The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1873-03-27

through the levees and flooded the low
lands for many miles. A creYasse of this
description had been made in the further
bank. nearly opposite the house, and the
windows of the Newton mansion com
manded view Of vast and glittering
inland sea. not laid down on the maps
The main current If the stream bore up
on Its coffeecolored bosom an enormous
mass of floating timber, which was DASH
| ed along in the boiling foad, rendering
navigation wholly impossible. The wa
ters were still rising. aud the frequent
crashes far and near told oe the under.
mining power Of the current, as sections
ofthe sandy banks succumbed and disap-
peared, carrying with them rhe trees
which overhung the stream.
Now, it happened that by curious
coincidence, Miss Newton also resolved
to look at the river. She dried her tears
and putting on her hat, slipped out by
the back door to avoid Fred, and soon
found herself at the foot IF huge cot
tonwood tree on the bank below the house.
Throwing herself upon the grass and
lulled Dy the bubbling of the rapid food
beneath her. she soon fell fast asleep.
Had she passed any power of foresseing
the future, it would have been the last
thing she would have done, for although
1t was very pleasant dropping asleep there
in the shade, with the soft sunlight filter
ing through the leaves overhead, the
awakening was not as all to her mind. A
terrible crash made chaos of her dreams ;
the ground slipped from beneath her; the
| tall cottonwood toppled and fell, ard
Miss Becky NeTton found herself sud
denly immersed in the cold food, with
her mouth full of muddy water. In q
moment more. somebody's arm was
around her and she felt herself lifted up
and placed somewhere in the sunshine
though precisely where, she was as yet
too bewildered TO know. Getting bel
eyes open az last, she found Fred Ecker
SON whiskers nearly brushing her face.
Welt
"Welll"
! Where am ]? p asked Becky SILVER
ing and looking around her.
You are in the middle of the Missis
sipDi. replied Fred" and you are in
the fork of 2 cotton wood tree, and 20,
are voyageing toward the Gulf of Mexi
co just as fast as this freshet can carr,
you"
How came you here ?'
I'm the same conveyance with your
} self, Miss Becky. In fact you and l an,
the tree all came together, TO say moth
ins Of a portion of your fathers plants
, ton, which, | fear, is lost to him for
) ever"
; Becky was silent She was thinking
not OF the accident or her perilous posi-
| ton, but Of her appearance when sh
j was lying asleep on the grass.
: How long were you there before thi
/ happened p she asked.
t AS long as you We're. was up j
the tree Ehen you came"
$ You bad no right to be I'D there,
: she said coloring-''a spy upon my move
G meuts."
Nonsense - he replied. 'You il
> truded on my privacy. and while 20
: slept watched over you ike the swee
e little cherub that sits up loft"
Thank you for the service. m sure,
j she said bridling.
You snored a9fully."
/, Mr.. Eckerson. remove your arm fror
0 my waist
: Then put yours around my neck"
Indeed | shall do such thing
, 'Yes you viii fall int tho river if 70
do not.
| Becky was silent for several moments
while their unwieldly raft whirled aIon
IN the current, rolling from side to sid
! and threatening every instant to tur
completely over and 10 tip them of. A
last she said
What are We to do ?"
Il think, now that l am started,
shall go to New Orleans p he replied.
TO New Orleans?" exclaimed Becky
ut is hundred milesl"
!, Yes, and the chances Of a free pass
age for such a distance is not to be neg
! lccted You can go ashore if you ORE
fer"
: She hurst into tears.
You are cruel" she said, ito trea
: me SO.
Cruel" exclaimed Fred. drawing he
= closer to him, quickly cruel to you.
There was no hel 10 for it, and she asai
3 relapsed into silence, quite content, az
parently, to remain in Frcd's arms, an
D evincing now no disposition to REBEL
For once IN her life she was dependep
T on a man.
. 4 want to 90 to New Orleans. cor
4 tinued Fred, after pause. because ther
Is young lady of my acquaintance re
Z siding there, whom | have some inter
] ton of inviting into this neighborhood.
: "Oh ~
E IF We don't 60 to New Orleans, an
i five get safe out of this acrape, sha
write for her to come anyway"
5 "AhI'
: Il shall obtain board for her in s.
Jean, which viii be convenient tor m
as long as remain your fathers guess
: | can ride over after breakfast ever
T morning, you see.
! She is an intimate friend then" sal
: Becky.
: Il expect to marry her before long,
| he replied
: Mary her ! Why you-you propose
: to me this morning.
] YES, but you refused me. told 70
T. then you would never have anoshs
r chance
Becky was silent again. 1t is matte
of some doubt whether, had Fred at tn,
> moment. sitting sstride that cottonwoo
log with his feet in the water and his ar