St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1892-09-15
Selected Story
A MOUSE TN A JUG.

So you want to know how | hap
pen to be so bald when 1 am still e
young man. 1t is not a long story
4 but never like to tell it; In fact,
& have never told it but once in all
f these years. Yes, you may write il
out if you wish; it is not that l dis
A like to have people know it, but
II that it is painful for me to recall that
H terrible hour This is the story
In the spring of 1875 brother Fred
and broke away from the old home
stead 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
4 timber, little danger from the In
4 dams, and it seemed likely that we
! should be directly in the path of a
railroad which was slowly extending
westward. This is what we had
been seeking, so without more ado
we staked off two adjoining quarter
sections and began the term of our
residence"
We erected double shantv on the
4 line between our claims, so that we
were together and yet each was on his
Town land. Other men seeking homes
#soon came, many bringing their fami-
lies, and before long we had several
near neighbors. Better houses than
q dugouts and sod shanties began to be
in demand. and as Fred and I were
a handy with tools we soon had plen-
of work.
III Among the cliffs in our vicinity were
vast quantities of gypsum rock,
(which when burned in a kiln, is finer
land better for plaster than lime.
HOur supply of gypsum was nearly
Exhausted when a neighbor called on
Jus to build house for him. Thus it
was that while Fred went to see
Eabout the timbers he sent me to find
a fresh deposit of gypsum, and if
possible one more easily got at than
Eany we had yet found.
q Combining pleasure with business,
q took my rifle, and having easily
found the deposit of gypsum l
Sought determined to explore the
hills to the southwark more thor
Epughlv than had yet done. All day
4 tramped through the woods and
over the hills, enjoying the early
Summer weather and learning much
of the surrounding country.
Late in the evening l found myself
in part of the. country where l had
never been before, and several miles
from home. I climbed a slight emf
hence to take an outlook and deter
mine the easiest way home. Tired
with my days tramp and heated by
the exertion of climbing I sat down
TO rest. While [ was resting I be-
came deeply interested in the antics
bf a small cloud in the southwest.
Though the air about me was per-
ectly calm tne cloud was rising and
FALLING, .wr.rhing and twisting, as if
n great pain. Suddenly other little
patches of cloud came scurrying up,
apparently bent on finding the cause
bf so much disturbance.
THAT fellow has the colic,'' said
o myself, land these are the doc
ors."
The fancy tickled me exceedingly.
apparently it was a very bad fit of
Ollie, for the little cloud soon swelled
3 enormous proportions and grew
cry black in the face.
They'll have to bleed him or he'll
ave fit" 1 chuckled.
This went on for some minutes,
be cloud growing bigger and black
+, till the lightning began to flash |
ack and forth and awoke to the
ct that a terrible storm was rapid |
bearing down upon the very spot
here sat. 1t also dawned upon
e that had been watching the for
alton of a genuine cyclone, or
wister," as we called it, and acted |
Try foolishly in not seeking shelter
fore.
A huge oak stood on the hill near
E, but l knew too well the danger
incurred by seeking shelter under
A hundred yards down the slope
the east was an immense bowlder,
hind which concluded to crouch
1oth1ng better offered. Down the
| dashed, hearing in the distance
dull crashing of the storm. Near
at the foot of the hill lay the rock.
|se by little gully. On rounding
was agreeablv surprised to find
hole in the rocky ground large
Pugh to admit my body. 1 knelt
d peered in. It seemed to be a
re some ten or twelve feet deep,
could see little of the interior.
would afford me shelter from the
rm-but suppose l should find in
bear or a mountain lionl
sudden darkening of the air and
eafening crash from the timber on
other side of the hill decided me.
en a mountain lion was better
n cyclone, SO gently lowered
self, feet first. The hole by which
tered was in the roof of the cave
n the east side. The wall I found
pc rugged and slightly sloping, so
climbed to the floor without
dent. There was also circular
IN the center of the roof which