Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 July 1869 — The Pranks of a Water Spout. [ARTICLE]

The Pranks of a Water Spout.

Dobing a severe storm at Tenn., a few days ago, the following Incident occurred, as told by the Banner, of that city: Just above the upper landing there is a small bathing boat, which is fitted up with evergreens as a screen to the bathers as they perform their toilets. At the time when the storm came up, a party of about a dozen boys and men were bathing in the river, and had their clothes hung on the evergreens which formed the side of the boat next Ur Broad streot. Along came the waterspout in its course, whisked the tfPes from the side, clothes and all. sod, sent the whole far up into the sky. Away wont the raiment of the bathers before their ovfn astonished eyes, the spirits of the air crawling in and oat of the different articles, and trying all sorts of ways to foel comfortable and at home in them, but without success. Away went the clothes, sailing through the air and followed by the anxious gaze of the bathers, until having risen to a considerable elevation in the region of the water works, they disappeared trom view. The party swam, Borne to the boat, which had been drenched and partially filled with water, and others to the shore. All called loudly for clothes, and each was eager to securo the services of some one to go for a change of attire. A number of articles of apparel were finally secured, and then there was greats swapping among the crowd to get fitted out. The whole crew finally succeeded in getting sufficient covering to evade the law and then started home. The whole affair partook considerably of ue ludicrous, and caused much merriment among those who witnessed this freak of the Wind. At Lawrence, Massachusetts, a farmer was recently tried for putting Btones in his loads of hay to increase tho weight. He pupils pounds of stones in one load, and was detected in pulling them out after the hay was weighed. One witness ttsti fled that he hid been annoyed for a year or two past, at times, by piles of country stones, moss covered, being left where the prisoner unloaded his hay. '