The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-10-21

was great noise, as of something tear
ing away-a Earring and a jerking the
house swayed to and fro and, as if struck
by something, went down one side and
up the other With smothered exclas
nation, the children covered up their
1 heads and clung closer to one another.-
I A violent motion was followed by calm.
! They looked up. There was tearing
and pushing along the sides of the house,
a violent ihump. the window glass ratified
as it broke and fell, and the opening was
darkened by branches of trees. A mos
ment more and all was quiet again. They
were still. Presently, Sally stood up
and said {: "We are moving, Will; the
house is moving" She ran to the front
window and looked out. They were
afoat on the broad Ohio Alone, with
out help, in this old house, they were
moving down the surging streaml
With wild scream Sally sprang across
the floor and looked out at the back win
dow. She saw the barn, and the wood
house, and the tops of the fences, with
chickens roostiDg on them. Great trees
which had been uprooted, and in whose
branches logs and other debris had caught
were swaying where the house had stood,
apparently pinned by something remain
ing there. Even AS she gazed, the dis
| tance between tho M and these familiar
objects inci eased and she knew they were
Oh the broad, swift current of the river,
helpless.
The boy saw the terror in her face, and,
/ cling.ng close to her, he looked up, and
said, softly, as big tear welled from her
/ lid. and fell upon bis upturned cheek,
Don't cry, Sally God will help u.s.
The girl, always more given to depend on
| herself than to seek higher aid, clasped
! him, and relieved herself by loud burst
! of sobbing.
Awakened by the noise, the baby cried,
and bad 20 be taken up and fed this took
| the attention of the children for some mos
ments from themselves and their situation,
which they could fully realize, The raft
Of trees and driftwood coming against the
! old house, already swaying in the water,
/ had forced it from its foundations and
swept it out into the open river, bearing
| boughs of which had broken the windows,
and torn off some of the weather board
ing from the side.
Somewhat herself again, Sally laid the
baby down, and drawing Will with her,
crept to the window Crouching, they
/ looked out. Just then the piece of candle
| hared up, sank again in the socket, flick
ering and went out. SIT will soon be
morning. the boy said, in answer to Sal
/ ly's clasp, as they were left in darkness
s'Then the people will see US, and come
and take us away" was her reply.
The clock had struck four. hneeling
there, they passed villages and bigh bluffs
and saw distant towns, all of which
seemed sp0merged, for there were lights
pleomIng from upper story windows in
! the houses and moving about as though
! on the water. Dark objects went swift
! ly by them, and every little while the
house would dip and rock, as a log or
tree or other weighty object struck it.
| Heavy as their hearts were, they spoke
to each other of the great food and liken-
! ed themselves to Noah in the Ark. They
were in the current and went swiftly on.
| Five O'Clock struck, then six they be
gan to see objects distinctly IN the dawn
| ing light.
s.See!'' exclaimed Will, ''there is some-
thing on that bale of hay, and there is
coop full of chickens, too, y
| eIlook at that settee and those chairs
and there is dog house turned upside
down, and the poor dog is clinging TO the
| outside with his paws he is chained to
| IT," Sally pointed towards the spot.
! Hay, straw, articles of furniture, bales
of cotton, wood and timber of all kinds,
strewed the face of the river.
! .sOh !" The house careened as though
going over, as some large object struck
/ against it. and the children were thrown
! back upon the floor. 1t righted again,
and tremblingly they continued 10 watch
! the waters, their thoughts diverted from
themselves by what they saw.
There was a strange noise at the back
window, scratching and clawing and
humping. They drew near to see what
| il was, affI found that the cat, which had
probably been on the shed that plank by
plank was falling away from the house,
J had sought the refuge of the window>slIl
without, where she was disturbed by the
| old ram, also on the shed, and making
I frantic efforts to reach the same position
with puss, as he fell his unsafe foothold
/ oniyer beneath him. AS he bounded up
or climbed against the house, striving to
make away with his horns, the cat would
draw back and hiss and spit at him
! Amused despite themselves, the children
opened the window and the cat bounded
! in while the old ram was left TO, his fate.
With the light, all Saily's resolution
and energy came back to her.
They passed towns and villages. She
knew they must be nearing CINCINNATI, OF
which she had heard and there she had
a vague idea, they would be rescued
Taking the sheets off the bed, she fast
ened them to a couple of Stats from the