The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1868-04-02
THE WATERS OUT.
A STORY OF DANeER, BRAVERY, AND Low


THE WATERS OUT.
STORY OF DANGER, BRAVERY, AND LOVE.
Three days heavy rain, and the clouds
heavier and more laden-looking than ever,
as they poured down an incessant torrent
of water, save when, with q fierce gust,
the wind came down from the hills, driving
the rain before it in perfect cloud of
spray, which dashed against the windows,
and beat beneath the door, while the old
house seemed to shake to the very founda-
lions. had just come to live at the Mill
then-at least SO we called the house adj
joining the old water-mill, built over
branch of the river.
Plenty of water, eh ?" I said laughing
~ to old Smith, the miller; "no standing
still and stone-chipping today"
"Too much, sir, too much" said the old
man, grimly. The waste water. don't
carry it off half fast enough. The low
grounds flooded now; and if this keeps
on we shall be swamped before long
Another day, and the waters higher; the
rain pouring down more fiercely than ever,
pltting the surface of the yellow river,
whose waters foamed and churned along,
covered with twigs and grass, for every
now and then, when the wind rushed
through the tail elms that overlooked our
house, dead branch would be snatched
OIL and hurled savagely into the river
Once a couple of tiles shared the same fate,
having been struck by a heavy Dough
which caught the corner of the house.
But pail placed beneath the spot where
the water dripped through into the attic
met that disaster and after saying tina. I
would give orders to the bricklayer to
come and repair damages, l passed my
cup to my sister for little more coffee
But you surely won't start on such
morning" said my sister, ut rains more
than ever"
Must" said. CT promised to meet
Harris, and vent fail"
But is it rot dangerous? Don't you
think the flood may get worse?"
mo, my DEAR" [ said. II think the
water will go down now and as to danger
well, may get wet"
But must you COZ" said the little, ten
der, pale-faced thing, that l always won
dered some huge he had not stolen from
my side years before.
"Must-must-must," I said laughing
and now, don't, pray, be uneasy for if the
house is swept away before / come back
you have plenty of stores to last you on
your cruise for whole week, before starva-
ton brings you down to COLA oil and jam
and even then there IL the box of candles
i mean the dips; but would not eat the
wicks; and whatever you do. don't touch
the omposites-arsenic,y you know"
"Don't be foolish, Fred" she whispered.
al can't help feeling nervous; the house
seems to shake; and l lay for hours last
night listening to the winds howlin and
the waters rushing past the piles go furious
ly; and l could not help thinking that
{Io
the current, you would be wrecked upon a
willow-stump down in the marsh" said
Now, don't be little goose, but occupy
your mind with something till l get back
to an early dinner-ssy four; and most
likely -haI bring Harris back with me.
What are you blushing for ?" ~ I'll
Don't be foolish, dear" said the little
thing with her face aflame. So l ordered
the cob l rode TO be brought round and
after setting rain well at defiance with
india-rubber leggings and macintosh,
went out to see how the water stood.
1t certainly was coming down furiously,
upon which our house stood at fearful
rate, making the old wooden bridge Quiv-
er, while saw that l must have small
bank OF earth thrown up in front of the
door, or the water would soon be in the
passage, frightening sister Helen into fits.
ooh, the flshingi" thought to myself,
for had taken UP my residence at Pike
hurst Mill on account of the goodly stores
of fnny prey in dam and pool, as well as
In the swift river on the other side of the
house end now this flood seemed furious
enough to sweep every fish out of the
stream. As to danger, such an idea never
once entered my head, as soon after mount
ing my cob, l trOtted over the echOing
wooden bridge, and then went splashing
along the swimming road till it turned up
the hill and then as l rode along the crest
towards the town-the pleasant ride where
/ had so often watched the meanderings Of
the silver river-I was almost startled at
seeing the extent to which the flood had
reached meadows and fields, far and wide,
were under water, with farms here and
there, like islands in a willow pollard dotted
lake; while the river itself could be traced
more by the rushing water than by the
trees which grew upon its sides. 49,
The man at the turnpike was full of news
of the mischief dene-sheep drowned, pigs
swept away, and how that farmer, trying
to cross the ford in his gig, had lost his
life; but he was not quite sure whether it
was the farmer or the gig.
l had q six miles ride to the town, where
I executed various little commissions, paid
visit or two, lunched with my friend Har-
us, ana tneH, AFTER uuiSuiuS O0I uusAAcSs
consultation, he walked with me down to
the hotel where had left my horse.
"By Jove! how the waters up" said
Harris, as we neared the bridge which
crossed the navigable part OF the river
and well he might exclaim, for, a. we
neared a crowd, we saw q couple of heav.
lily laden barges float swiftly along, with
bows apparently on level with the crown
of the one-arched iron bridge then there
was shrek and rush, and those who
were upon the bridge fed, while, with Z
crash, the barges, one after the other, came
IN contact with the ratings, swept the
bridge away. and then slowly forging
round, were wrecked, as it were, amopgs'
the ruins, forming dam right acron the
narrow rivera barrier which grew strong
or every moment with the boats, timbeYs
and fragments brought down By the ferc<
stream till, leaping and breasting in vair