The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1868-04-02

~
one in the distant road, though we still
thought it possible boat might come
within hail raj
Night fell at last, dark and hideous, the
wind bowling through the elms at the back,
and the water running by, ever with its
wild, ravening, Kissing cry; the house
tremb1ed; the woodwork In the old Mill
again and again, during the long watches
OF the awful night, cracked and gave way,
portions falling heavily into the furious
river, which seemed to leap and bound, as
If rejoicing, sending up family seen spray,
ard then hurrying On nerce and black as
ever. Step by step the water had risen
till we were driven from the bedroom and
took refuge in one of the attics; while the
wo women servants walled loudly, to add
to the misery Of the night Light we had
none, but the old miller, who had hardly
spoken since he helped to drag us both in
at the window, calmly lit his pipe and sat
smoking with the light glowing ia the
bowl to tell us of his presence.
Tell you what" he said at last, slowly
tapping the ashes from his pipe and we all
started, for so quiet had the old man been,
that we had almost ignored his existence
"ten you what; we shall have to dive
after the old punt as soon as it's light"
when he went on to explain what seemed
to me a most hopeless project-namely,
that one of us should be secured By 9 rope
round the body, and then dive, and try
and unchain the old hstboat, moored head
and stearn by chains to the posts beside
the mill pool. T
Morning, which came at last, though it
showed how impracticabIe was the scheme,
even if the boat had not been torn away
from its fastenings long before; and faint
and despairingly we watched the light
grow brighter as the sun rose upon the
desolate scene, for it was bright, clear
morning. -
Hooroar" cried the old miller; "here's
q boat, sir = and on looking in the direc-
ton in which he pointed, there, sure
enough, was small boat floating slowly
down towards us, but evidently held by
something beneath the water - Y.
dragging her anchor" gaid Harris, as
he climbed out on the roof, but Immediate
~ returned to descend with me into the
bedroom where we stood with the water
above our knees, eagerly watching the
boat, as it came slowly nearer and nearer.
Now the stream bore her of, as though to
sweep her right away; and then she
swerved back again, always checked by
the chain which hung from the bows. But
at length she became stationary some
thirty yards off for it was evident that
the little anchor had caught in one of the
willow pollaIds, while the boat swung tan
talizingly out of our reach.
Safe or unsafe, our nerves were now go
unstrung that we should have tried to es-
cape even on frail raft; for it never once
occurred to either of us that the large elm
trees behind the house presented haven
of safety, If we could have reached them,
and climbed amidst their branches. No
easy task though, for the women with us.
So, with eyes eagerly fixed on the boat, it
now became the question as to which of
us should try and reach it by swimming.
Harris was all ready for starting, when my
sisters arms were thrown round him, beg
ging him not to venture; so almost numbed
though was with the cold, sought for
the most favorable window for my exit;
and then, after seeing Harris and the mil
Ter standing ready at the spot, each with
sheet rope in his hand ready to throw to
me as was swept back, left them all in
the bedroom, and with a fierce dash
pushed off -ia4
The first stroke took me good three
out of the twenty yards or SO l had to
swim, and then the battle began. So
seemed hardly to make the slightest way;
while it was all dead against the torrent.
Now gained yard, then l lost it; then,
setting my teeth firmly, I pushed on
again, using every effort 20 keep from be-
ing dashed back. Once was on the point
of giving up, .yhen, with the energy of de-
spair, turned first on one side, then on
the other, tearing the water back in my
frantic efforts to dash through it. Two
yards ola yard of-almost within reach
but the boat swerved on one side. An
other frantic effort for the last; and then,
as the breath came from my breast in pant
ing sobs, hung with one arm over the
boats side, too helpless to move for few
minutes.
A loud cheer from the miller reused me
again, and after sharp struggles, I sue
ceeded in performing that rather difficult
feat-namely, climbing into O boat from
the water; and then, selling the chain, /
began to haul, SO as to set the little ark of
safety free. @
To my great joy, found that SOULS and
hook lay ready for use and, armed with
the latter, felt no fear of hitching on to
the house, when I had set the boat free,
and it was drifting down with the stream.
just as had expected, the chain had
secured fast in one of the willows, and as
hauled, the boats head came right over
the spot. Slowly, though, l had found
that was overcoming the obstacle, and
foot after foot of chain lay in the boat, till
l drew dark object to the surface, and
then as it turned over, the small iron Crap
mel broke away, and horror stricken, I
gazed for an instant upon the face of
corpse before it slowly sank again be-
meath the muddy current
Almost before had recovered myself,
the boat was swept down upon the house,
and the chain grasped by Harris and the
miller when, with a heavy freight, we
went whirling down the stream, some
hundreds of yards, In momentary fear of
upsetting, so low were we in the water.
But we made land in safety; and in
fortnight after, we were sitting in the old
house once more, trying to keep off the
effects Of the damp by huge fires.
My sister could not reconcile herself to
the place again, but, under the name of
Mrs. Harris, resides in the town. Yet l
have only been drowned out once since;
while can't find it in my heart to leave
the spot for, as the old miller agfees with
me, there are not finer club to be found
anywhere in the river; while it is not
often that the waters are out Chambers
Journal.
-
Why Men Like to Drink.
The following article, from the pen of
Horace Greelv is taken from the Herald of