The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-02-22

emo replied.
Geno and went back to tho house. and
In ton minutes moro wo were closing tho
windows. Tho wind blew in gusts, and
tho whole sky had turned dark
Ruel camo in and put ON his sweater;
then wheeled out his bicycle.
I'm going up to tho Park station" he
taid to us.
Tho distance Is three miles, and no was
gono about 40 minutes, should think,
but before ho camo back Geno and had
kindlcd fire and put on our wool dresses.
Did you ever SEQ such n wind?" Ruel
exclaimed as no opened the door on the
west voranda. "Here, Gene, come shut
this door when take in my wheel, or you
will be blown out of tho room. A cut
ting, cold wind too. could hardly keep
warm riding.
And do you know what the operator
at tho station says, girls2" no added.
He says there's q norther coming, and I
begin to believe 1t. Have you looked at
the thermometerp'
We had not but we found on inspection
that the temperature had dropped to 81
degrees, fall of 81 degrees In two hours
well, thank fortune, it is still 90 do
grees above freezing pointl" Ruel replied,
coming to the fire. 81 don't believe 1t
VIII drop low enough to freeze the crops.
It's because we wear thin clothes and the
early part of the day was 30 hot that we
shiyor So"
The wind increased toward night, and
so did the cold. Gene and I bsstirred
ourselves to prepare warm supper. Ruoi
was out OF doors stopping the windmill,
which had pumped the tank full of water
and was flooding the back yard. He look
cd blue with cold when at last he came in.
NO oranges or grape fruit for me to-
night Fry some bacon, girls, and let's
have some nice, hot, baked potatoes" said
he.
While we were cooking he went out into
the Held to secure three or four fertilizer
barrels that tho wind was rolling about
1t grew dark by o'olock-an inky kind
OF darkness. Ono could not see objects
two yards distant from tho veranda stops,
and tho searching wind blew out tho two
hanging lanterns which We usually kept
burning near the door
Forty-six degrees" Ruol announced
when he came in. "Girls, I'm frightened.
You don't suppose everything is going to
freeze, do your Think what that'll be to
us! Why, our all is in it,
For the first time real anxiety was felt
by us, and tho hot supper failed to cheer
us, for frost would destroy nearly every
thing we possessed. In Vermont we had
sometimes lost q few green plants in the
spring or in the fall, but had never known
any roal anxiety from cold weather. Hore
we had ~ acres of tender green vegetables
which had just broken the ground under
q temperature OF so degrees, and now the
mercury was sinking deep into the forties
and what felt like wintry hurricane was
raging.
Ruel pushed back his plate and went to
the blackening window. "This will be a
tough night for cucumbers, " he muttered.
WHO would have believed it3'
Few Florida houses are built to with
stand wild weather. Drafts wandered in
anu played crisscross about our sitting
room. Cold puffs OF piercing air drove us
close to the little fireplace the heat from
which appeared wholly lost The house
oreaked, tho lamp nared and smoked at
each rush of the storm. Ruel was Obliged
to fetch tho thermometer close up outside
tho window to read 1t. Once an hour he
dashed out to see how it stood. At 8
O'Clock it indicated IL degrees, and at 8
SO.
Thirty eight, and still dropping!" said
he. "Wo are in for it. Florida will freeze
out tonight, sure.''
can scarcely describe tho sense of loss
and despair which fell on us when it be-
came CERTAIN that all our acres of garden
crops would be destroyed. We hovered
over our fire and felt too respondent for
speech.
''Thirty-six dogrees" Ruel announced
to us grimly ut 10 O'Clock, and at IL 81
degrees, and ut midnight, when he came
in and pushed the door to, ho said, "a
low 80 degrees, girls. The cucumbors arc
catching it now. You may as we'll go to
| bed. The mischief is probably ,dono.''
The wind drove the cold into the room
There was an icy chill in the mir such as
wo had never folt in tho north.
The water pipes, Ruell' snid Geno
Twill they not all freeze up and burst?"
| $50 they will!'' no cried 81 never
thought of them. Open all tho faucets
| We will lot tho tank run dry. The low
bends of tho pipes that tho water will not
run out of must be wrapped with towels. 4"
From 10 to O'Clock we were busy look
ing to tho pipes. A whole basketful of
wraps was got ready. AT o'clock the
mercury had fallen to % degrees
Wo were too greatly disturbed and ex-
cited to feel sleepy, but to humor Ruel,
who, boylike, wished always to take com
mand, Gene and consented to go to bed.
Tho windows of our sleeping room rat
tied and shook, and the wind fairly blew
ones hair about ON the pillows. Wo put
all our blankets ON the bed and then threw
on our wraps and even our dresses.
AT last we fell asleep and when awoke
1t was broad daylight. Tho wind still rat
tied the windows, but tho sun shono DIM
ly 1t lacked 90 minutes of z.
There was ice i'll the washbowl Geno
crept out shivering and tried to break it.
Ruel, like good fellow, came to tho door
and set pitcher of hot water where ye
could get it.
Guess how cold it is, no called.
Forty degrees below Zero" cried Gene.
Twenty-Five degrees" said 1.
Twenty" said Gene.
"Seyontppn - ra,,l;o1 D,,1