The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-11-13
4 COMMO7|ON
IN THE COUNTRY
An Historic Gets in It's Work
After a Long
Rest.
tspecial Il 1,be T,ines. p,spatch,)

| ,1 4 ( 11iI =
Especial to The Times ispatch.)
PROVIDENCE FORGE, VA, Nov. 12--
OF all de, places in dis world for curious
things to happen, dis is de bea tenest, OBJ
served Aunt Lucinda, as she cautiously
entered the big basement room at Ridge
way, and commenced to gather together
fragments Of broken bottles jugs and
numerous articles that might be found
in the basement Of colonial mansion
that had been occupied by consecutive
Eenerationsyfor a couple of centuries.
DIS Is 'iluff to ,larir anybody. continued
the old aunty, as she shifted knowingly
at some fragments OF 81 demolished stone
Jug. .GAl of Mars Johns good whiskey
wasted on do floo' and all dat vinegar
dat was strong huff TO float an egg oil
split on desc. bricks.
Oh! Aunt Lucinda, called Miss Julia.
who In great alarm was peering In, at
the open door, don't YOU go prowllng
around In that room something else
might happen. DO wait until papt comes.
Nor, honey answered the old darky,
in resigned tone, lest as well be k It
IN here as anybody; case know Mars
John is certainly gwip be strustcd at do
'struction In dis roon,.s
All this confusion came about II, this
way: While Mr. john Camp was absent
particular morning, while the family " s
seated at breakfast, Mrs. Camp. at he
head. Miss Julia. the s;Xteen-yenr-old
daughter III Papa Camps place. at the
foot, and theSthree little Camps on either
side, while Aunt Lucinda, In the kitchen,
baked and broled tempting dishes that
were fetched In quick succession by 1A1;
the little waiting maid, suddenly there
came a loud. explosion that shook the
1,p, frn <o,, jof "a. IA IL hot
1T was no one could tell, but all were
very much alrrned. Some suggested op,
thing, some another but no solution
seemed 50 tisfac Glory. ~
s5aAl the rooms upstairs were Svlsi ,ea,
and all found intact. and not until Aunt
LucIn 10 d escende to the basement W. s
it really known where the exp,ost n had
taken place and what damage hid ban
wrought. Aunt Lucinda, who tired usu-
ally In Mr.. CAMPS absence to as me;
a great deal Of responsibility. now gavo
way to tho most exaggerated belief.
Suspense reigned supreme and repeti-@
ton of+the explosion was expected at any
moment. Mr.. Camp did not return for.
several days., and when lnfcrlned#of tho.
occurrence. was as much 4 surpr sed as
any one. but on invests CATION soon had
the whole story in a nutshell.
During the war bestwaer the States,
which is over forty years now, 4lnpIe Wa
some cannoneding across the river ct
this point, ond many years tier. :"h tle
Mr.. Camp was having a ditch cleaned
out and deepened. the wnrt,nen took
from the mud an unexploded cannon
shell, which Undoubtedly fell III this b.
scurc place d isrlng The war. The ball !.
was looted on as something Of a cnrio =
.ity or relic, and wa S taken to the house
and placed III a remote corner Of this
room, there to rem In Indefinitely. brit
this old p-ojeotiic that had figKred so.
5conspicuolsly in the. exciting times OF
war did not propose 10 lay foreytr I'M
noticed, and son this particular NOR Ing
had rolled Itself out ms the big expl'-.
sion. II Il. t.5f s "a .E41s Vi d
The walls of the room being ancient
and n fne lres tve~a ,,iall
but the contents, (which consistedSof 81 n
articles as! hava been described, were
compile ely demois hed. ~ zftf Is