The age-herald., 1901-05-27
Love-storm-Roads.


 of mine required me to drive far out into the hills of northern Tuscaloosa county and in returning to the railroad in the evening darkness came upon me when was about eight miles from Berry station Fayette county" said noted lawyer of the Birmingham bar.
 "I had a two-horse team and a stout buggy with a young farmer for driver. Just before night came we reached the farm where the young mans wife was staying. He and and she had been married but Nwo or three weeks, and when we drove up to the house she was swinging on the gate, looking eagerly and wistfully, and with glad smile on her face and tender light in her blue eyes. He was | alert, eager, joyous.
 Instantly I formed the purpose that they should be left together in their new found happiness, and that I would myself drive the remaining eight miles to Berry, although the road was extremely rough and hilly, and to me entirely unfamiliar, and there was no moon. not even star light. So I left them together at the gate in their little world of joy, and giving the whip to the horses I began my Lonesome and doubtful journey.
 Scarcely had I proceeded out of sight l of the farmhouse, with it's bride and bridegroom of the Tuscaloosa hills, when there was peal of thunder. I looked up startled and uneasy and discovered that storm was about to burst. Suddenly the darkness became dense, impenetrable, and remained so for perhaps a half hour, | vhaD fha Hohf nj tn r1a itS flashes lighted my way along the rugged l terribly rough and dangerous road, which was in fact a mere poor apology for public highway. Peal on peal the wooded i hills among the thunder roared, and for every crash there was a vivid, sometimes blinding flash of lightning, which furn- ished my only hope for getting out of I the hills that night.
 'The wind blew furously, the forest groaned like a sentient thing, and now and then great tree was uprooted and l fell with a great noise above the thun- der's roar. My horses were wildly frightened and now and then gave voice to their terror by low, pitiful whinnies, l and I confess to more than ordinary nervousness. But I drove them on and made progress through the storm, how every slowly. My wheels struck stumps and rocks and sank into deep gullies. Once a flash of lightning showed that the horses were on the edge of a muddy pool of water in the middle of the road. They reared and leaped the pool bodily, snatching the buggy after them and al- most throwing me out.
 'The lightning ceased and for fifteen minutes rain poured down in winding | sheets. The horses stumbled and plunged on in the black darkness. held my left hand up to my eyes, but 1 could not see it. the darkness was so in- tense. I felt the buggy jolting fright fully, and then the horses stopped. At that moment the lightning began again and saw that the horses had wandered from the road and were in the woods l on the edge of deep cut made by the road I was in a perilous position, and how got out of 1t scarcely know, but as you see me, did get out. And finally after five hours of danger and terror, reached Berry-five hours travelling with a team of good horses a distance of eight miles
 1 HIS occuiiou TUT the hioot pai III 'io 1 County of Tuscaloosa, one of the oldest settled counties of Alabama, and the seat of the State University, in the year 1901. It is inconceivable that there should be such a public road within the bounds of civilization! I am in favor of a clause in the new constitution compelling every county to build so many miles of good | road every year. Should any county fail to comply with the law, let the state build the roads and assess the cost | against the county!'