Part 38 (1/2)
”Why, nothing, I should say,” replied Cora ”There is plenty of rooe
We won't eat the hed Belle, but Bess laughed
The first to reach the barn was a very tall farnated as lean and lanky He was headed straight for the open doors, his head bent down to avoid the pelting drops, and he did not see the cars and the young ladies until he had nearly collided with Cora Then he straightened up suddenly, and the look of astonishh, only she felt, under the circuum-swizzled!” exclaimed the farmer ”What's this, anyhow? Auto-als a-drivin' of 'em! Ho! ho! Wa'al, that's what I call rich--yes, sir, rich!”
A fringe of curious hayathered behind the one who had entered first
”We only ca her prettiest in the confusion ”We hope we're not in the way”
”Oh, you're welcome,” the ht it all th' hay in, but we didn't quite ot lots of room here, you see There ain't another barn in all Woodbine that'd take a loco car, eying it curiously
”I knew you had a big barn,” said Cora ”I saw it the other day; then, when the storm came, I remembered it, and so we intruded here”
”'Tain't no intrusion, nohow,” declared the fars close by, when they ain't al is jest daffy about 'euess she'd git th' most rides outer it”
”They are very convenient when you want to get soht it ti up the conversation
”Yes, I expect so; but you see th' trouble on a faro anywhere Now, ef I had a machine like thet--”
There ca flash of lightning simultaneously that the farmer's voice was silenced, and every one jumped
”Oh, isn't that awful!” fairly screamed Belle, and instinctively she ran to the side of the tall, lanky man
”Guess you're used t' bein' near yer pa in a thunderstorht the barn was struck,” said the girl with a shudder ”It would be terrible if it got on fire, with all this hay in it”
”That's what it would; but we're not worryin so ot th' new fire apparatus We've had th' two hose carts for about three weeks now, an' though we've practiced with 'eood water systeh pressure, an'
they can pump more when they need it All we have t' do is run with those carts t' th' fire, an' attach th' hose t' th' hydrants But th' funny part of it is that th' carts is so heavy they need hosses t' pull 'e'lar hosses yet Have t' pull 'eoin' t' be hard work”
”Do you belong to the departht, I do”
”And is that part of your unifor to so on the side of the barn
”Yep, that's what they be Me an' htnin' certainly is sharp, though!”
Flash after flash of the glaring light cah the sheets of rain, and the thunder crashed and vibrated overhead, see to, shake the very earth
”Where are your sons?” inquired Belle, wanting too do her share in the talk; but she waited until there came a lull in the storm
”Over in th' south medder, two miles away,” replied thethat the stor that they could nodown the road to the village This left the farmer and one hired man in the barn
”It certainly is rainin',” re doors