River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-11-22

III course. Any thing Is better than
TO stay stewing here, with a prospect
Of being roasted at Claynor all day to-
morrow. Besides. the moon is at its
full. so that a night-drive in this
weather will be rather pleasant than
otherwise
Come along. then" And with a
goodbye TO our friend, the conductor.
we turned our backs upon the disor-
gained train and the idle groups that
were collected round it, and started OF
in search OF the little town to which
we had been directed.
We reached it after about half on
hours walk. aud found Il a very small
and sleepy place, indeed. though re-
Joicing in the pompous cognomen OF
New Nineveh. The little white-washed
hotel afforded Us material for copious
ablutlons and a good supper. and the
horse aud buggy were easily found,
and We're hired by us at a reasonable
rate We were to leave them with the
proprietor Of the principal hotel at
Claynor. their ewner having business
there in the course OF the next week.
and as he very sensibly said: HE could
go there By rail and then drive him
self home just as well as mott Our
road was perfectly plain; it lay straight
before Us, we were told, and it was a
remarkably good road. except just
about three miles Of 1t. which led over
the range of blue hills which we could
see stretching away into the purple
distance.
The sun had not long been set when
we started on our journey. The heat
was still intense. while the atmosphere
seemed stagnant with a dull, oppress-
i've clOseness that weighed on mind
and body alike. No breath of fresher
air sprang up with the going down of
the sun. and no cooling change crept
over the parching earth. We almost
gasped for breath. and forbore to urge
the pace Of our painting but patient
steed. The moon hung above the no
rizon. blOod-red and rayless, like the
battle-crimsOned shield of some war
riOr of old. There was something
ominous in the aspect of the heavens.
and in the unnatural stiffness which
seemed to prevail on all sides. The
insect-vOices that fill the summer day
with their shrillness were hushed and
mute. The birds sang no more. Only
the tree-frOgs broke the silence with
their noisy cry.
I'VE shall have a storm before long"
quoth DIR. Max. after we had gone a
few miles; there is thunder n the air
But it will hardly come up before to-
morrow morning. think"
Our way at first lay among verdant
pastures and productive fields. which
skirted either side Of the road Grad
ually tho road began TO ascend, the
traces Of cultivation became fewer, and
half-cleared patches Of land took the
place of well-tilled farms. At last
even these gave way to a dense forest
of pines which rose on either side like
walls Of gloom, looking dark and
dreary in the gathering shadows of the
twilight. The road. too, became
rough and stony, and our progress was
necessarily slow and impeded. Our
talk had long since died into silence,
aud we drove on for some time with
out exchanging a word. Suddenly a
heavy roll of thunder was audible in
the distance. We were just entering
a wood. the trees having hindered US
from noticing the approach of the
storm. DIR. Melfort. who had been
acting as driver, refined up the horse
and looked around him.
I'VE are in for heavy gust, l am
afraid, he remarked. 'and it is grow
ing too dark to be pleasant
In fact. the heavy storm-clouds that
We're now vailing the heavens had
blotted out the last vestiges of day
light Under the shadow of the for
est trees the darkness was profound.
Tho storm burst upon US in all its fury.
The rain poured down in torrents,
soon wetting US to the skin. The
blazing streams of lightning. attracted
by the tall pines that studded the
wood, ran hither and thither like SER
penis of flame on either side of us. The
danger was terrific, and even my calm,
cool companion was visibly disturbed.
Finally our road emerged upon clear
ing half way up the side of the mount
ain. By the quick flicker of the light
ming we discerned a long, low two
story frame house, standing back from
the wood. and with more than one
light visible in its windows.
"Goodw cried DIR. Max, in tone of
relief; mere is a habitatiOn. aud pre-
sumably some human beings to help
us 10 dry clothes and a shelter for the
night. !. for one. am in no mood to
go further in the darkness and the
rain, TO say nothing OF the danger of
being struck by lightning if we advent
ure any further into the forest. What
say youe Shall we halt here for the
night?'
l assented joyfully to his proposal.
and we drove up to the gate. which
sprang out to uniasten- As / did so, a
flash of lightning revealed to me Il
singular group. It was that of two
men engaged in digging q short. deep
trench. that looked like grave in
reality. amongst some bushes near the
end of the house. purposely delayed
opening the gate till the arrival of a
second flash gave me an opportunity
10 note their action more precisely.
But when the next sudden illumina-
ton came, the men were no longer
visible.
We drove up to the door, and after
knocking for some little time. an inner
bar was withdrawn, and woman.
with a lantern in her hand. presented
herself No. we could not come in. ="
she said. in answer TO Que queries.
''Shc was ill-she had just sustained a
terrible bereavement-she wanted no
strangers peeking about her premises.
Not that there was any thing To hide
-" And she was going on. maun-
dering in an imbecile sort of way.
when she was suddenly thrust aside
by a short, sharp-loohihg young fell
low. who took upon himself the Office
of spokesman.
Come in2 OF course the gentlemen
should come in. II was not night to
keep a dog out in. The horse os1ld
-. ,rrt rrrG ~. rna shaT and WOULD 40