Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-01-17
4 RACE FOR LIFE.


My dear fellow, [ am delighted to see
you exclaimed my friend MCausland, Ms he
met me at the door of his house.
had gone on "A visit to Holmesdae, IA little
town in the north of England. MCauslnnd
was engineer to the water company there.
and had invit,d me to go down for week
After the usual interval for dressing, we sat
down to an excellent little dinner. Not un-
naturally the conversation turned upon the
weather.
Il am sorry this rain continues" said
MCausland; lit spoils my water supply
People bully me as if | could help it,"
Are your reservoirs near the town Z"
asked.
mo" 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 eleven O'Clock next morning, and
We started punctualy.
We pursued our way up the hill, and cross
ing the brow, reached small inn. Here We
found country gig awaiting US. Into this
We clambered, and proceeded along wood
ed by-road, stony and rutful At length,
when hope had almost given way to bad Ian
guage, We pulled up at another small inn,
called the Reservoir" We got out of the
gig gladly.
An engineer foreman hurried up and ac-
costed us politely
as it all right johnson :" inquired
MCausland
Yes, all is right but"
well, but what -
Il don't quite like the South Reservoir EN-
bankment,' was the reply.
M'Causland turned pale to his very lips
Come with me, he said abruptly. We hur-
red after him in silence, and with strange
dread upon us.
We soon came in sight of the extensive en-
bankment which confined the waters of the
largest of the three reservoirs of the Holmes
dale Company. A fresh breeze was blowing
the water in small though noisy waves against
the paved top of the bank. Here and there
a tongue of liquid spat upon the stone.work,
and at one spot it trickled down into and ap-
parently 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 DrCausland indicating tiny
crack that would have escaped less expert
cnced eyes.
We then continued our inspection, but dur
ing our progress round the works the clouds
had massed themselves in wild grandeur
above the hills, and lay heavy above the Apps
Valley in front. The railroad crossed the
valley on graceful viaduct near Amering
Junction The dark, slaty clouds hung sIs-
pended over this. Long tendrils of scud
came forth from them like fingers. These
clutchrd now rock, then solitary tree
then swept up again and brought down
larger mass of cloud to place upon the ground
--rvcr stealing onward and downward leav-
ing all in its stealthy track dank and foggy.
A low moaning sound was in the air 1t was
not the wind, for the breeze had strangely
lullcd. The trees scarce moved, yet the WA
T. rolled up against the reservoir banks as if
ngtatrd by an unseen wheel. We all seemed
conscious of the disturbance of the atmos-
Iheric conditions, and the leaves whispered
strange condolences to the motionless boughs
above our heads,
The men had all gone up to the reservoirs.
M'Causland and sat chatting together.
DO You think you could find your way
back alone :" he asked suddenly.
why? - l said DO you intend to re-
main here? Is there any dangery"
We'll, scarcely that but l think ought
to be on the spot. | will return tomorrow or
next day"
Cannot stay too ?"
Certainly, if you desire it. We rough it
up here, though"
II do not mind that" | 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 Hash of
lightning, which had hardly passed when the
rocks rang out with thousand thunder
echoes.
This was the signal. The windows of heav-
TN opened, and perfect deluge descended
upon the devoted valley. The little brooks
leaped up and danced down the hillsides in
white array. Tiny waterfalls swelled them
selves into Cataracts, and foamed down to the
streams. The wind rose up from its sleep,
and forced great rolling waves across the cop
ing of the reservoirs, and stone and grass be-
CAME commingled,
Now the sluice valves were all opened, and
the lOng-imprsoned water gladly dashed
from out its prison to meet its native river
once again. The channel of the Holmesdale
once more filled with water, divided on the
hill But still the men worked hard amid the
gathering gloom and thunder by lantern
light, and nature rested not that liyelong
night.