Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1886-03-20
HOW ! BECAME A FARMER.
By A. B. Berry.
CHAPTER l.

an WI" van lSlj however lull MS view
Though what strange scenes his way may lie"
What slight change of strange for
sad, such are the lines of the young
poet, H. X. White, 1t may well be
said that every life is a romance,
though it may seem to lie along the
even and common thoroughfare of
ordinary life. When viewed Alright
there is nothing in human life that
has not an importance. Even trifies
light as the moth that floats in the
air, arrarently, may yet lead to the
most momentous results, and what
we consider great events may seem
to end in no great results.
My friend and /, as l took the lines
from the hands of the stable keeper
to ride from the city of -- to a
town in the county some twenty
miles distant, on the afternoon of a
pleasant day in summer, had little
anticipation of what misfortune, or
rather adventure, we might encoun-
ter before we reached the place of our
destination.
1t was warm, but not oppressively
50, and not feeling in a hurry we
made rather slow progress, giving
our horse, which was fine one, the
benefit of an occasional rest in the
shade Of a wayside tree, while we in
dulged in looking about us for objects
of interests and beauty. Birds, trees,
shrubs, distant views Of varied light
and shade, the thick, massive clouds
that with splendor hoated over our
heads, were all objects of interest and
remarks. We had gone but little
more than half way when my COM
panion looked at his watch and eX-
claimed, "Why, it is past six and
nearly seven O'Clock, and we have
nearly a dozen miles yet" Just then
there was a sound of thunder, and on
looking, as we came upon rising
ground in the road, we saw black
cloud in the west evidently coming
to meet us at least "half way"
No more delaying was the senti-
ment spoken or thought by both OF
us. The sun seemed to have hurried
off to the other hemisphere, and pre-
mature darkness came down over us
We came to place where the road
branched, and just which to take we
did not know but as a man drove uI
Just then we inquired of him, and he
replied that the right hand was the
best, but the left hand, if we were
careful to take the next left and the
next right in the road, was two OF
three miles nearer, but was part o
the way little more than a car
path.
"Let's take the shortest cut" sale
my companion, "and keep a SHARP
lookout for the left and right as di
rected." We hurried on and passeC
several comfortable looking farm
and farm houses and came to the lief
hand turn all right, but the RICH
hane one we missed in the gathering
darkness, and struck into an unfre
quented road, which lead us to thinl
we were all right and had struck tn
cart path mentioned by the man w
had met.
All this time the thunder drew
nearer and louder and the darkness
more intense, save when relieved b,
the almost binding flashes of light
ming. Wepassed one or two house
and finally came to more than com
mon attractive establishment as seel
in a vivid and protracted flash Q
lightning. At first we thought tn
road seemed to end there, but at tn
next flash we saw an open space an,
cart path, and drove hurriedly or
for it was evident the shower woul
not long delay but we knew that il
the town, not far from which w
thought we must be, therewas pub
lie house, which we were anxious t
reach if we could get no further. w
drove down a somewhat steep Gle
scent over a rough way, and whe
wecame to a level ground it grey
rougher yet.
eve must be out Of the road" sal
|, as / was driving. A heavy .jol
that nearly upset us made us stop.
refined up the horse. Let's wait for
flash and see if we can find out wher
we are" said 1. We had not long t
wait; the riven darkness revealed
quagmire ahead, upon the borders {
which we had come.
Lets go back to the farm-hous
we just left" said my companion.
With coD,n JsQs.,,l1,, r.oE ~,