Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1858-08-06

swellcd by flood-terrifc, sudden, and ex
tensivc beyond any recorded in mer ory o,
history. The house in which the Barnards
lived had stood in the level meadow which
reached back little way from the Great
River as the ncighbors call it, upon the banks
of a small brook entering the river in the
town Of Sufheld, Hartford County, and near
the Massachusetts line. Their father was
dead; and they, together with their sister
who, however, had only recently returned
from some years absence as pupil or teacher
at various schools-werc managing the farm
and caring for their old bedridden mother.
Indeed the bodily and mental infirmites OF
old Mrs. Barnard might well be counted as
the cause Of our night expedition; for, as the
young men soon informed me, she had OBJ
stinatcly refused to leave the house in which
she had been born, and where all her life had
been passed. 1t WAS to please her that they
had forcgone their purpose of removing her
the previous day. Anticipating some posi-
bic dangcr-though not the frightful peril
actually now upon their mother and sister
they ha loaded the lower floor of their old :
fashioned farmhouse with stone, and rs the
water had surrounded them in the night,
and cut off all access except by boats. they
had again cndeavsrcd to remove the old lady.
But she would not hear Of it, saving that
her death was at hand, and that she could
not die except there. Nor would Miss Bar
nard, her youngest and dearest child, leave
her mother and the stout farmers were iliri
10 yield. As the only remaining precaution.
they had departed IN their boat to obtain
ropes from a ncighbor wherewith to anchor
the old building to the strong naples near
its doors: and being detained much beyond
their expectations. they had returned to find
the house absolutely gone, and the Hood still
rising with fearful speed. Coasting along
the cove above the point upon which | was
standing, in hopes that the house might be
emhayed in it, they had found me. l had
been there some time, for the tempest and
the flood together were too sublime a scene
to be lust, aud even in the cold and utter
d4rkncss of the stormy March morning-for
it was three o'clock was watching and
cnjoying; and, besides. think | experience d
some prescntiment that my help would be
needed. II was while upon this watch that
had seen the house--a dim, indefinite mass
glide swiftly past me, unreeognizable in
T.
deserted, If had supposed that it contain
I'd two helrl IS women should hardly have
remained there to study the sublime
Thus much quickly learned of the case
of the Barnarls, and | enlc.tvored to com
bat the unaeeountable agitation which ap-
peared in the Voices Of the strong farmers by
counting the chances of Il rescue.
Its full three miles to the bridge and five
to the rapids; we must undoubtedly catch
them above the bridge Besides, the neigh
bors Will hear them; | only wonder | did
not
Twas rainin' and blewin' altogether too
hard, said John, the elder of the brethren.
And, what's more, that's jest what's likely
to be the wust ont. l don like some neigh
bors'
What do you mean, John 2 inquired,
quite unable to comprehend the evident ap-
prehension under which he spoke.
Them Cases live half mile below us,
he said; they'll have the sarchin O that
~,
thousand dollars in my desk, but don t care
nothin about that. | do'no as the man
would 90 any thing wrong; but | tell ye,
Squire. | do hate to have him any where's
near our En- wouldn't IA mentioned it;
YOU don't know that Seth Case used TO be
round after her afore she went off. He come
agin only tother day, and l told him he
might as well hunt after the moon. He
went of drctful mad
1t was only my knowledge of John Barn
ards strong, steady good sense that gave
any weigh. even to an emotion SO unaffected
and powerful as that under which he spoke
but could not help a considerable addition
al feeling Of fear, which increased as | con-
sidered the character of these Cases.
They were thrittlcss, half outlawed wretch
es, such as haunt many country towns in
Connecticut-rustc short boys'-liyins by
hunting, fishing, and miscellaneous thctts
by land and river. Seth, the younger and
more dangerous, remembered well as a
kind of ogre of my boyhood-a ragged, dir
ty, yillanous youth, always tormenting us,
his cleaner fellows, and notorious for truan'
cy and boyish wickedncs. He had grown
up into an evil and dangerous man; long,
lank. shamblng, raw-boncd fellow, with a
small head harsh features, deep-set dull eyes,
a weather-bcaten face, coarse, strlight hair,
round shoulders, and down look. Clad in
dingy, ll-ftting gray garments, he and his
brother prowled and prowled, seemingly all
day and all night, in wood, or mountain,
or in hidden meadow, on pond or stream,
in sun or storm. They were always prowl-
ing, yet meyer seeming to have found any
thing. and it was. perhaps, instinct more
than proof, or the lack of other explanations
that charged upon them every theft and
naneless mischief. They had been concern
ed in divers brawls, moreover, and were as
|. little spoken to or dealt with as might be.
This flood was such an occasion as was
won't to be their harvest; and who could
doubt that they had been out ever since tho
waters were up, catching timbers and wallis
that they had espied the fugitive dwelling,