Saturday afternoon we cycled through the town of Morris, stopping long
enough to purchase a few supplies. Two miles from town we passed a neat
farmhouse, and just beyond found a most beautiful meadow surrounded by
trees. The long shadows of late afternoon lay across the thick green
sward which rose in a gentle slope.
Delighted with the spot, we cooked our evening meal and lay down to
enjoy the glory of the moon, which, floating above the trees, bathed the
earth with its soft radiance. The peaceful chorus of night insects and
the gentle whisper of the wind in the tree tops soon lulled us to sleep.
I dreamed that we were riding over a long bridge that suddenly gave way
with a deafening crash, precipitating us into the rushing stream below.
I wakened with a start. Alas, it was more than a dream. The night was
like ink. Lightning crackled, thunder crashed and rolled, rain descended
in torrents and a fine young rivulet was bounding down the hillside and
pouring directly over our bed.
Bewildered, we stumbled around in the darkness, collecting such clothing
as came to hand.
“Come on,” cried Dan, “let’s make for the big barn up the road.”
Guided by the flashes of lightning, we hastened across the field and
approached the barn from above. A momentary gleam disclosed a black
opening before me. I made a dive for the shelter within. Followed a
sickening sense of falling, and I spreadeagled onto some yielding, hairy
object which heaved and scrambled madly with much blowing and bellowing.
Thus I was made aware that my unseemly arrival had disturbed the gentle
slumbers of a cow. At least I sincerely hoped that the creature belonged
to the gentler sex as I backed out of the stall with more haste than
elegance.
Dan, meanwhile, had located the hayloft and, guided by his voice, I
groped my way to him, and notwithstanding the stimulating companionship
of barley-beards and thistles, contrived to snatch a few hours’ sleep.
The rain ceased about daybreak, and we returned to the scene of the
evening before to collect our scattered utensils and spread the soaked
bedding in the brilliant sunshine. Most of our recent purchases were
ruined, the bread especially being reduced to a soggy mass, so Dan
sought the farmhouse to renew our supply. He returned rather indignant
with less than a half loaf of bread, for which he had paid ten cents. It
then developed that the bacon had disappeared and our dozen eggs were
badly scrambled, so Dan reluctantly went back to buy eggs and bacon if
possible.
In a few minutes he was back empty-handed, angry right through. The
farmer had demanded twenty-five cents for a half dozen eggs, which had
cost us twenty cents a dozen in Morris the day before, and when Dan
declined to buy had grown insulting.
We made coffee and were drinking it when a roughly dressed man
approached.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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