The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-26


visiting friends, and the house not rooted III YET,
though was promised it should be done by the
9th, and now IL is the 10Th" am afraid to re-
peat the words that followed. They were not
suggestive of q soul at ease or o mind at p6sc6
with its surroundings. On occasions the Colo
mel could be profaue, and this was an occasion.
Plty there wasn't log cabin on the prem
ises," said his FRIEND women always take
60 logs. I've known them to 60 into raptures
over a moldy old tenement cabin on my
place, where the vines grew through the
crevlces and the chimney was humpbacked, and
the old thing was so smoky that one would have
cried on a Fourth of July, when they would
scarcely raise their voices to speak in praise OF
my line modern house with all the conveniences.H
i've got RATS OF logs said the Colonel
catching at the idea, his handsome face return
ing to its natural serenity. 1t won't take more
than couple Of days, with big force. to set ID
up Its the only thing can do, for there isn't
a finished room in the house. aud besides, q log
cabin seems the thing for Florida
The next day every darkey within half a
dozen miles was busy hauling and building and
the place went up like magic At the time ap-
pointed the Colonel met his wife at the depot,
though there was no depot there. only shed 90
called for courtesy.
Mrs. BLANK, with her elegantly attired city
friends. met him with smiles.
Dolly" said the Colonel, I'm awfully sorry,
but the house isn't finished Chorus of oh
mys' and 'Oh dears," and questions about a
hotel.)
There isn't a hotel within score of miles,
and boarding houses don't grow hereabouts, said
the Colonel, shut if you wouldn't mind the dis
comforts of q log cabin Here thare were
charming! just what they had wanted to $50
and live in all their lives! So admirably suited
to the climate, tool Was ever anything mora
delightful well, ladies, hope your enthusi-
asm will outiive the experience of week or
two" said the Colonel as he helped them into hin
w Ua ba hos I auld do ga n
you don't object we'll take dinner there this
evening"
The Colonel, being domestic sort of imam.
had completed most Of the arrangements for a
meal His workmen had built a table, rough
hewn logs served for chairs while temporary
staging had been erected making two snug rooms
above that could be reached by a ladder. Around
the cabin were shelves and the few articles Of
household furniture that the Colonel had brought
with him. Therefore. when he ushered them In
where the table was already spread with snswy
cloth and set with o variety of dishes, and a tSg
fire blazing in the chimney-place, their adnlrar
ton knew no bounds 1t was so picturesque So
novel; So just like what Florida home shoGid
be! so delightfully."- grotesque! So comfortably
uncomfortable In less than an hour they wcre
strolling over the grounds, filing baskets with
great pine cons, that make hot, yellow haasss
and protesting that Florida was the most de-
lieious and romantic place on the globe.
"Well, if you'll believe it," said the ColousI,
who told me the story himself, II could hardly
get my wife out of that log cabin, though she
had to work there harder than she ever did I'm
her life. And when company came in and sha
was caught up stairs as she called it &nd
didn't like to come down ON the ladder, have
known her to entertain them perched up thezs,
and they sitting down below, for good boar
To this day she tells me she never enjoyed kGr
life so much as when we lived for season fn
that old log cabin
land the company said l.
''Oh they never got into the housewares
cared to. Some of the carpenters were sick aBd
some moved away and il was several months
before it was finished. Meantime we went an
excursions, gave parties-kid glove parties toC,
il you pease-and when our friends left us it
was with more real regret for leaving the old
log cabin, verify believe, than for parting with
us. To this day they revert in their letters Co
that dear old log house and beg me not to taka
it down. So there it stands, falling to pieces,
bit by bit l let it alone for the sake Of old
times"
care there snakes in Florida9 Do centipedes
and spiders abounds What about rats, and
ants, and bugs in generalF
There are plenty of snakes in Florida, mo-
doubt but ! have not yet had the good-or III
luck to see one, after fifteen months soieurn
in this pleasant land. But I'll tell you o snake
story that was vouched for by a gentleman Of
my acquaintance and in his own words:
1--WE had good breed of hens and We're right
pround of them Two were splendid hatchery
but they were given by a pet sister, who has
been dead many years. After hearing serfncn
one Sunday she decided to call her two hen
chickens Gideon and Goliath. She was 30 do
lighted with them that mother hadn't the heart
to change them and so amidst the laughter Of
the household, we christened them Giddy and
Golly They We're handsome creatures and
never Matched less than fifteen out of sixteen
eggs One day my brother gravely informed mo
that he had seen a big snake in a corner Of the
barn, and we set out to hunt for it. As w0
neared the place there seemed to be an unusual
commotion among the hens, and Giddy aask
Golly were vociferating on the edge Of their Fe-
spective nests in the language of their ilk with
such vehemence that we could not hear ourselves
speak. Then We were sure that the snake had
been brewing trouble, and forthwith searched
the barn until we found it. Pinning it by ita
head in its corner, l cut 1t open, and there were
thirteen of Golly's big white eggs, still warm and
comfortable. These we at once transferred %
the nest. making Golly happy over her reccv-
cred treasures. Well, madam, the thirteen
eggs that had been in the snakes NAV wer0
every one Matched, and grew up into matronly
henhood, quite oblivious Of their narrow escape
and curious vicissitude."
While on the subject of chickens may add en-
PEASANT that have friend whose ten we'll
grown chickens march down to meet him at the
coming of the train every day at o'clock n
quarter of q mile distant from his home. No
matter what the weather is they are certain 20
be there to welcome him. after their peculiar
fashion, and follow him home. To one who lzg
made himself acquainted with the many phases
of the brute creation, these things will not be
deemed singular, but they sometimes seem Co
exceed belief.
By the way, we had haunted house In PALMER
not long ago, O disreputable tenement being the
scene of what were thought to be unoarthly sights
and sounds. The house in question has been far
some time deserted and its brown exterior, stand
ing in the midst of broken-down shantieS
and we'll grown weeds, has an unpopular appear
ance, to say the least. Not long ago some of the
neighbors heard when passing, several shrieks,
unearthly enough to curdle the bleod
and to make them hasten their steps,
while those who watched could see i'm
at the windows, moving from pane to pane. At
last two women screwed their courage to tho
sticking point and volunteered to find out tho
mystery, They explored the ground floor. The