The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-11-18
MISCELLANEOUS.
From Harper's Magazine.
The Stray House.

Have you seen ary house going along
hereF was shouted at me through
the darkness by some one whom I could
not see. But before had enough recov.
cred from my surprise to answer, q boat
drove upon tho wet turf at my feet, and
the speaker, the headmost of two sal
wart oarsmen half turning upon his seat
eagerly repeated his odd question. A
louse is not the mest preambuIating
thing in the world. ye, the inquiry was
both natural aud to tho point aud not
long before | had seen 'ary house 20
past, and in most undigni6ed snd tu
mutuous hurry, too.
Il say, mister Have you seen sry
house 60 past berer
John Barnard. Is that you 2 answer.
cd. now FIRST recognising the voic'.
Mr. Truax p crirh he, exciteuly know.
ing me in turn Yes sir. aud LiHet
That is his brother f ilhalet Barnard
/ did zee one I continued; answering
his question. You dou't say the old
bou-c is Off
Yes. For Gods sake jump in, Mr.
Trauxp
remembered the rapids and bridge
fa- below, nv knovledge of the rvsr ard
bostn'pn's kill aud strength. the INN
merit risks into which the sturdy hu' in.
expere' ced brethren we're abou, plung.
in. ; and stepping lightly pas, them to
the stern, ! seated myself took o steer
ing car and without q further word, we
glid,d backward, turned .hort about, and
with powerful. steady pulls. the sharp
* Fl shot away through the darkness.
rain, bowling wind, aud boiling, roaring
muddy food water.
While We drive down the stream, !
may bri' fly explain the emergency. The
Conneciicut River Oh which we were o.
float was swrlIed by food-terrifc
su lden, and extensive beyond any recor.
ded 10 memory or history. The house in
which the Barnurds lived had stood in
the level mesd"w which resched back q
little way frrm the Great River. as the
nsiphbo4s call it, upon the banks Of q
small brook entering the rivea in the
town of Suf6eld, Hartford County. and
near the Nj, 0 achusetts line Their faith.
srwas dead; a, d hey, together with their
sister-who however, had only recently
returned from some years absence as
pupil or teacher OF various schools-were
managing the farm, and Gazing for their
old and bedriddep mother. Indeed, the
bodily and mental in6rmities of old Mrs
Barnard might well be counted as the
cause II our night exp, dition fol. as the
young men soon informed me, she had
obstinately refused to leave the house il
which she had been born. and ybere sl
her life bad been passed. It Was to pleas,
her that they bad foregone their purpose
Of removing her the previous day. An
ticipstine me possible danger-thougl
not tho frightfui peril actually now upoI
their mot hr and sister-tbey had load
lie lower floor Of their old fsshioued farm
house with stone, aud rs the water hs'
surrounded them in the night. and cp
of all sccrss except by boais they hs'
again endesvorcd 30 remove the old Ia
DIV. But he would not hear of it. say
il q ihst her death vas near at hand. an
that .he could not die excel there. No
would Miss Barnard her youngest sn
dearest child, leave her mother, aud tn
stout farmers we're fin to yield. As th
only remaining Irecauti"n. they bad de
,aried H. their boat 10 "b'sin ropes fror
aneigl b" ~hsrewi'h to arohor the buiIt
in, 10 the strong ID pies near its doors
and b ing detained much beyond their 81
pc cta,ion,, Il ey had returned to ID 'l'
house absolutely gone aud the 20 ID sti
rising with fearful speed Coastiug alon
the cove above the point upon which
was It, ndinp. in hopes that the hous
nigh, be smbpyed il it, they hal foun
me. l had beeu there some time, for ,h
te,npes, aud the food together were to
sublime a scene 60 be- los, and even
the cold aud utter darkness Of the storm
March mornipg-f5r il was three o'cloO
i wss watching and enjoying aud b
] sides, l think I experienced some pre-
eminent that my help would be needles