West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1888-09-13
CAUGHT IN A STORM.

CAUGHT In A SIORM,
''We might just as we'll have been
standing behind the counter in New
YORK all these ten days" sighed Barbara
Hale, ''for all the out of.the- way advent
nres we've had"
"Who wants out-of- the-way advent
uresf said Dorcas Dunn, scornfully.
'Behind the counter, indeed !" chimed
In Mary Nannccker. Scan YOU breathe
in clover scented air like this behind the
countcrl Can yon get mountain view
like this from Sixth avenue? What more
would the girl want, should like to
knowT'
Barbara sighed once more, and shooS
her head
"It is all so tame" said she. 'Tt isn't
what / expected at ALL"
The three glrls-Barbara, Dorcas and
Mary-were sitting on a side Hill, under
The shade of grand old cedar tree.
Barbara, who had once taken a quar- ter's
lessons in drawing, had a Switchboard in
her lap, and was trying with but i'll
success, it must be owned-to reproduce
the lovely. ribbon.like curves Of the river
that wound its way through the valley
below.
Mary had her ncedlewor& in her lap,
and Dorcas, with her hands clasped
under her head, had long given up all
attempt to read the paper covered
novel that she had brought with her.
"The SKY and the sunshine are so much
better ~ she said.
They were three shop girls bright,
ambitious, spirited young things, full OF
life and aspirations, even though they
were kept down 10y the force of circum-
stances; md they had dubbed together
their slender resources. in order to enjoy
their vacation TO better advantage.
Dorcas, the business member of the
firm, had bought an excursion ticket
hrst aud travelled out 10 Sahepp's Valley
to see what could be done But it 6
needless to say that the hotel aud board
ing house prices were far beyond their
simple means.
Us there no place, said she, "wherc
we could obtain one room and the very
simplest fare, for less money?n
''You might try Old Man Morris's. y
said the portly dame who kept the Valley
House. IT'S quiet place, and Mrs.
Morris she amt no great of cook, but
there's them as has boarded there, Pm
told"
"Where is it," eagerly asked Dorcas.
And the landlady went to the door
to point out II slender blue thread OF
smoke that was curling up heavenward
from mss Of woods on q distant hill,
and once more DOrcas set forth on heI
pilgrimage, this time with uudoubted
success.
She engaged one room. The board,
to-be-surc, was plain, the bed a coarse
busk mattress, with blanket spread on
the floor for Dorcas herself the furniture
homemade and unpaintcd. But there
was grove of pine woods in the rear
the biackbirds pipcd their silver flutes
all day long. and the bees dartcd in and
out Of the rcd lilies by the garden wall,
and our three heroincs believed them
selves TO be in Paradise.
But even as Barbara Hale thus be
walled herself, portentous shadow
crept across the sun, aud looking around,
they saw that a mass of liyid purple
thuDdcrclouds had piled themselves up
along the western sky, while distant
mutteringa, and now and then sudden
flash, announced the coming of storm.
Dorcas sprang TO her feet Barbara
began mrriediy to fold Up her sketchiDp
apparatus. Mary put her thimbe and
scissors in her pocket.
''Wc must get home as quickly as
pOssiblel ]" cried al three
But in availing themselves Of fshori
cut across patch Of woods, they cot
hOpelcssly lost. Tho sun set behind tho
purple battlemont Of clouds, the dusk
fell rapidly in these dense woods, aud
the rain began TO patter down in hugs
drops
Barbara, the aspiraut after adventure,
began to cry.
eve are lost.n said she.
lost Nonsonscw said brave Dorcas
'When ! can see the railway track shin
ing down below. Who ever rot lost
close to q railway liner Let's make FOL
the track
"And get run over" lamentod Bar
bsra.
"Not likely when there's only on,
train a day, and that at noon" laughed
Dorcas. ''If we walk along the raiiwa,
line, We must come out somewhere. doni
you seol'
"And besides, " added Mary. .thcrc
Is little ruined cabin not far from
here, where the railroad faQman used "a
live before they changed the location oi
the station. I remember Mrs. Mo ris
showing IL TO me once"
"OhI ohp shrieked barbara, 81
couldn't 20 there The hagman was
killed on the track. There's g.g ghost
there ~
Would you rather stay here and bt
drenchcd through with rain /" severely
demanded Mary.
cor struck with lishtningp added
Dorcas.
And The upshot Of it was that tht
three fugitivos took refuge in o misera.
bic old shanty close alongside OF tho
railroad track, where weeds were grow.
ing up through the cracks of The floor
and a plentiful portion Of rain came pat
tcrng through tho leaks in tire roof
while the old stone chimney, ON settling
20 one side, looked os If no stroke Of
lightning could harm Il very much