The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1878-10-31
A RACE FOR LIFE.
1.-THE MESSAGE.

land, as he met me at the door of his
house.
had gone on visit to Holmesdale,
a little town in the North of England.
M'Causland was engineer to the water
company there, and had invited me to
20 down for week.
After the usual interval for dressing
we sat down to an excellent little din
ner. Not unnaturally the conversation
turned upon the weather.
"I am sorry this rain continues"
said M'Causland;" it spoils my water
supply. People bully me as if l could
help it,"
Are your reservoirs near the town."
l asked.
"No, he replied, "away in the hills.
We can 90 over tomorrow if you like.
I'm due there"
The excursion was arranged. We
agreed to start at IL O'Clock next morn
ing, and we started punctually.
We pursued our way up the hill, and,
crossing the brow, reached a 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.
els all right, Johnson" inquired
M'Causland.
eyes, all is right; but
"Well, but what?"
81 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 strange dread upon u.s.
We soon came in sight of the extern
sive embankment which confined the
waters of the largest of the three reser-
voirs of the Holmesdale Company. A
fresh breeze was blowing the water in
small though noisy waves against the
paved top of the bank. Here and there
tongue of liquid spat upon the stone
work, and at one spot it trickled down
into and apparently came through the
grass.
"This is the spot was looking at this
morning." said johnson.
"You had better have few men to
puddle up this" said M'Causland, in
dicating a tiny crack that would have
escaped less experienced eyes.
We then continued our inspection
but during our progress round the
works the clouds had massed them
selves in wild grandeur above the hills
and lay heavily above the Apps Valley
in front. The railroad crossed the val
ley on a graceful viaduct near Ammer
ing Junction. The dark slaty clouds
hung suspended over this district Long
tendrils of the scud came forth from
them like fingers. These clutched now
a rock, then solitary tree, now SWEEP
up again and brought down larger
mass of cloud to place upon the grount
ever stealing onward and downward
leaving all in its stealthy track dank and
foggy. A low moaning sound was ir
the air. 1t was not the wind, for the
breeze had strangely lulled. The trees
scarce moved, yet the water rolled w
against the reservoir banks as if agitat
ed by an unseen wheel. Weall seemed
conscious of the disturbance of the at
mospheric conditions, and the leaves
whispered strange condolences to the
motionless boughs above our heads
The men had all gone up to the res
ervoirs. M'Causland and | sat chatting
together.
''Do you think you could find youl
Il ole he
"Why?" said. "Do you intend to
remain here? Is there any danger2"
Well, scarcely that; but l think
ought to be on the spot. l will return
tomorrow or next day"
"Can not stay, too?''
Certainly, if you desire it. We rough
it up here, though HI
81 do not mind that" l replied. So
it was settled. Fortunate it was that
did remain. AS we were preparing to
visit the sluices again, we were startled
by vivid flash of lightning, which had
hardly passed when the rocks rang out
with thousand thunder echoes.
This was the signal. The windows Of
heaven opened, and perfect deluge
descended upon the devoted valley The
little brooks leaped up and danced down
the hill-sides in white array. Tiny wa
ter-falls swelled themselves into cat
aracts, and foamed down to the streams.
The wind rose up from its sleep, and
forced great rolling waves across the
coping of the reservoirs, and stones and
grass became commingled.
Now the sluice-valves were all OPEN
ed, and the long-imprisoncd water glad
" dashed from out its prison to meet
its native river again. The channel of
the Holmesdale once more filed with
water, divided on the hill. But-still the