Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1868-03-26

thirty yards off for IL was evident that
the little anchor had caught In one OF the
willow pollaIds, while the boat swung tam
talizingly out of our reach. ~ ~lT
Safe or unsafe, our nerves were now so
unstrung that we should have tried to es-
cape even on q frail raft; for 1t never once
occurred to either of rs that the large elm
trees behind the house presented haven
of safety, il 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 1t
now became the question as to which of
us should try and reach IL By swimming.
Harris was all ready for starting, when nay
sisters arms were thrown round him, beg
cling him not to venture so almost numbed
though I was with the cold, l 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 a
sheet rope in his hand ready to throw to
me as was swept back. LETT them all in
the bedroom, and with a fierce dash
pushed off.
The first stroke took me good three
out of the twenty yards or so l had to
swim, and then the battle began. So
short q distance, but in the fierce stream,
i seemed hardly to make the slightest way /;
while it was all dead against the torrent.
Now gained yard, then lost it; then,
setting my teeth firmly, 1 pushed on
again, using every effort to keep from be-
ing dashed back. Once was on the point
of giving up, when, with the energy of de-
spair, l turned first on one side, then on
the other. tearing the water back in my
frantic efforts to dash through it. Two
IL of rF -. xx-tth IN oh
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 a few
minutes.
A loud cheer from the miller reused me
again, and after sharp struggles, sue.
ceeded in performing that rather difficult
feat-namely, climbing into boat from
the water and then, seizing the chain,
began to haul, SO as to set the little ark OF
safety free. 80
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 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
I hauled, the boats head came right over
the spot. Slowly, though, had found
that l was overcoming the obstacle, and
foot after foot of chain lay in the boat, till
l drew a dark object to the surface, and
then as il turned over, the small iron grap-
mel broke away, and horror stricken, /
gszed for an instant upon the face of a
corpse before it slowly sank again be-
meath the muddy current.
Almost before 1 had recovered myself,
the boat was swept down upon the house,
and the chain grasped by Harris and tie
miller; when, with 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 a
fortnight after, we were sitting in the old
house once more, trying to keep off the
effects of the damp by huge fires.
Ny sister could not reconcile herself to
the place again, bat, under the name OF
Mrs. Harris, resides In the town. Yet
have only been drowned out once since
while can't find it in my heart to leave
the spot; for, as the old miller agrees with
me, there are not finer club 10 be found
anywhere in the river; while it is not
often that the waters are out Chambers
Journal. t. f-.-