St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-08-20


to 90 up into the chambers. One
family down to the pint roasted or
the roof till boat come and took
'em off.
rs that so?" asked Mr.. Holman
anxiously. Il have lived here ten
years, and never heard of it."
That so, every word OF it. " spoke
up little man hitherto silent. Il
can swear my affidavy to that, seem
was the tamily-me an my wife
and three children-and we hung to
the chimbly till Jim Byles come and
took us off in his boat. ohny, |
recollect, cried and cried when we
made him let 60. I'd told him to
hang on, and he hung till he didn't
seem to sense nothin' else, thought
he'd be drownded if he let 60"
well" said Mr.. Barnes, compre.
hensbly, "then there was rain and
wind and sun, plenty OF it, and there
may be agin. It's best to be on the
safe side. Pm glad | live high up, if
| didn't I'd 90 there, but it | don't
hurry that bridge'll be gone"
He went out cracking his whip,
stood and looked up and around Tor
a moment, then put his head inside
the doorway and said to Sadie;
"Liny'd be tickled to death to have
you comehome with me, What say !?
Pm down with a single team"
Not today; thank you, Mr.
Barnes"
Barnes is right on his prophecy,
amt he? Dye think he's right ?"
asked one.
Right? Yes, he's right when you
know how to take him. spoke up a
farmer. His prophecies has to be
took contrary. When he says it's
goln' to rain, if its in haydn, | allus
20 right into the field and NOW all
day, and If he comes along and says
we're goin to have dry spell, |
muster all the teams and hands and
go to getting in hay like sixty"
"Well, now" said another man,
that's just little strong, seems to
me. Barnes ain't allus correct, but
then he is sometimes. He's like big
weather prophets we read of. They
profess to be correct in general"
wall, when Barnes says No
frost,' persisted the other, Il always
kiver my cowcumbers and tomatoes,
| dassent leaveem if it's cloudy. |
know it'll clear on and come frost,
and it dooz"
Like enough" said the other,
"some OF We rec'lec'-I do-that
Barnes prophesied about t'other
food. You see he's a lumberman,
pretty keen, and he makes it a sort
of business to watch the freshet.
Take itfor the summer, now, maybe
he amt no great 'thority for frost
and sech like, but in the spring of the
year with his logs ready to float,
it's different. should like to know
if that bridge has gone off"
You can see it from this winder,"
said the little man. "No, it hain't
gone off,"
"Oh! that'll stand till it rot,'s'
said farmer.
BARNES is just agoin it," said the
little man.
They all crowded about the window
which commanded full view of the
bridge, but Sadie kept her seat
behind the counter, where she sat a
silent and attentive listener. Once
or twice during the conversation she
had started up to return home, but
Mr.. Barnes prediction interested her
too strongly. Her father joined the
group. The little man, perched in a
chair, had the best view and there
fore considered himself spokesman
for the party.
Barnes has backed his boss and
seems to be considerin'. Can't be
the underpinin's washed away, can
it? The big rocks kivered, and
should say the water was cleanup to
the bridge, over it-yes, it's over it.
See! it looks black at t'other end and
kind of sparkles in the sun. Barnes
has started agin; he's gritty. He's
goin over it. Lord; what's that
It's movin', sure's your yes, it's a
movin', and Barnes is on it. It's
agoin'-oh it's most off the under
pinin' on this side. Its on. it's begun
to settle with the water. But there's
Barnes driven FULL split. Hoorav
he's over, but the bridge is gone"
and the little man, who had poured
forth these words with nervous
velocity, sprang to the floor, upset
ting his chair, and rushed to the
door followed by the others, and
they hurried away to the seethng,
foaming, bridgeless stream. Sadie
was left alone with her father. Pale,
but collected, she asked, rising to go
do you think Mr.. Barnes was
right about the freshet flooding the
village, father?'
mo, | do not, Sadie, but it is best
to bear in mind that there is posi-
bihty Off it. John and will take the
goods to the upper story, and when
that is doue, | will come home.
know you won't alarm your mott her.
Our house sits ar above the plane
of the village. 1t will doubtless be
safe Where is the boat ?"
up to grandfather's."
"Well good-by; I'm glad you got
left by the train"
Sadie walked thoughtfuly home