Louisiana capitolian., 1880-01-31

4 y rs J7IF3TF
or bedrowned than be- tehawed up BY
the burned old gator, Il felt tho hair
stand up all over my head like cloves
in a biled ham, but It didn't last long,
fUt down w went over the falls, and
woke mp with a yell like a wounded
painter, and found ParsOn Lu,npkin's
arm laying right square 'cross my
throat but that scream | let out Of
me woke him aud all the rest Of 'en,,
and twas good thing II did, for sucl,
another roaring you never heard in
all your born days. Deacon Hardii,'s
wife jumped out'n he'd and said: Out
Of bed all Of you and save your lives,
a harry canes on us 7
"And sure enough, twas, and we
all numbered out together. The room
was dark rs q tar barrel. put on
my coat and hat, but couldn't find
my pants. Deacon Harilin's wife tried
to blow up the 6rc, and l was still
hunting for my pauts. The house
shook like a lambs tail, and squeaked
and groancd like q dying beaver.
The wind hOwled and r0ared like ten
thousand railroad cars running
through the air. Parson Lump
kin and Deacon Hardin were praying
like forty, but the wind made snch
noise that you couldn't hear 'em, and
they couldn't hear 'emselves, and I
fell over 'em, hunting my pants; then
there came one Of the nwfutest, sharp
est flashes Of lightin', and loudest
claps Ofthunder you ever heard or
seed. It seemed to bust the world
wide open, and set fire to it Mt the
same time. Everybody and every
thing looked red and blue, for .jist u
second, and then all was black AZ
ever. Then how the rain did pour
down! Fust it come in big drops
and struck on the roof like stone
goose eggs, then It cusnd in buckets
full, then in barrels full, and then by
nill-ponds, till everything was wet
inside and out. Then came a hush,
like u squaling baby gone to sleep.
The rain stopped, the stars peeped
out, and verything WAS still. Deacon
Haidin's wife had found some light
wood and struck a light, while Par
son Lumpkin and the Deacon stood
up before the fireplace, with their
backs turned to the fire, looking as
pious as church house bibles, and
faces as white as lint cotton. The
Deacon's wife sot Oh the bench, pok-
ing in tho hghtwood, and no body
said 4 word. was standing aside the
chimbley, dressed IN my coat, hat and
shirt, wondering about my pants.
Finally, the Deacon spoke:
"'Wifc,' says he, 4 sorter think
that struck close BY
"What struck = asked his wife.
"'Why, that thunder, for l smell
somethin' burning =
"I should think so,' said she, your
pants is all atire.' And SHE jumped
and got the water-g -gourd and dashed
water on him and put it out. And
for MI the world,' she continued 'ef
you aint got on Brother Lumpkin's
close, shnre's I'm here
"And sure 'nuif he'd put on the Par
sons pants in the dark. and they was
80 big for him the seat Of 'em hung
down into the fire. Then the Parson
sortcr cum to himself, and said:
~ thought these pants ef they was
mine had swunk up nightly, and
come to look ef the Parson didn't
have on my pants, that is rs fur as
they went, though they didn't more
nor half kiver him. I'm a sinner, and
whar do You spose the Deacon's pants
went toi Well, his wife had 'em on
her shoulders with both legs tied un
der her chin, thinking twas her shawl.
Then they all laughed and looked at
me, SO l run and jumped into bed,
coat, hat and all, and kivered up, and
sic, another laugh as we all had you
never seed or heered tell on.
"Wall, arter awhile the Deac0n's
wife went out to the kitchen and made
coffee while we dressed ourselves in
our own clothes, and set up and
laughed and talked tilldaylight. Then
Parson L,mpkin went to bed awhile,
and the Deacon's wife took o gray
bed blanket and made a patch for the
burnt deestrict in his pants; and that
AFTERNOON as soon as they cut the
roads out a little, the Parson left fol-
home, and aint seen him sence. But
| tell You, boys, that was heavy old
harrycane, and to-night's jest sich an:
other night as that 'un was, but ]
hope it won't blow, and ef it does, OF
don't, I'm going to try to hang on to
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