The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-10-29

81
which were scattered about among the and spread
Ing fields and above this beauty could Imagine oil my
hillside clothed In green and purple
My family consisted myself alone 1t is true that
expected some day that there would others In my
During the summer found It very pleasant 1.-Two
by myself IT was novelty and could arrange and
pleasure Ind enjoyed lived In my fathers
house, but when winter came found IT very lonely.
tunce. and there many stormy evenings
when the company even OF bore would have been well
come to me- Sometimes walked over to the town. and
VESTED my friends there but this not feasible
stormy nights and the winter seemed to be very long
But spring came. outdoor operations began and for
n few weeks felt again that was all sufficient for my
pleasure and comfort. Then change. Ono
OF those OF bad and stormy weather which so
frequently follow carly spring settled down upon my
spirits and hillside 1t rsine cold. fierce winds
blew and became more anxious for somebody to talk
to than had been any time during the winter
One night when very bad storm raging. l went
to bed early and as lay awake reyoevd in my mind
the scheme Of which had frequently thought before
far from house, but not too near. and would
ask Jack Brundigcr to there and live. Jack was
friend OF mine who reading law in the town. and
1t seemed to that 1t would be much more pleasant.
overlooking charming valley with woods and mountains
behind and abve him. where he could ramble to his
thought OF asking Jack to and live with
but this idea soon dismissed. am very
in all sorts OF placcs-somemes when they arc still
lighted. When he came to me. he was quite as
where else. Jack lived at little distance. and
could backward and forward to see each other
whenever pleased would quite another thing.
He pleased in his house and l could
do pleased In mine. and we might have many
pleasant evenings together. This cheering Idea,
and planning how might with the
women who MANAGED my household Gus affairs to
did not sleep long before Was a, awakened by the
the fury OF the wind the rain seemed to be pouring
Its roof northern side II there waterfall
above and every and then could hear shower
OF hilstones rafting against the shutters Ny bedroom
OF the the lower floor, and even there
could hear the pounding OF the deuge and the hall
stones upon the roof.
do how long 1t was before awakened
again. this time not by the noise Of the Storm but by
curious movement of my bedstead had once felt the
slight shock OF earthquake and seemed to that
moved under me. sat up the room was pitchy dark.
In moment felt another movement but this time
did not seem to- to resemble earthquake shock;
such motion think generally in horizontal directions
while what felt more like the slower movement OF
wind roared, and the rain seemed to be
Ing down as heavily as ever
was about to get up and light the lamp for even
the fainest candle flame would be Of
another movement. shplike than before It actu-
ally lurchcd forward II It descending into the
again. but remained in such slanting position that
began to slide down toward the foot believe that
should have slipped out upon the floor.
did not try to jump OF bed: did not do anything
tried to think tho situation, find out
~ noises in the room and all over the house which even
through the din Of the made themselves noticed
by their popularity. Tables chairs. everything in the
room seemed to be granting and grinding on the floor
and In a moment there crash. knew what that
was it was my lamp, which had slipped OFF the table.
The smell Of Which Allied the air r' Of the
The motion OF the bed. which believe
been the motion OF the whole house stl continued; but
the grating noises the gradually ceased from
which Inferred that the furniture had brought up
against the front wall Of the room.
Now it was impossible mo to get up and strike
light to do with the kerosene oil all
floor and Its vnpor drused through the room would
pro,a bly, result In setting on fire; SO must
stay darkness and walt ] do not think very
much frghtened-l astonshcd that there was no
room In my mind fact all my mental ener-
giles were occupied in trying to find out what had hap
pened It required. however, only few more minutes
OF reflection and few minutes OF the grating
humping. trembling Of my house to enable to mako
up my mind what had happened: my house sliding
downhill!
The wind must have blown the building from its
daons, and. upon the slippery surface of the hillside
proba bly, dashed liquid mud by the pouring rain. 1t
was making Its way down toward the valley In flash
my minds eye the whole surface OF the coun-
try beneath far knew It, was almost posi-
tive that there precipce no terrible chasm into
which might fall There was nothing but slop.
Ing hillside. and beneath that wide stretch OF fields
OF course, when Thoroughly understood the state OF
as Quickly as possible to get of that humping and
sliding hopsei but restrained myself The floor might
be coevred with broken glass might not DO ableto find
my clothes in that darkness in the tumble Of furni-
ure at the end Of tho room and even ; eeud d tsat
raging storm into probably mass OF wreckage which
could not see II would be far better TO remain ary ana
warm under roof There was no reason whatever to
suppose that the house could go TO pieces or that y
would turn 1t must stop some time or other and,
until 1t did would be safer In my bed than anywhere
ese.' Therefore, in my bed stayed
Sitting upright witt, my feet pressed against the foot
board. listened and felt The noises of the storm, and
the cracking and tho swapping and grinding before me
Ind under me. still continued although sometimes
thought that the Wind was moderang little, and that
tho strange motion was becoming moro regular. be-
ieyed the house was moving faster than when 1t first
began It's strange career but that 1t was sliding over
smooth surface, Now noticed succession Of loud
nacks and snaps at e>Sront the house, and from
the character Of the sounds concluded that little
froht porch which have been acting cutwater at
the bow OF shipko house. had yielded Mt last tho
rough contact with the ground, would probably
90 torn away This did not disturb me. for the house
must still be firm.
waa long before perceved that tho slantng of