The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1860-06-29
Select Gale.
THE LOVER AND THE LOVED
BY ALBERT WAN,

The Missouri river tad nearly gained It's ut
rost height in the grpat food Of lSf+, but was
.ti,I rapidly rising when came to is banks in
the beginning of June, at the pleasant little
town Of Lennox, in the western part OF the
State.
Iennox is situated on high bluff on the east
bank of the river, which there flows nearly
south. At the foot OF tie bluff is barely room
Tor single street which runs parallel with the
river, and on which few warehouses, stores,
and mills are buIt. The bluff is steep-In pla-
ceS, almost perpendIcular-and single street
ran up from the river TO the summit, where the
principal part of the town was situated. The
Missouri, at this point, is commonly about hve
hundred yards wide and at the bend, little
above the town, where the river turned from an
EASTERN TO a southern course, the current vas
unusually rapid, even tor that rapid IIVer. The
aoposite shore was a low level tract OF bottom
land, several miles wide, elevated only few
feet above the water. Along ;he shores, and
for mile or two back, the country was covered
with dense growth of cotton n-wood, but beyond
this vas an extensive prairie. number OF
old water courses ran through this bottom, INTO
which the water of the river now found ITS way
from above, forming large streams across IT, and
to a great extent, interruptIng travel Direct
~ opposie LsnnoX, were warehouse, hotel
and one or two other buildings, all very near
he shore When | arrived in town It was
nearly dark, and was told that / could not
cross till the next day, as the terry-boat was
propelled only by nand, and the great raPldty
ofthe stream rendered crossing slow aud labo-
rlous.
| went 10 the top OF the bluff, from which
the view cf the river and country on the other
side was very extensive. The buildings on
tie shore opposite seemed almost at my feet,
they Law so far below me. The ierry-boat
was fastened near the hotel, 10 the stump OF
a large tree, which stood just at the rivers
briGk.
While looking at the prospect before me, l
saw carriage drive up to the hotel on the 9TH
er side of the river, and several persons, mostly
ladies, descended from it, and went in. A group
Of spectators standing near me on the bIuf OBJ
served them, and their conversation attracted
my attention.
'These are Stanton's people," said one of
them. "rhry ought 10 come over tonight. The
river is rising very fast, and no one knows what
may happen before morning."
'Yes," replied another 'the bank there is
washing away rapidly, and the river has near
ly reached .he slough on the other side of the
warehouse. When it gets in there, those
buildings will not stand long. They larr Ger
tain TO go in day or two, unless the water
fails. The families all leh there yeSter-
day.
went back TO my lodgings soon after, and
thought nothing more about it till next morning
az breakfast, when the landlords son came in
with the news, that the ferry-boat had gone
down the rlver during the night-the stump to
which 1t had been fastened was washed out by
ihe rIver--and that all Stanton's family were
unable TO get away.
The hoarGers all fastened out to the bluff,
to soc tor themselves | went along. The
change since the previous evening was remaE-
kablr.
Directly beyond the buildings we could see a
wide and rapid stream, which entirely cut off
the inmates from the land, and formed an island
containing, perhaps, half an acre of land, which
was barely above the surface OF the water
The current Of the river-if possible, more rap
I'd than on the previous day-was rushing
with terrible force against the upper end of
the island, and fast wearing it away. 1t was
soon learned that the river had risen several
inches during the night, and was still RI
sing.
H'avy clouds TO the west and north showed
tha' RAIN was still pouring down upon the trb-
u'@'rs Of the Missouri that entered the river