Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-09-03

J
| There was no response to my call, and the
| lightning which revealed the disordercd state
of the bed told that its occupants were gone.
| searched through every room in vain. Ne
| was returning to the vcrandah, the back
door swinging to and fro. arrested my attcn-
tion. On examination | found that the
wooden bar had been removed, and the key
had been turned in the lock yet | had my
self secured the iastcnings on the previous
evening. Evidently they had PASSED out that
way, but whittier?
My search was hasty, for felt the ncccssi-
ty of instantaneous flight; but brief as it
was, the water was several inches deep in the
house when my survey was compcted.-
Another delay occurred from the unwilling
ness Of Esther to leave the cottage without
another and more minute search for her child;
at length the danger became 50 imminent,
that, having asccrtaincd that she held our
infant securely, | lifted her in my arms to
bear her to the crowded refuge on the slopes.
When | arrived ut the bottom of the gar
den. the water was breast high, and strong
rushing current nearly carried me off my legs.
! made another step or two, and then was
obliged t. acknowledges my Inability to pro-
coed.
"Esthcr, dear, we must return, ! said.
NOT Il W"fd o'1 sue utter III l'piy' u' VIII"
pCatlhg near. rctrace" my sItls'
NIth diihtGIty we reg''nea the Shci'cf OF
the mousse fuf IL tlul'--Short lIluec''-''lc
hedH!cau served ls Platform To- To- keep US OUT
OF the eyer rising waters Inc uc'9Iltlns
storm sun ragged. "G were st'rro"''ucu ny
an the horror: 3t 'le "reat DciuSc' anu our
hearts sank WIthlh us rs we cohteinp pU'''u our
i"tc; 80, ,..
Inc HOOD was sun riSlng' ana 1t became
llecesS Try 10 ucVlSe ana execute some PROM
pan o' SAFETY an" escape we were il,piiS-
oned IN the cottage ana our only nope Jay IN
the cessation oil the storm ana the coi'Se-
4ueht Suosluehce Oh inc waters meantime
1t was necessary to elevate ourselves above
their reach and how to rlrct this ! knew
not, till ESthcr'- ready wit suggested an cX
pedicnt
The ceiling Of the cottage was constructed
of white calico. as is frequent in n country
where labor is the dearest commodity in the
market. To remove this would be easy; and
could we but reach the ,ioists, we should gain
an increased attitude of nearly twelve feet ;
and the width of the valley rendered it very
improbable that the food would attain that
height.
piled box upon box unit! could reach
the ceiling, in which | quickly made II su-
icicnt opening. Then, wrenching of the
folding leaves of a square mahogany table. |
placed them on the ioiStS platIorm-wse. y
few old articles of clothing, and some pillows
rescued from the bed, were hastily arranged
thereon. My wife. with but slight assistance
climbed up: not us chccrfully, perhaps, but
aS quietly as though she were stepping into Il
carriage. The infant was then handed up
and, lastly, | also was compelled to fly from
the rapidly rising waters.
Here, then in darkness, illulnincd only by
the flashing lightning, we sat Supporting
my wife, who trembled slightly with sup
pressed emotion, whispered words of peace
and chcerfuness, although felt neither; and
spoke with assumed confidence of the NOR
row. o, lao" cascrly I lonSed ~, ,l'o so'-'
ing OF that morrow iight' ~, -,
The water gurgled underneath, IKE
monster seeking prey ana as 1t rose hlsher,
higher yet began to lear that IL Wouio
yet sweep Us from our elevated refuge
After ABOUT an hour passed thus, '"e storm
gradually dled away ana tne stiffness tia
followed rendered palhlHlly oisVlrct ,, ,hc
roaring oi the mighty hoou Wiiic'! now hi'c'
the entire valley oi the ouhdagai' but We
knew that unless the storm aSaih reV"rheu
a reaction must Speeaily take Placo, ant
tlcIeih l'y 'hc germ VI u''ili'to 1"iI'l
AS IL 10 shat'er our easily oAcl'eu hoP'''
new lear soon TOOK p"sSeSSloi, Vi US =
hcaNy splaSHlhS sound apparently hc'' "'
hahd' was Succeeueu y an uhusoai aI tuIPu c''
lance ol tiie waters "i''ch Sm"'eu u 70 anu nv
IN the chamber peheati US 100 wei guess
ed tle cause out uh"iilii'S 10 DC looi'I -.
trusting To- IL single sense | stoou up ana re
moved a lew oil the ShihgieS' anu iookeo GU
through the aperture thus formed III 'l'
roof
Ny anprchehsIoh' were pNt 100 wen ioohu'
cd Inc next mouse hau Iui'e IisappeaFr''
swept away ny th' waters hat' II
thc iouhun'loil Salp1u-oou,ir o,i own Go'laS
shoula aiso DC uestrVycu ne 'nouS"' w"
80 lcrriolc thaV' Coiu an" Wc' "' Vas III
perSplratloh s'oou III great drops On my lorc
head ana even now, as l WRITE cannot i'
can 'c SENSATIONS oi 'il'iI !louI "i''iou' pam
iul emotion IL Is one tning 10 meet uaat
under Keen cHci'eheh, IL Is another 10 ,!c
hlm when Gagged ana heipiesSG'o see MI
coming 10 near every iootiail oi MS 80" d"
proach' ana 10 DC unable 10 struRSlc UT
n.y.; Yet such was really my condition
Day-lSht oroke az ias', anu iounu US a,'A
lously watching. hen my strained Visio
pehctrutcu tlc uopll9 oo!o"' ca" WV" ~
proportoned to my previous sulerlnS' Una
the waters were subSldlng. There could
no DOUBT oil III aooVe tner present ioNei'
could trace on the walls hl%her "a'el
mark. Then we knew that we haa poc
merci1ully preserved ana our feelings louh
/ expression IN leryent prayer ana thanksslVll
2 to linn VINO holdeth the winds ana the "aV'
IN the hollow OF his nand'
Soon the sun was SHINING III clear, prlgt
| sky The waters receded more rapidly Una
t they had risen, ana scarcely covered the MOO
but when looked through the mole IN u
/ root, all around was sun via waste
, waters Many houses lower down IN u
valley We're YET ihVlsiole some "hici, shou
5 have appeared had been destroyed OF othe
5 nothing Dut II lew fragments remained 'p'
the SlOpos at the rear OF the township cove