Connecticut western news., 1878-10-09
A Race for Life.
1.-THE MESSAGE.

1.-THE MESSAGE
 My dear fellow, I am delighted to see you, exclaimed my friend, M Caus- land, as he met me at the door of his house.
 I had gone on visit to Honesdale, a little town in the north of England. MCausland was engineer to the water company there, and had invited me to go down for 8 week.
 After the usual interval for dressing we sat down to an excellent little dinner Not unnaturally the conversation turned upon the weather.
 "1 am sorry this rain continues, 3 said M'Causland; cit spells my water supply. People bully me as if I could help it.'
 Are your reservoirs near the town ?'' Iesked.
 "No," he replied, |" away in the hills We can go over tomorrow if you ike I'm due there"
 The excursion was arranged. We agreed to start at eleven o'clock next morning, and we started punctually. We pursued our way up the hill, and crossing the brow, reached small inn. Here we found country gig awaiting us. Into this we clambered, and pro- -ceeded along wooded by-road, stony and rutful. At length, when hope had almost given way to bad language, we pulled up at another small inn, called the " Reservoir. We got out of the gig gladly.
 An engineer foreman hurried up and accosted us politely.
 Is all right, Johnson ?" inquired M'Causland.
 "Yes, all is right; but"
 "Well, but what?"
 CT don't quite like the South Reser- voir embankment, was the reply.
 M'Causland turned pale to his very lips.
 "Come with me-" he said, abruptly. We hurried after him in silence, and with astrange dread upon us.
 We soon came in sight of the exten- give embankment which confined the waters of the largest of the three reser- voirs of the Honesdale Company. A fresh breeze was blowing the water in paved top of the bank. Here and there tongue of liquid spat upon the stone work, and at one spot it trickled dowr into and apparently came through the grass.
 This is the spot I was looking al this morning." sad Johnson.
 You had better have few men tt puddle up this," said M'Causland, in dicating tiny crack that would have escaped less experienced eyes.
 We then continued our inspection, bu during our progress round the work the clouds had massed themselves il wild grandeur above the hills, and la7 heavily above the Apps Valley in front The railroad crossed the valley on graceful viaduct near Ammering Juno tion. The dark, slaty clouds hung sus pended over this district. Long tendril of the scud came forth from them hk fingers. These clutched now rock then solitary tree, now swept up agai and brought down larger mass of clou to place upon the ground-ever stealth onward and downward, leaving all in it stealthy track dank and foggy. A To, moaning sound was in the air. It wa not the w1nd, for the breeze had strange ly lulled. The trees scarce moved, yt the water rolled up against the reservo banks as if agitated by an unseen vince We all seemed conscious of the disturb ance of the atmospheric condition and the leaves whispered strange col fidences to the motionless boughs abo1 our heads.
 The men had all gone up to the rese voir. M'Causland and I sat chattir together.
 Do you think you could find yo1 way back alone?" he asked, suddenl
 "Why?" I said. '' Do you intend remain here? Is there any danger ?"
 "Well, scarcely that; but I think ought to be on the spot. I will retul tomorrow or next day" > "Cannot I stay too?"
 Certainly, if you desire it. V rough it up here, though" [ "I do not mind that" replied. it was settled. Fortunate 1t was that did remain. As we were preparing visit the sluces again, we were startl by vivid flash of lightning, which h hardly passed when the rocks rang C with thousand thunder echoes.
 This was the signal. The windows heaven opened, and perfect deluge scended upon the devoted valley. I little brooks leaped up and danced do the hill-sides in white array. ri waterfalls sWe11ed themselves into ca / racts, and loaned down to the strea1 The wind rose up from it's sleep, z forced great rolling waves across coping of the reservoirs, and stones arass became commingled.