The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1873-11-06
THE HOUSE WARNING.
A storyof the Kanawha Valley.
BY rELIx HOLT,

Several year ago, Wnlle on q PEDESTRIAN
tour through Western Virginia, | became
BY accident, guest at a hOuso-waruing
1t was at the close Of a day late in the
autumn, when found myself near the
confluence Of the Gauley aud New Rivers.
which together form the Great Kama,
wha
Here new bright sign cheered my Wis.
ion as | was casting AboutIOr hostcrly :
1t was the sign of tho 'Raccoou," new
enterprise. Which, on the anticipated day Of
completion, was to be warmed" and to
this goodly company had been invited
For some reason the work had been de
ayed to such an extent that but two or
three rooms had been plastered, one OF
which, the dining room, was but now 70
ceiviDg the finishing strokes ofthc masous
There was however, no disposition to post
pone the festivities-the eu'ire programme
being still determined upon, which was
little more than ball in the highest style
Of the region,
The landlord vast dapper little man,
who informed me that could have accom-
modatiops for the night, such as they we're
stating that | need cot expect much sleep
He finally grew confidential, aud taking
me aside, showed me tremendous blue
coat With brass buttons, which he assured
NE he bad ordered for the occasion, but
which unluCkily was oft at all, being
made apparently for man twice as rotuOd
as himself aud begged me, if | could, TO
uudetake TO fix the thing" over, split op.
en- the back, aud take out some Of the sur
plus cloth
Putting it on, he presented laughnblr
appearance. It hung straight from the
collar nearly to the floor, scarcely touching
his waist at any point Not being able to
help out Of the difficulty, | had the pleas
ure Of seeing, him sail into 'ha action, la
ter in the evening, with bis partner in tbr
dance, as jolly as Beau Nash in bis besI
Ct
Great frcs we're lighted, and all wfpt
happy Us a marriage bell" II was long
after midnight before there seemed to be
any usc trying to getsleep, and when ]
finally retired, in an upholstered room
the greater part Of the guests still remain
cd.
Il was ten o'clock when | awoke the
next morning. and | was surprised to hear
no sounds below. When reached the di
uing.room found everything in glorious
confusion knives, plates, glassware,
spread about in the utmost disorder =
Bottles lay in heaps Three or four men
we're asleep upon chairs, others lay upon
the floor
| stnlled over to the stables. where
we're three or four more Of The gay uompa
ny asleep in the manger where Morphe'
us had ovcrtakeu them before they could
mount their horses.
| then endpavored to fnd the servants
They we're all asleep but not drunk
After an hour succeeded in getting a
oIerahle breakfast from the remnants oI
the nights feast
When the meal was ready the cook
called loudly upon ber master, wh' after
suudry shakes, vas sufficiently aroused ia
unve; but no sooner did he attempt to ris.
than ye yelled Justify.
Murder! Obi"
The cook pulled him, when he rOared
the more, still keeping hi' place.
II was not apparent at frst sight what
it was that hurt him. aud when the nature
of the difficulty tecame evident, it was TOO
laughable to endure
The wall bad only been plastered The
day before, aud was Of course soft yielding
and when the good landlord, overcome
with tie feast aud cverdrink, had recIiued
against it, aud made It bis pillow bis head
bad settled into the plaster which after
ward, by the heat. had set and held him
as vice. His long coat tails were swed
ged into tho plaster; his bair and one side
of bis face we're undecided. The hair uni