The sun., 1908-05-24
III

The great storm of that spring will long
be memorable in the annals of the Weather
Bureau for its record of nine inches of rain
fall. 1t came whirling out of the Caribbean
Sea and devastated 1000 miles of coast,
| accentuating it's tropical qualities with
every northward degree.
| 1t struck town about noon in cheerful
| combination Of deluge and blizzard, clear
| Ing the streets like plague. Before night
| fall, had this plague stricken city been
| Venice the similtude would have been
perfect and complete.
Those at Tawdrey House accustomed to
20 out to luncheon prudenty went without
| II. As the hour for dinner approached
! what would have been imprudence grew into
rank recklessness. The street in front Of
the hotel was a raging torrent rather than
a canal No street, however perverse,
would dare to attempt to traipse and trail
through such wet
."The Seldom-feds are up against it for
fare" remarked Billikins Indignantly. and
then he went back into the intricacies of
the office. where the manager, like a Yelled
Prophet, was wont to promulgate his dread
edicts.
And, truly. the boarding house faction
were in parlous case, for it is hard to starve
for principle. Already they were gathered
in the upper part of the grand corridor, ey-
ing one another suspiciously and the dining
room doors hungriy. II anything could be
clear and manifest on such day it was that
one and all purposed to palter and tenn
porize until the clouds rolled by
Presently Billkins came forth from the
shrine in cloud of smoke. He bore large
placard. which he fastened to the dining
room curtains. and then stood at one side
touched of piece Of fireworks
The famished throng pressed forward as
il TO eat the plscard. They read as follows:
Until further notice meals served only to
regular boerders.
Ii really seemed that there must be
rainbow without. the storm within was now
80 far more ferocious. The streets screamed
and clewed like an upset mena gerie ge.
Old Bullion pushed forward putting and
apoplectic. and by his side strode his black
browed, red faced spouse, even more in
domitsble.
aTut. tut. young man. he declared. I'VE
IRE going in to dinner and so are all our
friends. This is licensed inn, and if you
dare refuse refreshment to all comers Ill
AS IL we would be stayed and starved
by such picked chicken stormed Mrs.
Billion.
And Bilikins Aattened himself against
the wall looking helplessly for diversion.
1t came in frightened tumult swarning
from below up the servants' stairs; chefs.
assistant chefs, vegete BILE and pastry cooks.
bakers and their foury helpers, washers.
omnibuses, scullions End, charwomen.
screaming we are helf drowned; I'VE
and that in blind seerch for safety
"Don't you see?" cried Billikins, spring
ing forward and clinging desperately to
the curtains. "We haven't anything to
!, serve except cold meat and bread. Now.
do be reasonable, good people. and make
way for our regular guests.
Just then MIR. and Mrs. Cashly stepped
from the elevator and advanced to the
dining room doors with that reserved dis
tinction which they had lost only to regain.
hnaHsr. ,, ..
irregular. should say. Are we to give
way to the like Of him? That man is an
name from universal ignominy and shame.
He 10 the notorious DIR Glayden.'
"Iknow, knowl" shrieked the high voice
Of one Of the streets. Il read all about It in
print He is the surgeon who went mad
The poor woman died-oh, put him out Of
our sight-the monster
And George Cashly faced about with that
in his eyes which said: Alas, il is true--me
miserable while his devoted wife chung to
Another diversion, quick and sharp. Up
the servants stairs swarmed stokers and
coal beavers, a griny crew all adrip. The
sewers are set back" they gasped -The
water has reached the fires!'
They, too, unaccustomed, pushed this
way and that. making confusion worse
confounded. stimulating the panic which
reared and broke into mad rush through
the parlor Of each one save himself who
can as the lights suddenly went out.
a n xBp nf n
with crash and a moan Of mortal agony.
w.
Lights were fetched quickly, such as they
were for discipline still prevailed among
the house servants; odds and ends Of can
dies, lamps snd lanterns. and even a sort
OF blazing torch in the enterprising hands
of Katie the maid.
The crash and its consequent agony ut
pnce became apparent. In a corner Of
the parlor had stood Turkish pavilion,
heavily draped. known as lovers retreat
This had been thrown down by the tumult.
and some one severely hurt was caught In
the ruins.
Ready hands raised the"%eighty uprights
and beams and dragged of the cumberng
curtains while factions and menials stood
silenced and sobered by tho shadow Of
death Presently pretty Edith Cashly
emerged tousled but unscathed and able
70 take care Of herself. "Oh, mamma she
sobbed, 1Poor Qtssie Helis killed.
Surely enough, frenzied search disclosed
poor Augustus Bullion, inart. unconsclous, |