The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-11-01


which should be taken to repair the
damages my house had done to her
property. was as optimistic as L
could be, and the young lady spoke
very cheerfully and hopefully about
the affair, so that we were beginning
when suddenly, Mrs. Carson sprang TO
her feet. Heavens and earthl' she
cried, this house is movin2,
She was not mistaken. / had felt he
meath my feet a sudden sharp shock
not severe, but unmistakable- l re-
membered that both houses stood upon
slightly sloping ground; my blood
turned cold, my heart stood still-even
Miss Carson was pale.
When we had rushed out-of-doors to
see what had happened, or what was
going to happen, l soon found that we
had been needlessly frightened. Some
OF the broken timbers on which my
house had been partially resting had
given way, and the front part of the
building had slightly descended, jar
ring, as il did so, the other house
against which it rested. l endeavored
to prove to Mrs. Carson that the result
was encouraging rather than other
SiSe; for my house was now more
firmly settled than it had been; but
she did not value the opinion of a man
who did not know enough to put his
house in a place where it would be
likely to stay, and she could eat no
more breakfast, and was even afraid
to stay under her own roof until ex-
perienced mechanics had been sum-
moned TO look into the state of affairs.
| hurried away to the town, and it
was not long before several carpenters
and masons were on the spot. After a
thorough examination, they assured
Mrs Carson that there was no
danger; that my house would
do no further damage to her
certain, they would bring some heavy
beams and brace the front OF my
house against her cellar wall. When
that should be done it would be i'm
possible for it to move any farther.
But L don't want it braced," cried
Mrs. Carson, Il want it taken away;
1 want it out of my back yardl"
The master carpenter was a man of
Imagination and expedience. THAT is
quite another thing, ma'am," said he.
Wen fix this gentlemans house so
that you needn't be afraid of it, and
then, when the time comes to move it,
there's several ways of doing that. We
might rig up a powerful windlaSs at
the top of the hill, and perhaps get a
steam engine to turn it, and we c6Lrd
fasten cables to the house and haul
her back TO where she belongs"
And can you take your OATH cried
Mrs. Carson, that those ropes won't
break, and when that house gets half
way up the hill, it won't come sliding
down ten times faster than it I'D and
crash into me and mine and everything
/ own on earth? No, sir! I'll have no
house hauled UP hill back of met"
''Of course said the carpenter, ''it
would be great deal easier to move
it on this ground, which is almost
level'-
And cut down my trees to do it.
No, sir!'
well, Them" said he. there is no
way to do but to take it apart and
haul it off,
Which would make an awful time
at the back of my house while you
were doing it," exclaimed Mrs. Carson.
1 now put in a word. There's only
one thing to do that L can See" 1 eX-
claimed. Il will sell it to match fac
tory 1t is almost all wood and it can
be cut up in sections about two inches
thick and then split into matches"
Kitty smiled. Il should like to see
them," she said, taking away the lit
tie sticks in wheelbarrows!'
There is no need of trifiing on the
subject" said Mrs. Carson. IT have
had a great deal to bear, and I must
bear it no longer than is necessary. L
have just found out that in order to
get water out of my own well must go
to the back porch of a stranger. Such
things cannot be endured. If my son
George were here he would tell me
what / ought to do. I shall write to
him and see what he advises. / do not
mind waiting a little bit, now that
know that you can fix Mr. Warren's
house so that it won't move any
farther
Thus the matter was left Ny house
was braced that afternoon and towards
evening 1 started to go to a hotel in
the town to spend the night.
No, sir!" said Mrs. Carson. DO you
suppose that 1 am going to stay here
all night with a great empty house
damned up against me, and everybody
knowing that it is empty? 1t will be
the same as having thieves in my own
house as to have them in yours. You
have come down here in your property
and you can stay in it and take care
of it,
Il don't object to that in the least"
I said. My two women are here, and
1 can tell them to attend to my meals.
/ haven't any chimney, but l suppose
they can make a fire some way or
other
mo, sirl" said Mrs. Carson. Il am
not going to have any strange servants
on my place. L have just been able to
the house, and l don't want any more
trouble Dear knows, have had
enough already"
But, my dear madame said 1,
you don't want me to go to the town,
and you won't allow me to have any
cooking done here; what am l to do?"
WELL she said, you can eat with
us; it may be two or three days before
I can hear from my son George, and in
the meantime you can live in your own
house and / Will take you to board.
That is the best way 1 can see of
managing the thing; but 1 am very
sure l am not going to be left here
alone in the dreadful predicament in
which you have put me-"
We had scarcely finished supper,
when Jack Brandigec came to see me.
He laughed a great deal about my sud
den change of base, but thought, on The
whole. my house had made q very sue
cessful move; it must be more pleas
ant in the valley than up on that windy
hill Jack was very much Interested in
everything. and when Mrs. Carson and
her daughter appeared as we were
walking about viewing tine scene, felt
myself obliged to introduce him.
L like those ladies'" said he TO me,
afterwards. Il think you have chosen
very agreeable neighbours"
How do YOU know you like them ?''
said l. You had scarcely anything
to say TO Mrs. Carson.
mo, to be sure" said he, but I ex-
pected I should like her. By the way,
do you know how you used to talk to
me about coming and living somewhere
near you? How would you like me TO
.