Evening star., 1897-01-23

the Norwegian But when l tried to lift
up the cover of the pit l could stir it only
a few inches, and that didn't let in any
light. l couldn't understand what th'S
meant. but being smoker. of course had
my matches with me. SO l struck a light
and investigated. | found that there was a
sort of board flooring above the cover OF
tie pit which prevented me from llftlng IL,
and consequently l knew that the cyclone
had dropped something just over my head
Luckily. there was crowbar among
the tools standing in the corner of the pit.
and l hunted 1t up and got to work as well
as | could in the dark. 1t didn taken me
long to burst a hole in the flooring that
spoke of, and after l had made an opening
and let in the light | saw that there was d
house on top of me. | set to work again
with the crowbar, and presently ! was apie
TO climb out. and l found myself in a small
bed room. l didn't Stop to examine H. but
opened the first door l came to. and there
L was in Capt. Martins sitting room. face
TO face with the old man. The furniture
was all upset, and the sides of the honse
were slantng one way and another. but
there was mist aking that it was house
and that Capt. Martin was here, looking
none the worse for having Deen through d
cyclone.
so you've been and broke into my
house with crowbar. have you" he asked
Perhaps you don't know, my man, that
you've committed burglary, and can nave
you arrested for it.
Perhaps you don't know that you re
trespassing on my land. said l. 1 never
gave you no permission to put no shanty
on my land, and if you don't take it Off
mighty sudden there's a prospect that
there'n be more less shooting.
You don't know much about law, says
the captain. L never put my house on
your land. 1t was done by what the under
writers call '.act of God or public enemies
and if you was sailor, you'd know that
nobody can be held responsible for sucn
occurrences.
yiytr of he
window toward where my house had been.
and he said, The last l saw of your house
she was scudding before the wind, and
heading about Sou'east. or mebbe. little
east of that She was making, as L should
judge. about thirty knots an hour ltll
take you considerable time to overhaul
her. ard you'd better give chase at once
II amt anxious for to stay In your
house. says l. and I'll leave it this minute.
It's my duty to warn you that II you set
foot on my land there'll be trouble. As for
the matter of your squatting with your
house on land that don't belong to you III
see a lawyer this very day, and L calculate
you'll wish you hadn't done 1t.
with that l made him bow, and lett
him. He came out on the veranda and sald,
If you're looking for them mules, and tnat
there Finn OF yours, you'll be wasting your
time. l saw a couple of mules about sixty
feet in the air. and when they do come
down they won't be of any further use,
considered mules.
to me was clean gone. but 1 was that mad
at the captain that l didn't care a straw
about it. l walked straight TO Luculi.is.
which the cyclone hadn't touched. and 1
hunted I'D Squire Gibbs ana laid the case
before him. He said that he couldn't see
as Captain Martin could be held liable for
trespassing, long as he stayed IN mis-
house, and didn't step outside on to my
land You can't set his house aiire. or
ANYTHING of that kind, said he, without
getting into trouble. No more. can you
move it while he is in it, for that would be
an assault on him. But l don't see any
thing to hinder you from getting team of
oxen and some rollers handy, and the first
time he comes up 10 Luculius TO buy
groceries, you can move his house back
onto his own land, and ne can't lind any
fault with you.
Squire Gibbs was a first-c!ass lawyer.
and l knew I'd he d fool if | didn't follow
his advice. after paying - for IL. so l
hired a tent that l could sleep in till such
time as | could run up another house; and
I laid iii provisions, and a yoke of oxen.
and some rollers. not forgetting small
hydraulic jack. When L got back TO my
farm | pitched the tent right in front of
Martins shanty. so that l could keep a
good watch him, and | went to work
with the help of couple Of men from 1.tl-
Cullus TO build me another house. You see.
the full force of the cyclone had passed
over Just where my house had Stood while
only the outer ledge of IL had struck the
captains premises. That accounts for the
TACT that my mouse ndd been carried cledii
away, while his had only been picked up
and carried a few rods. AS for the mules
and the Norwegian. they were scattered all
over Minnesota. 1t was said that some OF
the Norwegian was picked up about thirty
miles from here. but it wasn't ever salts
; factorily identified
Capt. Martins house happened to be
| planted in such way that one corner OF
IL projected few inches on to the high
road, and he was able to get out of a win
dow and into the road without coming on
| to my property. However he didn't fee
easy to leave the house alone. for fear tha,
/ might meddle with ii, he stayed al
home for the best part of a week. when his
| provisions. or his whisky or some other
| necessary run short, and he had to walk
! over to Luculius to lay in a fresh stock
| This was what l had been waiting for
| though l never hinted 1t to him. He USED
| to come out on his veranda and remark ir
| a general way, without addressing himself
| to me or any one else. that he was mightii,
| pleased with his new location, anf
wouldn't change IT for any other building
a