Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-09-11

darkness along the sloping shirgle roof. For
some time l was unable TO discover any sign of
Weir l called his name again and again, but
there was no answer A dread came upon me,
that, wearied out as he was By the long and un-
wonted exertions of the day, he had been over
come by exhaustion, aud swept away by the re-
mo seleeB waters
At last when hope was fast sinking within me,
stumbled and tripped against something lying
at my feet. stopped and found Weir lying with
his back propped against one OF the chimneys of
the house. lifted him in my arms and made
my way AZ fast Az possible to the boat. DICK was
quite insentible, and very cold. L wrapped him
IN large rug which had brought with me, and
Which had kept toerably dry in the locker of the
boat, ponred some brandy into his throat. and
began chatting his hands. For some minutes he
showed no signs OF returning animation, and
Thought all was over with him. Bat in a little
while his lips moved neryouely. his eyes opened
and Immediately closed, aud he seemed to go or
again rs it were in swoon. Treasured. how
ever that lie was still alive,I bade the men push
or, and wrapping tho rug closer about the rigid
form of my friend, placed him at my feet, at
the bottom Of the boat, whore L could watch him
as j steered.
Again we were IN the current Of the river; tho
night had grown still darker, and by stranng
my sight to the utmost could see no further
than nalf dozen yards beyond the boats head,
The current was rushing at headlong speed, and
with doafening roar like the crash of u vast
waterfall. 1he men were using their oars more
to steady the boat than to pfopel her, Wblle we
were borne along with an uneasy, lurchln& mo-
tion on the swollen, eddying waters. Every iew
moments IL dark object drifted past us-now
dead horse or COW, now a barrel, ladder, or II
hen coop, wafs from many Il ruined homestead.
Once haystacli struck the boat sideways,
wheeled us round, all but overwhelmed us in
tho aurging food. From tme to time, | bent
over Weir and applied the spirit flask to his lips.
Ii WAS all could do, for | had to give my undi-
vded attention to tho work of atoerlnE. When
we reached the town the men were all
bat exhausted Like tho rest they had been
working with the boats al day. One of the
three doctors III Wlloughby lived close to the
bank, and bade tho men stop for moment at
his house. When no heard MY story, the doctor
accompanied me home.
Wo laid Dick in his bed. Besides the doctor
and myself, MIR. and Mrs Blaxlaud and their
daughter were the only others in the room.
Witt, anxious faces we bent over the bod Rs
the doctor proceeded to examine the still lnsen-
sible form Of Welr. He laid open Dicks waist
coat tore aside lia shirt and placed his hand on
his heart. NJ he did something fell out
from between the folds of the wooden shirt and
Law on Dicks breast. IL was small knot OF
blue ribbon. picked it up and handed it to El,
la Blaxlaud. AA she took 1t, her face that had
boon ipaible pale before, changed TO crimson
strange, startled look csme over her eyes, and
she turned hastily from the bedside aud seated
herself by the fire. She, too, recognized the
ribbon.
A few moments examination satisfied the
doctor that Dick was still alive, and we proceed
ed 10 apply such remedies for his restoration as
were within our power These proved more
quickly eueceesful than L had hoped for, apd
soon we tad tile satisfaction OF seeing Dick
slowly returning TO consciousness aud life. Be-
fore the doctor left he had fallen into Il sound
sleep.
When he awoke next morning. Dick was com
pletely himself again. When The doctor called
aud saw hiiu, he pronounced that no grave ro-
suits had eneuea from the previous nights ex-
posurc.
On tho day succeeding that of the events
above narrated, tho rain ceased and the waters
reeeded FROM tho earth almost rs qnickly as
they had risen. But what scene OF deeolaiion
they left behind Far as the eve could reach,
the lard that a few days before had been green
and FIniling lay dreary waste of wilderness
farms and honesteads, gardens, orchards, and
vineyards, stripped bare by tue cruel waters,
and Ieft n silapeles9 rum. But On these tmnse,
fauhar enough to many q col0uiat, it il not my
intention hefe to dwell. Ii was some time, of
| cuurse before the pleasant Homestead at Wyan-
dfa regained its old shape and beauty but the
Australian soil and climate have quick recupera-
two powers, ard Mr. BlaXland's property was re-
stored to its former appearance with rapldity
that would have astonlshed u stranger i'll the
country.
Ioonard IIamerten did not marry Ella Bax-
| land. it turned out that there lad never been
any mention of an engagement either ON the
| have reason to think that Miss Blaxland at one
| time was really very favofable inclined to Ham
erlon. But circumstances occurred to change
| her fecliug5 completely in this respect. Shortly
| afLer tho great flood, Hamefton disappeared sud
| dpniv from Niloushby undor somewhat mex
| plicable CIRCUMSTANCES After his departure
stories got about very little to his credit, chiefly
relating to pecunary matters. There was u
good deal OF mystery Alout tho whole affair ;
;iud it was thought that the young mans friends
in sydney had used their strongest influence to
liush the matter M. Enough, however, got
| abroad to render HamertonA further etay in
Wioushby impossible. Ha consequently sought
a larger field in n neighborng colony. where he
might il lie chose, start afrGsh and reform cer-
tain Of his habits Of life.
The place 10 Ella Baxlands regard. that had
been supposed by everybody to have boon ocer-
pied hy Hamorton, was quiely taken by one OF
tt very different ntH;np -picG Weir. OF course
| everybody was surprised wleu it came to be
anown fGr certain thst Weir was to marry Miss
b8xland. IL was handy conceivable ! The
very last person that any ono would have
thought Of ! But so was. The small world of
WiOnghby wss not behind the scenes. and per
haps te surprise was not very wonderful in this
case. Dick did not at once strike you az the
kind Of man likely to carry OF tho prettiest girl
in a countrywide.