Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-09-14

the FIRE place. AS she reached II Hel .c-s
snIashed in the water which was running
along over the floor. Quick As light the
though; came, the river is up" Sne
eroped for . candlestick, and found one
With small piece OF candle remaining 10
il. Taking one Of the long sulphur ma'caes
used In those days, she touched II 70 a
coal, ard had light.
A Quick glance around told her at once
what was the matter. The hearth lsid
with heavy stone had sunk several inches
below the door of the room, and up through
the creyices of this came the water, which
had almost put out the fire. leaving only
the logs burning. The door was locked,
hat raising the window curtain she
gazed out. The house was surround
ed by water; the waves were washing
M against it AID over the doorstep. AS
far as her eye could reach, all around
about, was water, only water, with trees
standing In 1t.
The girl had been brought up TO depend
on herself, and she had both resolution
and courage. Running TO the bed, she
shook VIII. Get up, Will, get up! The
river IL all around the house" The boy
sat up, rubbed his eyes stupidity, then sank
back again. SECT up, Will, do get up!
Don't you hear y--tne river Is coming in
the house" She shook him again. Dress
quickly, and don't wake baby" She al
ready had her own shoes on, and was fas
tening up her dress. There was the same
creaking noise, and the house shook. Will
comprehendcd at last, and while putting on
his clothes ran to the window.
"Whst are we to do?" he asked In at
fright. off father was only here!"
We must 90 TO the loft and wait until
father comes" she answered.
Taking the baby In her arms, she climb
I'd the stairway and laid it on her own bed,
wrapping it up warmly. When she came
1owl again, viii, who had been looking
,ut, stood with the tears running down bis
ace.
"Where is father, o Sally, where is
f4theri am 50 afraid he Is drowned he
has not come home!'
She Rugged the tender hearted boy close.
No, VIII, no, father is safe; he will only
be troubled about U.S." She shuddered
herself o. she treasured him. He will
get boat and come"
Finding the water was covering the
floor, they carried TO the loft all the ar,i-
Giles they could move, not forgetting some
bread and crock of milk for the baby.
They then took refuge there themselves.
While they were thus engaged they
frequently felt the house culver.
II was cold. They had light, but no
fire. So, wrapped In comforters, they
held each other close, not daring to go to
bed. They crouched near one of the win
dows, Of which there were twoin the loft,
one looking back on the hills, the other in
front on the river.
Their father did not come.
II was not dark night, and they could
see that the water spread over the
meadows almost to the hills. The barus
and all the out houses stood surrounded.
They could hear the geese gable In alarm,
and the ducks quack, for they had been
driven from their shelter.
II was strange sight, and one well cal
culated TO fill them with fears. They
spoke little as they sat Rugged together,
except to say, "What Is thatY" as the
creakiDg noise they had heard grew loud
er. viii, who had always been delicate,
was dependent, loving, sympathizing
boy, whose bravery was shown in bear
ing-he was accomplishing but sympathet-
ic. Sally, who had often kept the house
for weeks together when her mother was
i'll, and cooked her fathers meals, and
even done the washing, was sturdy, and a
little rough TO others, but to Will she was
always tender. Now her heart ached for
the lad she held In her arms.
The little wooden clock on the mantel-
shelf below struck two, and moment after
there was great noise, as of something
tearing away-a jarring and jerk
ing; the house swayed to and
fro, and, as IL struck with some
thing, went down one side, and up the
other With a smothercd exclamation,
the children covered up their heads and
cluog closer to each other. A violent
motion was followed by a calm. They
looked up. There was a tearing and
pushing along the sides of the house,
violent thuinp, the window glass ratified as
It broke and fell, and the opening was
by branches of trees. A moment
more. and all was quiet again. They were
still. Presently Sally stood up and said,
" We are moving, Will; the house is NOV.
ingi" She ran to the front window and
looked out. They were afloat on the
broad Ohio. Alone, without help, In this
old house, they were moving down the
surging stream.
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 rOosting on them. Great trees
which had been uprooted, and In whose
branches wood and logs and other debris
had caught were swaying where the house
had stood, apparently pinned by some
thing remaining there. Even rs she gazed,
the distance between them and these IA
miliar objects increased, and she knew they
were on the broad, swift current of the
river, helpless.
The boy saw the terror in her face, and,
clinging close to her, he looked up and
said, softly, as q big tear swelled from
under her lid and fell upon his upturned
cheek, "Don't cry, Sally; God will help
u.s." The girl, always more given to de-
pend upon herself than to seek higher aid,
clasped him, and relieved herself by q
loud burst OF sobbing.
Awakened by the noise, the baby cried,
and had to be taken up and fed; this took
the attention of the children for some
moments from themselves and their situa-
ton, which they could not fully realize.
The raft of trees and driftw0od coming
against the old house, already swaying in
the water, had forced 1t from its founda-
tons and swept 1t out into the open river,
bearing 1t past the great trees on the bank,
A. . ~ 4 H. 4 H.. v{y.