14000 MILES 



thunder clouds, which we had not seen before. We do 

 not like to be on the road in such a shower as threatened, 

 and there was no hotel within four or five miles. There 

 were only small houses dotted along, but when the thun- 

 der began, we resolved to seek shelter in the first house 

 that had a stable for Nan. We asked at the first two- 

 story house, if there was any place near where transients 

 were taken. No one offered to take us, but directed us to 

 a house a little farther up the road, but there the old lady 

 said, "Oh no, I couldn't !" As an apology for asking her, 

 we told her we understood she did sometimes take people. 

 The thunder was increasing, the clouds now getting 

 blacker, and we urged her a little, but she told us to go to 

 the "store" a little way up, and they would take us. Re- 

 luctantly we went and asked another old lady who looked 

 aghast. "I never take anybody, but you go to the house 

 opposite the church ; she takes folks." By this time the 

 lightning was flashing in all directions, and we felt drops 

 of rain. Imagine our dismay to find the house was the 

 one we had just left. (Ought we to have stayed at the 

 Farragut?) We explained and begged her to keep us, 

 promising to be as little trouble as possible. She said she 

 was old and sick, and had nothing "cooked-up," but she 

 would not turn us out in such a storm, she would give us 

 a room, and we could get something to eat at the store. 



We tumbled our baggage into the kitchen, hurried Nan 

 to the barn, and escaped the deluge. We were hardly 

 inside when a terrific bolt came, and we left the kitchen 

 with the open door, and stole into the front room, where 

 windows were closed and shades down. The grand- 

 daughter came in from the "other part," with several 



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