The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-10-21
EBENsBURG PA, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2l, 1871.

After her parents left. Sally proceeded
to wash up the tea things. The baby. a
child some ten months old, was asleep
Turning up the end Of a brown table cloth,
Will got out his slate aud arithmetic
and began to cipher, while Sally went
back and forth from the cupboard to the
table, singing and putting the things away.
Will was slow at figures he put down
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
awoke, and was fed and played with, and
the two getting sleepy they prepared for
bed.
Usually they slept in The loft, unless
The weather was very cold, but this time
they had been told to get in below with
the baby. Before undressing they rolled
large log on the fire, and put candle in
the lantern, as they had been taught to
do for safety.
Tired of their walk of two miles from
school in the wind, they were soon asleep.
Suddenly Sally was awakened by she
knew not what, and was turning to go to
sleep again, when there was groaning,
creaking noise, and sue thought she heard
the house move.
Thoroughly aroused, she sat up in bed.
The lantern was dark, and from the
hearth, where she had left great fire,
came kissing sound, and there was only
the glare of dull burning log. She
thought some one was putting out the fire,
and called, "Father Father!"
There was no answer, but the sound
continued. Without waking William,
she sprung out upon the floor and ran to-
wards the fireplace. AS she reached it
her feet splashed In the water which was
running along the floor. Quick as light
the thought came, "the river is up y She
CROPPED for candlestick, and found one
with a small piece of candle remaining in
it. Taking one of the long sulphur
matches used in those days she touched
il to a coal and obtained light
A quick glance around told her at once
what was the matter The hearth, laid
With heavy stone, had sunk several inches
below the floor of the room, up through
the crevices OF this came the water, which
had almost put out the fire, leaving only
the logs burning. The door was locked,
but raising the window curtain, she gazed
out The house was surrounded by
water; the waves were washing against
it and over the doorstep. As far as her
eve could reach all roundabout was water,
only water, with trees standing in it.
The girl had been brought up to depend
on herself, and she had both resolution
and courage. Running TO the bed she
shook Will Get up, Will, get up!-
The river is all around the house, The
boy sat up, rubbed his eyes stupidity, then
sank back again. "Get up, Will, do get
up! don't you hear The river is COM
ing 10 the house, She shook him again.
"Dress quickly, and don't wake the baby" :"
She already had her own shoes on, ard
was fastening up her dress. There was
the same creaking noise, and the mouse
shook. Will comprehended at l"'t' ana
while putting on his clothes ran 10 The
window.
..Wbat are we ~ do p he asked in af-
friobf. .sIf father was only here !"
.sHe must 60 up to the loft, and wait
natll father comes" she answered.
Taking the baby in her arms, she
climbed the stairway5 and lald it on her
own bed, wrapping it up warmly. When
she came down again, Will, who had
been look ing out, stood with tears running
down his face.
..Where is father? Oh, Sally, where
is father | am so afraid he has been
drowned he has not come home,
She Rugged the tender-hearted boy close.
s.No. Will, no father is safe he will
only be troubled about u.s." She shud-
dered herself as she reassured him.
He will get boat and come.
Finding the water was covering the
floor, they carried to The loft all the arti>
cIes 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 ire
auently heard the house quiver.
1t was cold. They had a light, but no
fire. So, wrapped in comforters, they
held each other close, not daring TO 60 to
bed. They crouched near one OF the
windows, of which there were two IN the
loft, one looking back on the hills, the
other In front on the river.
Their father did not come.
1t was not a dark night, and they could
see that the water had spread over the
meadows almost to the hills The barns
and all the out shouses stood surrounded.
They could hear the geese gabble in alarm,
and the ducks quack, for they had been
driven from their shelter.
1t was strange sight, and one well
calculated to fill them with fears. They
spoke little as they sat hugged together,
except to say, "What is that!Y as the
creaking noise they had heard grew loud
er. Will. who had always been delicate,
was dependent, loving, sympatlhlzlng
! boy, whose bravery was shown IN bears
ing-he was, ,uncomplaining. but symPa-
thetic. Sally, who had often kept the