The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1873-11-19

night. The moon shoDe brightly,
but every minute or two its light
was obscured by black, pall-like
clouds, that were tearing with fear
full velocity across the sky, and then
it was 50 dark that ] could not see
my horses head before me.
In the brief intervals If ghastly
white light ! could perceive that
we we're surrounded ~ sea of
waters, and that scarcely speck
Of dry land was TO be seen. True,
they were as yet very shallow,
scarcely above Carlos knees; but !
knew how rapidly they would deep
en-, and | urged the good horse in
the direction of the town as squickly
as possible.
Gertrude's arm encircled my
waist, and she clung tightly to me
with fear. Often / turned my head
to speak to her few words Of en-
couragement and hope, but / was
too anxious to secure her safety and
my own to say much.
She was warmly wrapped up in
shawls wraps, and, as she was an
excellent horse-womsn, / had no
fear of her falling off, though the
wind was blowing hard enough to
whirl her from her seat.
Before we had got more than q
mile from the farm the rain COM
menced with redoubled fury, and
in a few moments we were both OF
us wet through. The wind, too,
grew from a gale to a hurricane,
and amid the continuous roar ofthe
thunder and flash Of the pale light
ming, we could see huge boughs Of
trees hurting through the air, and
now and then heard a mighty crash,
as rome aged monarch Of the plain
tell prone 10 the earth.
Suddenly a fash of lightning
darted right in front Of Carlos eyes,
and, with q snort. Of fear, be reared
nearly upright.
"Hold fast, Gertrndep | cried,
endesyoring to throw my right arm
around her TO keep her from slip
ping off.
| was too late---she had fallen.
/ heard a splash in the water, cry,
and the darkness hid her from my
sight. Just, however, as ! was
about to give way to despair, anoth-
er flash revealed her TO me standing
amid the flood, at not q dozen yards
| distance.
Ispurred towards her, and pres
emily she was again on Carlos
broad back.
The excitement of this event, and
the turning OF my horse round and
round,. had made me forget the
proper direction to the town, so
that we now rode on not knowing
whittier we were heading.
Meanwhile, the flood grew deep
er each moment, and presently |
discovered that Carlo was swim
ming. | had not felt fear until now;
but | must say that a great dread
crept over me when | found that,
whichever way | guided my charger
he could not touch the ground. /
knew that, weighted as he was, he
could not keep ahoat long, and
each moment he seemed to sink
deeper and deeper in the water.
At this critical juncture Of affairs,
the moon shone out again, and
lighted mp the scene as though it
had been broad daylight. Far as
the eye could reach, not a speck Of
dry laud was visible; but, to my
great joy, | perceived, close by, a
blue gum tree, whose boughs were
SO disposed as to be easily scaled.
"Do you think you can climb
that tree, Gertrude?" Iasked. at
is our only chance Of preserving our
lives now"
She answered feebly in the affirm
ative, and with some little difficulty
/ swan Carlo alongside. Under
the tree he regained bis footing, and
| was glad Of this, as be was en-
abled to stand steady for my poor
little companion to climb into the
| ln.,,o,, k,.n ,,olne Esov,,s Lsr lnooly