National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1870-06-03

| Une long DOdFuS dCIuSS tNtll. WIS !
sent to the store of farm implements
in the building, and told to bring
every rope and plow line and ball of |
twine | could find They were |
abundant. and the boards were /
woven together like the bottom of a
huge basket, and laced to the sides
and ends of the bedsteads. Then we
tied strong cords for cable, and roll
ed them off into the water. They
dipped down and were wet, but that
did not matter, so they tiOated
again. We got the two side by side
and securely fastened together;
then doors and window shutters
were laid on or tied zap for sides +; and
finally cotton mattresses were put
on to keep them above the water.
Then came trunks and blankets.
| and when we had all that it was
, safe to take, or that was at once
, small and valuable, we paused to
see if our peril grew. The yard
e fence, not one hundred yards away,
t was leaning on the verge OF some
+ unseen gulf, and the oaks for half a
1 mile wide We're all gone. 1t was
e their splash we had heard as we
|. worked. We had no oars, nor skill
!. to use them if we had, and the best
t poles we could find for pushing were
c the long slender canes used for fish
A ing. Then came supply OF food
c and candles and as the luIl follow
ed the heat and excitement of labor,
II .he terror OF the ineX0rable river
Y and of our raft would come and
/. make the heart sick,
We had 10 time to delay. By
4 means of poles an9 ropes we manag-
. ed to push and warp the clumsy raft
G around the corner Of the house and
t then tried to make it float up into
n the elbow. where the cutoff was not
likely to follow MS. We got little
|. ways, but the suck Of the current
r was too strong for us. SO we tied
It up to IA cape myrtle, and waited iol
the crumbling bank to reach us
p, The moon went down, and there
; were only the silent stars above the
low monotone Of the waters.
th Silently we waited and prayed
le We were dry, as only the bottom
mattresses became soaked. About
ii the break Of day the house began tC
1T lean. The negroes on the leVee hat
is retrcated from the widening river
~ and their fire been submerged. y.
a the sun arose the house slid SLOWLY
: H., w "A ,nttlI hnlp I la
r. crash as chimneyS tore out of th
,cS timbers and sank, and then it float
ed away, Slanting into the water, an,
nd little to see but the rent roof. One
nj or twice it grounded or caught ol
ch Snags in the bottom, and then hur
ter ried down out Of sight.
ny The power of the water was max
~ ing fierce tugs at cur hempen rope
nd and it was soon broken. Two o
three times we slowly rotated in tn
side eddy, and then rs if caught b.
,rn some unseen hand, we shot out int
of mid stream. That was well for Us
= as we avoided the falling timber {
*. the still widening banks. and ais
nd the worst of the buNing drift
oil Steam would not have taken Il
nj faster. and in less time than a
hour, we two women on raft, wei
out on the broad bosom of the Mis-
'hn M iSsppi.
XIV .;n, That night was over, but not tn
,'',, '" peril. As our craft was buoyant "
,an were only shaken, but not suckc
im, ~" down by the whirlpoolS We ha
'M"'r M lights to prevent the danger of ~
"a ingr run over by steamboats, at nigh
,'f M anJ on that great highway we we
som sure Of being picked up Jhei
N' were boards, fragments OF fence
and sometimes mills and Sma
'eu houses floating down : but 1t WI
Nv II noon before We saw human BEN
resi- Then q fine boat came breastlng q
III current, and while We were half
'au' mile away, in the dead water near
10" swamp. they saw our tablc-clotll
low a cane, which was our Signi
lldu They took us Tor negroes, aud ha
o., inc MS as such, babe us take care
a'in ourselves. but made no panS
'AeI Sick enough ut heart were we.
SSeS the white Jets of her steam cSca
dry c,da1 ON, of siol, M the stream.
There was fair prospect OF ilo'
ing all night near enough the swan
an for snakes aud wild eats to swim
Dls us. or of hurry ing down the cure
'ah' to unseen peHlS, One more be
clay passed MS. and seemed not to
able our signal against the back grou
then of gray moss. cried like a bal
,lry. and Aunt Sarah tried to console II
up Ii was nearly night when a gr,
arm, steamer passed up on the other si'
ash, but the people seemed to see
OOrs Suddenly the roar of her whis
,gnn came across the mile of flood, a
rrOw she slowly rounded towards rs u
| huge white swan. She had
tool follow us little down stream,
our when salvation was sure | mi
the have tainted. think was III
up conscious of the jar rs we toucl
~ on her sides, aud of bring lifted
aud strong a'ms. The nrst ! heard "
here n well known aud loved voice X
the ing, "Mary. my own wife, don't
know me ~ Faithful Sarah v
was dancing for Joy, aud telling eve
the body of the providence which M
were the two boats pass by. but stopl
day. the one which held my u
who Gus husband. That was years .
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