Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-12-23

edge, looking at the little things when they
were startled by the report of the cannon.
"O!" exclaimed Hattie, spring up, Il was
so" -
'sWhat is that ?" John interrupted, as a
loud, long, cracking sound, was heard.
''The ice is brokenl run, runl" Charlie,
followed by them, started for the shore.
The edge Of ice they stood upon had broken
from the main portion; the crack, which
looked no wider than thread when Charlie
pointed, widened as they ran; they could
feel that there was motion beneath them.
Startled by the same noise, their friends on
shore, for the first time, perceived them, and
became aware of their danger.
The sudden impetus staggered Hattie, and
she pitched forward on her face,-a few
inches more, and she would have been in
the icy river. The boys drew her back, and
in obedience to a command shouted by MIR.
Sanders, withdrew to the middle of the
piece OF ice. As they did so, Leo-who
could easily have swan the space-gaYe a
long howl, and followed them, lying down
at Hattie's ieet.
Half frantic with terror, Mrs. Lape and
Mrs. Sanders, who had come out With only
shawl thrown over their heads, ran along
the ice by the shore as the cake moved OIL,
calling to the children, and regardless Of
anything their husbands said Hattie, who
trembled 50 she could not stand, sat in the
centre OF the cake, Leo at her feet, and the
two boys beside her. Every few minutes,
as piece of Ice would come against them
and jar them, or fragments would break
from that they were on, she would half
spring to her feet, and Leo would give thai
terrible, longdrawn howl.
The current of the river was swift where
it was free, and they moved quite rapidly. !.
ssTheic is no boat" said Mr.. Sanders, land
if we had one, it would be of little use.
John" (to lab orer) ''put the horses in the
sleigh, with robes and blankets, and II bottle
of whisky, and follow us, driving down the
river road"
"They will be stopped at Boston," said
another labofef, ''if they are not drowned
afore: the river is gorged there
.AIy God y exclaimed Mr.. Lape, "ihat is
fifteen miles off, and that edge ice does not
look strong"
"It is rotten, you can bet on that" was
the answer, .'or the dog would not howl
so"
All this time they were running along on
the sound ice, keeping as close to the edge
as possible, calling cheering words to the
children.
So they ran for couple of miles. The
them, and only occasionally could they be
heard. Now they began to near an Island
in the river, and the current, following the
channel. took them to the far side of it, out Of
sight. In agonizing silence their friends
sped on through the drifts. AS the voices
of the boys were again heard, telling that
they had passed the Island, Mrs. Sanders
stumbled and fell in the deep snow she was
trying to get through.
With some difficulty she was eytricated,
and carried up the steep bank, and deposited
in the sleigh with Mts. Lape, Mr.. Sanders
bidding the man drive home, and hasten
back.
What shall do, Charles? What shall ]
DOR she exclaimed, desparingly, wrlnging
her hands.
"Pray i" he answered, as he ran dowr
| the bank to ioin Mr.. Lnpe and the school
master, who were still keeping up with the
| ch ldren.
| Meantime the night had como on, but il
was bright moonlight. The ice on which
the children tloatcd was near the further
shore; their htlle forms could not be dis
tinguished in the distance, only dark spot
appeared on the surface. The men kept up
constant calling, but Leo's howl was thu
only answer. Now came the fear that they
would be frog N to death Boston was still
eight miles distant, and the night was get
ting colder and colder Sill they kept VI
that fearful chase along the edge Of the ice
where a mss'ep would plunge them into TIL
river, which wal almost certain death.
| A mile further, they reached cabin ol
the river hank. inhuiilei by an old pilot
He was roustd from his bed by Mr.. Sanders
orders,
"fhere is a gorge a aile or SO below
right round the bend they will be stoppe'
there. The ice is piled at that point clea
across the river. Ii that bit they are on on
| ly keeps all right, we will have them.
wish that dog would stop lnwling though.
:" He knows that ice is rotten, reckon,
said the man who had Inade the same asser
tion before.
I'D like to know what is to make it ROT
ten this weather 1t would have lasted Ill
til the February thaw, if you had not fired tha
cannon. The danger is that il will be cap
/ sized, or the children thrown off, when
reaches the jam at the gorge, for it come
there with rush. Help me TO get thl
dugout on my shoulders; it might as we
go along.
Under the guidance of the pilot, and sti
hailins the children, they kept on. The rive
now widrned, until it was nearly mil
across Mr.. Lape and Mr. Sanders were S
lent except to ask necessary questions
only cow-bel, which had been fastened t
the sleigh to tell of its whereabouts, brok
the stiffness. They nearcd the bend, an
could hear the crash of the ice, as, aftt
turning the point, il was suddenly .toppe
in its course They went rapidly forwar
IN the direction Of the gorge /; neither col
or fatigue was felt in their anxiety.
g Follow inc close, and take care, sal
the pilot, as he began stepping in, and abou
and over the piled up masses. g L crosse
from the nthcr side not two hours befol
sundown."
They obeyed his directions, stepping vii
care. They has passed the middle of IL
river, WHEN, wedged in with other masse
they saw that on which the children wa
moving toward where they had halte'
, They strained their eyes, and stood fixed.
"Let us try the boat" said Mr.. Lap
pointing to the clear space before them.
j i" II would be stove to atoms in a minu
| by one of those blocks" said the pilot.
AS he spoke, the mass to which their q
, tention was directed, separated ; the larg
part rounded the point swiftly, and rushil
! onward, met the gorge, and dashed again
+ it with fury that threw them all from the
E feet. Ere the noise of the concussion h'
e died away, and while the loose mass W
e still rocking and grinding, the pilot spral
| on 10 IL, tuu tllt OtutfS lDilOWCu. IhC Va
n on which the children were had got In SC
4 of eddy, and was swinging round /; behil
it were some larger masses, that, in m
!, ment, would be against it.
! "Stsnd firm, and look out" the pill
G called.
b AS the words left his lips, great ma
+ came with a crash against the smaller OIL
+ which it broke into fragments, dashing it
It against the piled up heaps of the gorge, a
) sending splinters and pieces in all director
! which struck them with the force of hu
stones. With spring like panther t
:. schoolmaster gained the quvering surfa'
e and dragged little body from the brok
:, edge, where the next moment il. would ha
e been mashed to jelly by the closing masse
n Dashipg back DER the wedged in fr,
IL ments he saw the pilot with another da
t. body in his arms, and Mr.. Lape was kneeli
d by third. A moment later Leo came dr.
l. ping toward them from the river, shaki
the freezing water over them.
10 .Hattie is only inscnsibles" said
re schoolmasie-, 'her heart beats.
lie s.This little fellow is alive, said the pill
sJohn has his arm broken, but thank 6
L