The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-12-25
MisreUamp.
AFLoAT ON THE ICE IN THE MIS-.
6ISSIPPI.
BY MARTHA NJ. THOMAS.


Christmas morning dawned cold but clear.
The children played in tho house all the morn.
ing. After the great dinner OF turkey. vsnison,
and pie John and Hattie. and Charlie Sanders, a
boy Of Johns age, went out upon the river,
aiding at first the shore, but gradually get
ting further out. They were recalled to the
house by the word that Mr.. Sanders was going
to fire the cannon
90 yes" said Charlie, Capt. Hart, who COM
mands the steamboat Hunter, gave father such
large cannon, and he said he Should fire it to-
day
They fastened to the front of the house, where
the whole family had assembled around the can
non, which Mr. Lape was loading. The girls
shudderingly removed to u distance when they
saw the match about to DO applied, and put their
fingers in their ears, but the boys crowded closer.
After four shots, the women inside, and
Mr.. Sanders said, 'We have only one good
charge of powder left; we will keep that until
supper time and have sumner"
After warming, the children took Leo, and
went on the ice again. Fastening the dog to
SLED, the boys had much fun in trying to make
him draw Hattie. Every little while no would
back on them, and they would fall in a heap,
when Leo would be the first to extricate himself,
and shake the snow all over Them Tired OF this
they We're about returning to the house, when
Charlie called them to see some fish frozen in
the ice. They were near the edge, looking at
the little things, when they wers startled by the
repor. of the cannon.
90" exclaimed Hattie, springisg up, II was
So
'"What is that 2" John interrupted, as loud,
long, cracking sound was heard.
''The ice is broken run, run " said Charlie,
followed by them, started for the shore The
edge of ice they stood upon had broken from the
main portion the crack, which locked no wider
than a thread when Charlie pointed, widened AS
they ran; they could feel tn 1T there was motion
beneath them. Startled by the same noise, their
friends on shore, for the first time, perceived
them, aud became aware of their danger.
Shouting for them to hasten, they at the sans
time ran down the bluff to their aid The seam
became wider and wider, and just as both parties
were within few feet of either edge, the de-
tached portion came into the influence Of the
current, and swept out, leaving u chasm it was
impossible to cross.
The sunden impetus staggered Hattie, and she
pitched forward on her facet few inches more,
and she would have been in the icy river. The
boys drew her back and in obedience to IA COM
maad shouted by Mr.. Sanders, withdrew t, the
middle of the piece of ice. AS they did so, Leo
who could easily have swan the space-gave
long howl, and followed them, lying down at
Hattie's feet.
Half frantic with terror, Mrs. Lape and Mrs.
Sanders, who had come out with only shawl
thrown over their heads, along the ice by
the shore AS the cake moved off, calling to the
children, and regardless of anything there hus-
band said. Hattie, who trembled 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, fragments would break
from that they on, she would half spring
to her feet, and Leo would give that terrible,
long.drawn howl
The current of the river was swift where it
was free. and they moved quite rapidly.
''There is no boat said Mr. Sanders land if
We had one it would be of little use. John" Ito
laborsr) put tho horses in tho sleigh, with
robes and blankets, and bottle of whisky, and
follow us, driving down the river road"
"They will be stopped at Boston," said another
laborer, "if they are not drowned afore; the
river is gorged there"
my God !" exclaimed Mr.. Lape, "that is ff-
teen miles off, and that edge ice does not look
strong"
ut 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 close to the edge as posi-
BILE, calling cheering words to the children.
80 they ran for couple of miles. The boys
would answer, but the wind was against 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
tar, side OF il, out Of sight In agonzing silence
their friends sped on through the snow that heie
was piled in 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 trying to get through.
With some difficulty she extrioated, and
carried up the steep bank and deposited in the
sleigh with Mrs Lape, Mr.. Sanders bidding the
man drive home. and to hasten back.
What shall / do Charles What shall
dor she exclaimed, desparingly, wringng her
hands.
pray he answered, as he ran down the
bank 10 join Mr. Ltpe and the sehoolmaeter, who
We're still keeping up with the children.
Meantime the night had come on, but it was
brigh moonlight The ice on which the child
red hoated was near the further shore; their lit
tie forms could not be distinguished in the dis
lance, only durk spot appeared on the surface.
The men Kept up constant calling, but Leo's
howl was their only answer Now came the fear
that they would be frozen to death: Boston was
still eight miles distant, and the night was get.
ting colder and colder. Still they kept up that
fearful chase along the edge OF the ice, where a
mistep would plunge them into the freezing
river, which was almost certain death
a rlle farther they reached "a cabin the
river bank, inhabited by an old pilot. He
reused from his bed by Mr. S nder- orders
II here Is gorge "A mile on - iplow--right
round the bend--they will he stopped there.
The Ice Is piled at that point clear across the riv.
sr. II that bit they are On only kreps all right,
We will have them. ! wish that dos would stop
howiue, though
He knows the ice Is rott,i. reckon" said
the mau who had made the same assertion be.