The daily sentinel., 1902-11-05
NOT AN EARTHQUAKE
STRANGE PHENOMENON HAD
SIMPLE EXPLANATION
Effect of Young Mrs. Holmes to Con-
ceal Her Failure as a Breadmaker
Excited the Neighborhood-Crow
Quickly Disperses.

Johnny Jacobs first discovered 1t.
Come on, fellers!" he told the
crowd. There's real earthquake in
the Holmes backyard"
Thereupon ensued wild, riotous
rush to the rear premises of the pretty
house tenanted by young Mr.. Holmes
and his equally young wife. Certain
Iy 1t was curious. In a spot as large
as the top of a barrel the earth seeth-
ed and cracked, rose and fell again.
The boys looked on in awe, and John
ny Jacobs ran and called his mother
to the side fence to see. She went
into the house at once to pack the sill
yer and telephoned her husband to
come home Immediately If he ever
again wished to see his family alive.
Better call policeman" volun-
teered nervous woman, who lived on
the other side of the Holmes resi-
dence. Maybe he could do some
thing" she ended vaguely.
The boys surveyed her in lordly mas
culine scorn. Maybe the lava will
dow way down the street." ventured
one of them, with hazy geographical
memories. The other boys looked
properly impressed and the earth con-
tinued its remarkable upheavals. The
crowd increased
Presently adults fringed the ng
around the point of interest is
sued stern orders to Juveniles - -.eep
away.
IF it does prove seismic convul
sion of nature" oratorically declared
the little professor from down the
street, there is no telling where big
crack may spring in the earth's sur
face and engulf us all. Most wonder
full thing ever saw"
There was decided roll of the
earth and finally it parted enough to
reveal smooth white surface Of
mushroom texture There was mad
excitement.
"A fungus of some sort" proclaimed
the professor. 1T seems OF huge di-
mensions, too-we may be on the eve
of a great discovery"
"Hooray!' shouted Johnny Jacobs.
'I'll sell it to museum found it
first"
More and more of the smooth,
rounded surface appeared and specu-
lation was rife. The crowd around
the remarkable spot was growing huge
in the dusk. Finally Mr.. Holmes him
self appeared, dragged by the man
from across the street, who spied him
coming home. The man was explain
ing elaborately and Mr.. Holmes
looked puzzled and a trifie excited.
1t is an extraordinary person who can
maintain a calm exterior when his
back yard is the scene of e new botan-
ical discovery in winter time, or, more
important yet, an incipien. earth
quake. The crowd made its way for
him. He viewed the ghostly white
surface that rose and fell and turned
pale. 1t was uncanny. Here was the
earth trembling at his very feet.
He hurried up the back steps and
pounded on the door. 1t was opened
by young Mrs. Holmes. Her eyes were
red and so was the tip of her dear
little nose. She blinked at the crowd
and her lips trembled.
Whats the trouble?" asked Mr..
Holmes, in surprise. Say, come out
and see the curious thing in our back
yard Either we have a volcano or
earthquake all our own private per-
sonal property or else there is a
mushroom coming up that must have
belonged to primeval times!" 1t was
then she burst into tears upon his
shoulder, reckless of the crowd.
NO, it isn't!" she sobbed. Il made
bread-and it acted f-f-funny, and it
didn't seem to rise at all-and didn't
want any one to know-so 1 b-b-buried
it in the backyard, and now the horri-
Bile s-s-stuff is rising like Banquo's
ghost!"
Then everybody suddenly found it
was time to go home-Chicago News