National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1870-07-29

AS comfortable as the case would permit. |
1t was then that / suggested to John |
Bernard that perhaps it would be the
part of man to look after even such
scoundrels as those whom he had left
helpless in the floating house, lest he
should have blood on his hands.
He hesitated. Il don't know as l
could keep my hands off them if / should
meet them Low, sir. Go you. You can
come up with the house as soon as l.
Besides, we must stay with mother at
present She's worse, and l wouldn't
leave her now for all the villains that
ever were knocked in the head, or ever
deserved to be.
He went into the house | cast off the
boat and pulled down the stream again.
| did not, however, get sight of the house
until it had safely passed through the
lofty railroad bridge above the city, and
nearly reached old Hartford Bridge.
From long soaking, probably from some
contact with bridge or shore, or for other
reasons, the old frame seemed to be
loosened, and, to my surprise, had actual
ly settled in the water until 1t was sub
merged nearly to the caves. The manned
vagabonds within, then, must have
drowned, unless they could have reached
the shore by swimming.
No ; for as | looked, the scuttle on the
roof opened and one of them, which
could not see at my distance, crept ont
upon the roof, dragged "A helpless figure
after him, looked about saw me, anc
shouted for help
Although it was now daylight, no maj
was to be seen except we three, bearing
swiftly down upon the bridge in th'
midst of the vast, silent stream, and som
few early idlers upon the draw at tn
western end, gazing at the flood. | ben
| stoutly to my oars for some minutes, ant
p supposed myself close upon the house
2 when frightened cries made me loo
round
! The wretch-it was Seth Case-wh
| had been sitting by the body OF hi
: brother was vehemently calling to me t
hasten and in wild agony OF fear, hi
: distorted face all red with his own blood
4 from the blow that John Barnard ha
| piyen him, he stretched out his tMevls
n hands alternately to me and to the horr
? fed spectators upon the bridge for I'll
d doomed house was drawing near to IL
d great vortex that sucked roaring throug
st between the two piers next to the draN
IS No human power could have brought II
e near enough to reach him, even if 1t hG
e been safe to risk my own life in the roa
ing water-gllf beneath the bridge,
n near the great mass of the house, or
Il the fearful sight had not for the nome
Sc paralyzed me. Nearer, nearer and nc
<. the old house just catching upon &
(. upper corner of the pier, half swung N
st tilted sideways over, as it plunged hea
,e long Mt the insufficient passage, al
n struck with deliberate, shatterlng blC
III full upon the enormous oaken beams
70 the old roadway. The hither slope
ne the roof pushed upward against the OF
n. side planks of the covered bridge, re
for nn instant and instantaneously ST
he down into the black water As 1t 70
to the body of one of the wretched m'
ed whether dead or alive | know not, s
unresisting into the abyss Seth, screa
NC ing, sprang frantically straight npwa
w. against the smooth exterior of the p
I've pendicular plnnking, struck face a
NJ limbs against it, as if flung ont OF
~ ~ giants hand, and fell also headlong
,m death.
ad M The shouts of the lookers-on warl
" me lust in season to steer the skitt stead
through-it was too late to avoid
EAR leap and the buoyant little boat, diyl
'eu into the wild, black gulf, rode safely L
ler .e the tumultuous eddying water below.
II ; The fragments of the destroyed no
were floating quietly along past Haltf
ar wharves but, although | watched 10
no living being came up among the
/, / the devouring flood carried the corl
IN far away they were never found.
I'm, speedily returned to my friends
est were all alive, though the excitement
'od exposure caused the death of Mrs.
/ of nard. and made Emily sick. The
18th surance ON the house enabled the yo
der men to build another but this time
Dm. set it where it had no chance to run
ealt
md