The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-20

rer," said Luther; ''an'it'll be me an not the
moon that'n make it,
There was a faint stir Of interest.
Stevens lit his pipe with the usual dslib sra-
ton, and the process seemed to give him
an idea.
II remember you had a crazy notion
bout four or five years ago" said he, that
you could make it rain BY blowin' up gun
powder. Is that what yer drivin' at? Be
ye goin' 70 fire off the old c%annon?"
"Tll do better IN that" said Luth r.
"I'll fire q salute that'll be heard around
the world"
Conversation became animated, for the
farmers had plenty Of curiosity even ii they
didn't have any 0onfidencei in rattle-brained
notions. Luther gave them just enough in
formation to stir up their interest without
revealing his plan, which was to blow up
his shed full Of explosives in one tremend-
ous appeal to Jupiter Pluvius. He consid-
cred it wise to keep this intention secret
for he had only an indistinct idea OF vio-
lance oflthe explosion, and no thought it
best to reserve the defense Of accident in
case any of his neighbors' houses happened
to be knocked down.
Thursday was a nervous day for Luther.
He had decided to make his experiment
early Friday morning, and he feared that
the weather might show some sign of a
change. and thus detract from his glory.
But it didn't. The sun dropped down out
C1 u ClOuulcSb bhy Oh "luuI6uny evening.
The weather prophets of the grocery store
were unanimous in the opinion that the
morrow would be fair.
Luther did not retire at his usual early
hour that night. After returning from the
store he sat on the back steps of his house
waiting till the hour should arrive. He had
fixed upon II O'Clock. Nobody would look
for the experiment at 80 early an hour, and
ho would thus be more like to avoid man
slaughter in carrying it out. Fog Harbor
people supposed that he would wait till the
forenoon when he would ba sure of an ad-
miring crowd Of spectators.
Luther hadn't slept much in the last few
nights. he had been too actively employed
in devising a slow match which would burn
long enough to enable. him to run a mile.
He had realized that if the match should
make q mistake in its agreement with him,
he would not come down out of the sky in
tins to enjoy the triumph of his theory.
But this problem he had at last solved sat
isfactorily, and his mind WAS comparatively
free from care. This fact, together with a
little old New England rum, which he had
taken to steady his hand, disposed him TO
slumber: and with his head against the
door post, and his long legs spyawling on
the steps, he fell asleep.
He awoke late in the night with a chill in
his bones. The hand which he raised to
his face was damp. The air was thick with
fog. Luther's senses came back slowly,
NAV n III uiEAhtGE hIIlfGu Will
them. The wind had backed round to the
east in the night and tho drought was
ended. There was no room for doubt.
Weather prophecy ia oasy on the Mains
coast. II the wind il nearer east than west
1t will rain; IL 1t il nearer west than eaAt it
will not rain; and that's all there il about
it, except that all good weather is likely TO
changs at any moment, while an easterly
storm may last \ month.
Luther was bitterly disappointed. He
had waited long for this opportunity, and
resolved to have his explosion anyhow, and
then claim the credit for tho rain which ho
saw Was certain to come. In fact, some
drops were already falling. He CROPPED his
way into the house; found his slow match;
lit a lantern, and then sailed forth to tho
pasture. Everything was ready in the lit
Ito shed. I4nthar adjusted his match, fired
II hastily and fed. In his excitement he
ran the wrong way, and when he stopped
he Was in the middle Of a piaco of woods
which adioined his pasture. He waited
there an hour in fearful suspense, but the
explosion did not occur. ly this time 10
was raining smartly; n when at last he
had found his way home he was drenohed
to tho skin.
When the dismal day broke he arose from
uneasy glumbsra and made his way eau
to the shed. He found his slew
sodden with rain. which had evil
found its way through the roof in
time to prevent All explosion. Tn the whole
Luther wss rather glad Of IL. The rain had
eomo anyhow, according to his prediction,
other occasion. II was pouring by thia
tune, and tho roof Of the shsd was leaking
live = sieve. He spent the remainder az the
kQSapnnn in tranafarriuC bia aynlnaiXes IA