Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-03-27

street, flooding houses, running into Gel
lars, and doing incalculable mischief in a
few minutes. - az.
"She's risen foot an hour since ten
o'clock" man said close by my elbow /;
and as 1 started and changed color, Harris
caught my arm, and whispered eagerly"
"Wjll all be safe at homer"
"Come on" said, huskily for it now
struck me that had treated the flood in
too cavalier manner, and that, after ell,
the Mill, if not in danger, would be SO far
flooded as to drive its inmates up stairs,
and frighten them almost to death. But
had no occasion to hurry ny friend, for
he was in the hotel yard before | was, and
heard him order a horse to be saddled as
well as mine. M Hs 60 -.
"Where to, sir?" said the head hostler.
"Pikehurst MILL. said my friend, hur-
riedly. vu1rg sergrrrkTr
did not speak, but was so glad Of the
friendly act that gave Harris hand a
warm squeeze, one which he returned in
q way which showed how thoroughly we
understood one another. a 81 43ai
"For Heavens sake, be smart, men!"
said, as the second hostler brought out one
horse saddled, the other man having dis
appeared into the house; but he now re.
turned with the landlord, who said to Har-
ris in quiet, respectful way: Impos.
sible to get to the mill this afternoon, sir.
Can't, with justice to myself, let horse OF
mine go, sir" 1850 & III /
"What ?" shouted Harris, fercely.
"Why, sir, the beast would be drowned,
certain sure, if you attempted it. But
you don't mean the Mill, itself, do you,
sir ?"
Never mind, Harris" said, for / was
mounted" I'll go on -5siaal /.
"Stopi for Gods sake, stopi" he
shouted. "Here, Mr.. Ellis, what is your
horse worth ?"a 81 as7lsqgrg s7a ve51
Thirty pounds, to me, sir" said the
an pay you that if l injure the beast
said Harris, eagerly. Now, saddle it
quickly" - ---.--,------.----. ----.--
"And suppose you don't--don't get
back, sirs" said the man, ominously. eff
you'll take my advice, you'll both of you
stop here, or else go in a boat"
Harris reply was to run into the bar,
seize the pen, ink and paper, and write a
promissory note for the amount named,
which he thrust into the landlords hands !;
and the next minute we were gathering
down the. street toward the old stone
UIlukc, WulCu We CIoSScO just III GlIiC, lOIy
half an hour after, pier gave way from
the fearful pressure, and side-arch crum-
bled into the running food.
All the lower parts Of the town were
under water, and the cold sweat rose upon
my forehead as | saw that two or three
houses had regularly sunk down into the
current while in dozens of places, people
were being taken out of the upper win
dows into carts and boats for thought
of the Mill and the mighty stream beating
upon the great pile at the island head !;
while remembering the fate of the iron
bridge, and wondered whether, if it were
swept away, the horses would swim the
current, for now in our slow progress, with
the water, in some places, above their
girths, they snorted and shivered, and
more than once stood trembling and afraid
to proceed. But there was no mercy for
them. Whip and spur forced them on till
we were on terra frma once more, and
side by side, going up the hill at brisk
gallop, Harris pale, with his teeth set, an
swering my every remark with monosyl-
liable, as he pressed on till we were
high above the watery waste, and could
now see the ruin and devastation around.
Everywhere water-rushing water-ed
dying Whitewater covered with ruins
portions of haystacks, heaps of straw, here
floating slowly down the mighty stream,
there grounding, and then turning as if
upon an axis, till floated off once more,
and continuing their course. Now and
then we could make out swimming ami
mails, and more than once carcasses; while
in several places cattle stood on ever less
ening islands, lowing dismally. Carts,
fagots, planks, thatch from cottages, fences,
and now and then huge trees, torn out of
the banks, foated down the stream; while
the height to which the water had risen
since left home, made my heart sink SO
we pressed on.
Don't spare him." shouted to Harris,
as his horse refused to cross lane along
which the water rushed fiercely and deeply
enough to take my cob right off his legs
FOR minute but he swan boldly till he
touched bottom again. But my words
were unnecessary, for at the same moment
the frightened beast leaped into the yellow
stream and dashed across. 81 4.a
We were now in the lower ground again;
but the road once more assembled, till we
reached the toll gate, where the man shook
his head ominously as he saw me, and said
something but without studying the pay
ment of toll, we had galloped through.
Another mile brought US in sight of the
Mill, round which the waters were rush
ing, and even at that distance, to my hor-
ror, L could see that the sitting.room win
dows were nearly covered. Harris must
have seen it at the same moment, for he
whipped his horse smartly, and we gal
loped hard down the long hill, till reach
ing the valley through which the river
ran, we were stopped by the water, and
stood looking for u favorable place to try
and reach the bridge.
q "Better come little lower down here,o
1 said. q .'77a' Pos. = f.''.5.sa -
"What for?" said Harris, huskily.
"To reach the bridge" q -l5
Where is it?" he said despairingly.~
started, for as looked along the track
of the rushing water, there was no bridge
Come here" said Harris, dashing
through the water to q turn in the road
where the Mill could easily be seen and
on reaching this spot. we could see, about
five hundred yards lower. down, the place
we sought to reach, with the waters just
covering the sitting-room windows, and
figures in the bedroom making signs for
help. | suppose they saw us then; but all
seems so mixed up in one strange whirl,
that hardly know how the occurrences of
the next few hours took place.
Moved as it were by one impulse, Har-
ris and forced our horses into the water
with the full intention of trying to swim
them till we could float down to the win
dows, and then try and bring off two of
the endangered lives; but the snorting,
terrified beasts dashed back in spite of all