The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-09-15
A MOUSE IN A JUG.

is not q long story. but / never like to tell
| 1t; In fact, have never told 1t but once In
all these years. Yes, you may write it out
if you wish; 1t Is not that dislike to have
| people know 1t, but that 1t Is painful for
me to recall that terrible hour This Is the
story:
In the spring of 1875 brother Fred and
broke away from the old homestead and
| went west to make our fortunes After
| drifting about for some time, we found
| ourselves on the banks of a stream In
southern Kansas called the Medicine river.
| Here we found rich land, plenty of timber,
| little danger from Indiana, and 1t seemed
likely that wo should he directly in the
| path of railroad which was slowly ex-
tending westward. This was what we had
been seeking, 60 without more ado we
staked off two adjoining quarter sections
and began the term of our "residencen
We erected double shanty on the line
| between our claims, SO that we lived to
| gether and yet each was on his own land.
| Other men seeking homes soon came many
| bringing their families, and before long
we had several near neighbors. Better
| houses than dugouts and sod shanties be-
gan to be In demand. and as Fred and 1
were handy with tools we soon had plenty
| of work.
| Among the cliffs in our vicinity were
vast quantities of gypsum rock. which,
when burned In kiln, is finer and better
for plaster than lime. Our supply of gyp-
| sum was nearly exhausted when neigh
Dor called on us to build house for him.
| Thus it was that while Fred went to see
about the timbers he sent me to find fresh
deposit of gypsum, and if possible one
more easily got at than an any we had yet
found.
Combining pleasure with business. I
NV III flo, Ia
deposit of gypsum I sought I determined
to explore the hills to the southwark more
thoroughly than I had yet done All day
tramped through the woods and over the
hills, enjoying the early summer weather
and learning much of the surrounding
country.
Late in the evening I found myself In a
part of the country where had never been
before, and several miles from home.
climbed slight eminence to take an out
look and determine the easiest way home.
Tired with my days tramp and heated by
the exertion Of climbing I sat down 10
rest. While was resting became deeply
interested in the antics of u small cloud
in the southwest. Though the air about
ME was perfectly calm the cloud was Dis-
ing and falling, writhing and twisting, as
if in great pain. Suddenly other little
patches OF cloud came skurrying up, ap.
parently bent ON finding the cause OF so
much disturbance.
THAT fellow hos the collie" said to
myself, "and these are the doctors"
The fancy tickled me exceedingly. APP
parently 1t was a very bad fit of collie for
the little cloud soon swelled to enormous
proportions and grew very black in the
face
They'll have TO bleed him or he'll have
fit" chuckled.
This went on for some minutes, the
cloud growing bigger and blacker, till the
lightning began to flash back and forth
and awoke to the fact that a terrible
storm was rapidly bearing down upon the
very spot where l sat. It also dawned
upon me that had been watching the
formation of a genuine cyclone, or 'twist-
en-" as we. called it, and had acted very
foolishly IN not seeking shelter before
A huge oak stood on the hill near ,ne
but knew too we'll the danger incurred
by seeking shelter under it. A hundred
yards down the slope to the cast was an
immense bowlder, behind which hastily
concluded to crouch if nothing better
offered. Down the hill dashed, hearing
in the distance the dull crashing of the
storm. Nearly at the foot of the hill Law
the rock. close by a little gully. On
rounding it I was aRreeably surprised to
find hole in the rocky ground large
enough to admit my body. knelt and
peered in 1t seemed to be cave some
ten OF twelve feet deep, but could see
little OF the interior. 1t would afford me
shelter from the storm-but suppose I
should find IN 1t bear or q mountain lion!
A sudden darkening of the air and a
deafening crash from the timber on the
other side of the hill decided me- Even a
mountain lion was better than cyclone.
cn 10 roll M
hole by which entered was in the roof of
the cave near the east side. The wall
found to le rugged and slightly sloping,
so that climbed to the floor without acci.
dent. There was also circular hole in the
center Of the roof which answered the pur-
pose Of n slSylight, though only about two
feet in diameter.
This was oil I had time to notice when
tliestorm broke In awful fury There was
| terrible roar as the wind swept over the
| openings then there was heavy IMP and
the cave grew suddenly dark. Looking up
| to note the cause I was horror struck. 4
single glance showed me that had found
something worse than mountain lions.
| The oak on top of the hill had been torn
| up and hurled down the slope against the
| bowlder, which it had rolled over the hole.
| thus imprisoning
! Hastily climbed up the sloping wall
and strove to roll the stone away, though
knew well that q dozen men could not
stir 1t. All in vain. Daniel in the lions
den was not more securely Gagged than I.
His cave was sealed with the seal of King
Darius, while mine bore the seal of the
J storm king.
| Gjddy and sick at heart climbed down
to the floor and looked up at the skyii9ht
Part Of the tree lay across tho hole and a
limb hung temptingly inside as If to taunt