cries from the roof, looked up there and espy
ing figure, which was undoubtedly burg
lar. drove handful of shot into its legs Wit
howl Of agony Coville made plunge to dods
the missiles freed himself from the nail, los
his hold to the roof, and went sailing down th
shingles with awful velocity both legs sprea.
out. his hair on end, and his hanls maxim;
desperate but fruitess efforts to save himself
( lie tflel 10 swear, Out Nda ~ HiSutSHSe N"'
he lost bis power Of speech and when be pass
ed over the edge Of tie roof, with twenty fee
of tin-gutter hitched to him, the boarder CAV
him the contents of the other barrel, aud tber
drove into the house to load up again. Tn
unfortunate Coyille struck into a cherry ire
and thence bounded to the ground, where b
was recognized, picked up by the assemble
ucghbors, and carried into the house. a ne'
doctor is making good day wages picking tn,
shot out of his legs The boarder has gone in
to the country to spend the summer, and th
junior Coville, having sequestered piece G
brick in his handkerchief, is laying low for tha
other boy lie says that before the calm @
another Sabbath rests on New England ther
will be another boy in DAnbury who cant wea
a cap