The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-07-21


worse fast, and had given his consent that
L should go for the DOCTOR was not
long in making ready. The horse was in
the pasture close at hand, ana il took but
few moments To catch it, ard throw on
the saddle and bride. lost little time in
the house, and then set out on swift
gallop.
/ had ten miles to 90 over rough road,
before reaching the doctors, and l knew
that unless l made good time, l should not
get back till after nightfall, and then
should have to cross the mountain to my
own cabin, which would make me late
home. / bad promised Mary that l
would return, and knew that she would
pass sleepless night, if 1 did not, as she
had never yet remained alone through the
night.
Long before l reached Conway, my eyes
were fixed upon the clouds which seemed
to be gathering from all directions, and
piliDg themselves upon the mountains be-
hind me, until the sky in that direction
had the appearance of the deepest mid.
night They had gathered there every
day for a month past, but nothing like the
way they were doing now. Great black
masses that seemed to cover the sky,
would roll swiftly along and pile them
|
and as | often turned my head and
watched them, could not help thinking
of what the old Indian woman had said
the day before, of the great storm which
was coming.
L hurried on, and reached the doctors,
who found was SICK himself, and not
able TO ride the distance he would have to
go that night. l described as near as
could the symptoms of fathers complaint,
and he fixed some medicine, which he
gave me, with directions tor using, and
then went out and mounted my horse to
return.
The doctor followed me to the door,
and we talked for minute or two OF the
i strange appearance Ct the sky TO the
ROrthward. He vas Of the opinion that
we were going 10 have heavy storm,
and that, according to the looks Of the sky,
| should get good wetting before got
back to fathers Replied that | would be
| willing to take that, If we could only have
the rain We SD much needed, and then
set out, leaving him standing in the door
way, with his eyes fixed upon the sky.
Nv face was nov towards the mountains,
and tho great mass of clouds pttcd ABOVE
them; and il almost made me trem5lc as
l cazed upon thcm in their blackness, and
watched tho lightning that every little
while darted out from their folds. | had
lived amonr the mountains since ] was 3
little child, but had rcver seen any thing
like it before, and could not help think
ing that some fearful thing was about TO
happen.
| was not more than halfway back to
fathers, before the rain came down III tor
rents. II hardy seemed as though it could
be night, yet the darkness CAME with it.,
and in a llttlc time, could not see rod
ahead, along the way was going. In less
than five minutes, 1 was wet to the skin,
and tine water was dripping from me IN
streams.
| made good use OF the stick l carried,
and as the Old mares head was towards
home, ! made good time, and IL the
course OF an hour from the time it COM
menced TO rain, reached father's rs wet
as though had SWAN that distance IN the
river i found him easier than when | set
out, and giving mother the medicine
/ had brought, and hastily eatin.7 some
Supper she had prepared Tor me, set out
over the mountain Tor home, against the
advice OF both-they declaring that l
could not keep the path III the storm ana
darkness.
tknev that it would be hard work to
do so, for the rain came down as though
We were going To nave another flood ;
but | mad promised Mary that would
come back that night, and l meant to
make my word good to her, ii L could do
so. And then ! was afraid of the water.
If it continued to rain as it was doing
now, | was afraid that the water would
rise, and come so near To the cabin, IS
to give her alarm, and to put them IN
danger.
l. -r4,,, ft1n frlfo a
well. as I had been over it many times
boih night and day; but / fourd, as
began 10 ascend, that L had never un
dertakcn the lob when it was so dark
before. TO keep III the path, | had &c
90 slowly, sometimes feeling for the
track with my hands, when my feet were
at fault, ana all the time the rain was
falling in such torrents as 1 had nevel
known before.
| came to a small brook about half way
up, which l had crossed jhat morning
upon It's dry bed Now it was Il foamiDs
torrent, ready to overflow its banks, anC
crossed with difficulty; but | got Over by
holding fast to the bushes that grew upor
either side ard kept on toward the sum
init, where l knew my greatest difficult,
! law. as it Vas destitute OF trees, or ever
bushes of any size, the path leading Owe
the bare rocks, with nothing to guide mn
in the darkness, and prevent my losint
, my way.
When ! at last came out Of the wood
r upon the rocks, L was completely az
, stand still In vain it was that tried U
{ see through the darkness, the like o
E which | had never seen before. iva
e half mind 20 turn back TO father 5, On
, the thought Of Mary alone with the psoy
waiting for NE, urged me on, ana L 40
3 vanced blindly in the darkness, trus'ih!
o in my good luck 10 guide me Alright.
r MyluciS failed me this time, for by the TIM
! had got down to the woods upon Tn
! other side. | found that | had lost tn
!, nath. and had got into a tangled mass G
I, fallen trees ana bushes, through whlch
: could hardly force my way. sui / dl
not feel lost, for I knew that L had only l
n work nv way down the mount in toe
:. ont somewhere in the valley near M
cabin. whicB could soon find, when ono
ON level ground. But it would take m
= longer to pick my way along, and ther
y world be greater danger of stumblngan
!. getting fall, than though had manage
4 To keen the path. But there was no hei
!. for il now, as you might as well bay
% looked for needle In hay stack, as
,: have searched for il.
IL L had got What tnouSlis "'' 49,
q half way down the mountain, when Wa
. startled by a terrible sound that cam
2. from the mountains to the north"ar'
4 and which drowned the rush OF the ten
sr pest about me. 1t was rush and roar
n a mingled crash Of earth and rocks, whlc
4 made even the ground beneath my 1e,
80 tremble. I knew not then what IL coul
- be. but found afterward that 1t was I'll
first great slide which came down mes
7e the Notch.
lie KNEW by TIE brooks which filled ever
~ hollow which had TO cross, that the III
as or must be swollen To many times !
Id usual size, and that each moment was ~
er ding new streams to it, to cause IL 10 owe
" flow its banks; and this, with the terrlD