The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1854-07-06
SELECT MISCELLANY,
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: QUlT | h RS s 0 R Y.
Or
A Scene in the West,
By MEMO,

" ELL SbhhllSNi1 We IdNt uOJuS UGIl
in Louisiana, such as, | guess, you have
never seen the like in England England
is not large enough to have such floods
One of them would cover your whole
country, | have heard said | will not
say this is true, as | am not acquainted
with your geography. | know, however,
there are mighty big freshets here, as
have sailed skitf more than hundred
miles across one of them, where there
was nothing to be seen but cypress tops
peeplng out of the water. The floods as
you know, come every year, but the very
large ones only occasionally. Well, a
bout ten years ago, | located in the Red
River bottom, about fifty miles or therea-
bouts below Natchioches, where | built
a shanty. | had left my wife and two
children in Mississippi State, intending to
return for them in the spring SO, YOU
see, was alone by myself, except my old
mare, Collins axe, of course, my rifle
81 had finished the shanty all but the
chinking and the building of chimney,
when what should come but one of those
severe foods. 1t was night it began to
make its appearance. was asleep on
the floor Of the Shanty, and the first war.
ming had of it was water soaking thro'
my old blanket. l had been dreaming,
and thought it was raining; and then a.
gain thought was being drowned III the
Mississippi; but | was not many seconds
awake, before | guessed what was the re-
ality jumped to my feet like startled
buck, and groped my way to the door,
What sight | beheld. had cleared a
piece of ground around the shanty-about
a couple of acres--leaving the stumps a
good three feet high but now there was
not one to be seen. My clearing, stumps
and all, was under water and could see
it shining among the trees all around the
shanty Of course, my first thoughts
were about my rifle and | turned back
INTO the Shanty and laid my claws upon
that quick enough. lnext wentin search
of my old mare. She was not hard to
find for if ever creature made noise,
she did. She was tied to tree close to
the shanty, and the way she was squeal
| ing was caution to cats. found her in
three or four feet of water, pitching and
loundering all around the trees. She had
nothing on but the rope she was htched
by; both saddle and bride had been
washed away; so made the rope into a
sort of halter and mounted her bare back
ed. Just then | began to think where |
was going. The whole country appeared
to be under water; and the nearest neigh
Dor had lived across the prairie, ten
miles off. | knew that his shanty stood
on high ground, but how was | to get
there? p? 1t was night; | might lose my
way and ride chuck into the river
When thought of this, | concluded it
might be better to stay by my own shan.
ty till morning. could hitch the mare
inside to keep her from being foated a.
way and for myself, could climb on the
roof. However, while was thinking of
this, | noticed that the water was deepen
ing, and thought entered my head that
it would soon be deep enough to drown
my old mare. For myself | was not
frightened. | could climb tree, and
stay there till the flood fell but l should
then lose my mare, and that creature was
too valuable to think of such a sacrifice
so made up my mind to chance crossing
the prairie There was no time to be
wasted--neyer minute; so | gave my
mare kick or two in the ribs and start
ed.
al found the path out to the place, and
as the night was not very dark one, |
could see the blazes as passed between
the trees. My mare knew the track as
well as myself, and waded through it at a
sharp rate, for she knew, too, there was
no time to be wasted. In five minutes
!, we came out on the edge of the prairie,
and just as expected, the whole land was
covered with water, and looking like big
pond. could see it shining clear across
the other side of the opening. As luck
, would have it, could just get glimpse
Of the trees on the far side of the prairie.
There was a big clump of cypress trees,
that could see plain enough knew this
was close to my neighbor 5 shanty, so |
gave my creature the switch, and struck
RIGHT for it. AS left the timber, the wa
ter was up to her hips. Of course ex
pccted a good deal Of heavy wading, but
had no idea the water would get much
higher, there is where made my mistake
| had not gone more than a couple of miles
out, when discovered that the water was
rising rapidly, for noticed the mare was
getting deeper and deeper Itwas no use
turning back now. would lose the mare
to a dead certainty, if did not succeed
in making the high ground so spoke to
the creature to do her best, and kept on.
The poor beast did not need any whip
ping-She knew as well as myself that
there was danger, and she was doing her
best and no mistake. Still the water rose,
and kept rising, until it came clear up to
her shoulders. began to feel frightened
in earnest. We were not more than hall
way across, and thought if it rose much
more we would have to swim forit was
not far astray about that. The minute af
ter, it seemed to deepen suddenly, as i
there was hollow in the prairie. hear(
the mare give loud 'goui,' and then g
down till wassup to the waist. She a