Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-09-07
VOLUME XXVI.
A NIGHTS ADVENTURE ON THE
iIV VI OHIO RIVER.
An Incident Of the Flood of 1889.

"THE river rises W0nOerIully iASt, W1'e,
said Jack Martin, as he wiped his halds OF
the rolIer-towel behind the door, Defor'
sitting down to his supper. Ut is Amos
I'D to the top Of the bank; neveie wa
known to be so high: and Wilson really
seems scared about il"
"Do YOU think there is. any danger.
asked Mrs Martin as she poured out hi
tea.
"No, we are not going to be carried
ayay because it is few feet above ihgh
water mark. 1t will go uown as III IL cam
up, when it is ready. Come in" Ihls wa
said IN answer to a knock at the door, an'
was followed by the appearance OF d ool
Mother is sick, Mrs Martini" he said
snnroaching the table, "ard she sent MI
10 ask you to come over. Granny HAYS i
down with the rheumatic, and she hahn
got no one with her. Mi:
.:What shall do" ,vo.
aGo. of course" said her husband. "Yot
She is yery bad," said the boy, "and
am to 90 around and fetch the doctor"
:. .Wel1, draw up and get some supper
Joe.' was Jacks answer; "then will pu
Dolllv in the wagon, and We will go thu
rnper road ard take the doctor III.
aBus the children, father"
"Now don't begin to worry, Molly
SALLY can take care of the baby, and vii
not ha cone more than an hour or SO
You can get along, can't you, Sally?"
II suess so." was the smiling, reply OF
brisht.eyed girl of some thirteen years
who sat beside him.
"The creek is running like mill-race
snd the water is spreading all over, salt
Zoe "The trees looked standing in i
when came over the hill. l don't be
lieye we could get along that road" :.
"The water is backing up then" sale
Jact q but :. "a too coldfor it to rise mucl
farther" :
Mrs. Martin made hurried meal, and
having slowed various articles in basket
was ready by the time her husband nag the
wagon at the door. With charges to Sally
concerning the baby, she stepped in, while
Jack locked the house door aqd put the
kew in his pocket, telling the children tC
go to bed as soon as they had set things
to rights, but to be sure and have good
fire and keep light burning, for he would
not be long gone.
Jack Martin and his young wife had lefl
New England when they were hrs'
married, and settled upon the Ohio some
distance above Cincinnati. Here Jack
had built a small frame-house and
begun to cultivate his ssland, and here his
five children were born, two Of
whom had died-Sally and Will
and the baby being all that We're left. Jack
was a happy, ight-hearted, industrious
man, who worked his farm and "took
things easy" His land was productive, hi:
crops had sold well, he had built
fine barn, and had good out
houses, but his own dwelling wa'
the shabhiest part of the premises. 1t wa'
q frame of but one room, with a loft abovi
which had been put up for present Want
when he first settled there, but it wa
plastered snug and tight. Every yea
Jack had thought he would add to 1t, ant
when his wife represented that it was get
ting very old, and was really too small TO
her growing family, he would put her OF
with a promise of building next spring
and a compliment to her housekeeping.
! After her parents left, Sally proceeded tt
wash uD the ea-things. The baby, chile
some ten months old, was asleep. Turn
ing up the end of the brown tablescloth
Will got out his slate and arithmetic, anc
began to cipher, while Sally went back anC
forth from the cupboard to the table, sing
ing and putting the things away.
Will was slow at figures; he put doW1
and rubbed out and bothered and scratch
ed his head; and finally appealed to Sally
with, Just show me this part"
Thus an hour passed. The baby awok
and was fed and played With, and the tW'
getting sleepy they prepared for bed. :,
Usually they slept in the loft unless tn
weather was very cold, but this night the
nad been told to get in below with tn
baby. Before undressing they rolled
large log on the fire, and put candle i
the lantern, as they had been taught to d
for safety.
Tired with their walk of two miles fror
school in the wind, they were soon asleeI
Suddenly Sally was awakened by she kne'
not what, and was turning to go to slee
again, when there was q groanlng, creas
ing noise, and she thought she telt tn
house move. i4-s- -- - s
Thoroughly aroused, she sat up in bee
The lantern was dark, and from the neartf
where she had left great fire, came
Missing sound, and there was only th
glare Of a dull burning log. She though
some one was putting out the fire, an
called, !" Father! fatheri".
TheTe:was no answer, but the sound COZ
| tinued. Without waking William, sh
sprang out upon the floor and ran toward
| the fireplace. As she reached it her fes
splashed in the water which was runnin
along over the hoor Quick as light th
thought came, "The river is upl" Sh
CROPPED for a candlestick, and found OF
with a small piece of candle remaining
. it. Taking one of the long stfphur match'
used in those days, she touched 1t to
coal, and had light.
A quick glance around told her at ont
what was the matter. The hearth la
with heavy stone had sunk several inch
below the floor of the room, and up thrOue
the crevices of this came the water, whit
had almost put. out the fire, leaving on
the logs burning. The door was locke
but raising the window curtain 81
gazed out. The house was surroun
ed by water : the waves were washil
up against it and over the doorstep. l
!. far as her eye could reach, all aroul
about, was water, only water, with tire
standing in it. Ss
The girl had been brought up to depel
en- herself, and she had both resoluti
and courage. Running to the bed, s
, shook Will. Get up, viii, get up! T
, river is ell around the house" The b
sat up, rubbed his eyes stupidity, then sa
back again. "Get up, Will, do get U
Don't you hear ?-the river is coming
the house." She shook him again. CDR
| quickly, and don't wake baby" She
/ ready had her own shoes on, and was
tenins up her dress. There was the sa
? creaking noise, and the house shook. "
r comprehended at last, and while putting
s his clothes ran to the window.
"What are we to dor" he asked in
e fright. eff father was only here!'
a We must 60 to the loft and wait Ill
>, father ccmes," she answered.
|, Taking the baby in her arms, she clir
Is ed the stairway and laid it on her own b
r wrapping it up warmly. When she ca
4, down again, Will, who had been look
,s out, stood with the tears running down
face.
"Where is father? o Sally, where
j. father? I am so afraid he is drowned
ts has not come home!'
rs She hugged the tender-hearted boy eli
e, "No, VIII, no, father is safe; he will O
j. be troubled about u.s. She shudde
r, herself as she reassured him. "He
r get boat and come. %
e, Finding the water was covering