The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-07-21

a take 10 the roof, expect; OUT ]! you 'in
manage to hold out against the cold, all will
Ne wei. l shall get some fresh men at the
hotel"
An right. old fellow" said Dic,k, hurry
mo me into the boat; ~ shall b.. all right;
i0n'. fear. just give me your rJhacc ,-pouch,
will vouf I'll keep life in n'. till you return.
You've got the brandy.a.sk. l think; but
perbaps you'll need It FOR some OF the wo-
men, He was wonderfully calm and cool.
"No, no." said, banding bin the flask;
"you'll want 1t 8, reat deal more than any OF
them took m, seat in the stern of the boat.
90, Mr.. Wpir,n cried Miss Blax'and from
her place. scan you hot 90 with US: oure'!
we can MAKE room for one more"
"No, 40. Miss BlaXlnd," replied Weir,
the bos.t is already lnller than ia safe. sna,.
be al right till Jack returns. fu'n OIL
men."
The boat lurched forward into the tnm'
Hing spa of waters. I looked back at DICK,
and tor moment saw his pale, calm. reso-
lutte face watching us from the "indo"; ID
The next, it was swallowed up in'the: en-.
shroudiug darkness.
The current Of the river was no" Wild
IA. and our progress. was more rap'o tnan u
mad preyiou.y been. But our course was
more dangerous, from the turbalrut violence
with which the current was no"ltS' anu
from the beayilv-!aden condition OF the boat.
Steering was tx remedy difficult, and 1t was
only with the greatest effort that conin
keep the head of the boat straight. FOR 'na'
night, at least, The only place IN "h'ch 10y
living freight could be accommodated was
onr rooms at the bank. and as soon as Daa
seen MFR. and Mrs. Blaxland. Ella, and the
rest a. comfortably provided for as possible,
| set off again iu the boat for the W'lougnoS
Arms. or my four rowers one consented 10
rpturn with ma. The other three, though
they would have been willing to 60 with me.
aeclared them selves unaoie Tor the Work. AT
| the hotel, by Offering suffi tent money-ln'
durement, I was enabled 10 Obtain three
other men.
Buck over the dark, eddving food we made
our slow way. The rain was falling, If pos
sible. in heavier torrents, and the night had
crown thtckaE. S Ormy misses OF cloud
swept slowly across the lowering heaqens.
looking as though they might ~ any moment
descend bodily and overwhelm US in black
destruction. II was with heart beating
| with anx'ety that sat sraining my eyes out
| into the darkDess As we appro1cned the mousse
at Wyandra. The water had risen hiG above
the windows of the sec ,nd-h ,or, and was
| level with the ront-mOre than level; the
! urbid-coored tide was tapping over the low
.tone parapet in front. | climbed up upon
the roof. knew that Dick must have been
driven from the interior OF the house long
since. {n 4 STOPPING 70 It,on, more oflen
than MOI on my hands and feet, grop"d my
way in the rain and the darkness along the
slopipg shngie-roof. For some time L was
unable to discover any sign of Weir. l
called his name again and agNn, but
there was no answer. dread came
upon me hat. wearled out "a he was by the
long and unwonted axerlions OF the day, he
mad been overcome by exhaustion, and
swept away by the remorsele'S waters. A.
last. when hope was tasL sinking within me,
| I stumbled and tripped sgiinst something
living at nv feet STOPPED, and found Weir
living with his back propprd against one o
the chimueys of the house. lifted him in
nv arms and made my way as fis. as poSSi-
ole 10 the bat. Dick was qlte In>en-lbie
and very cold. wrapped bi in a large rag
which bad brought with me, and watch
hid kept tcieraby dry in the locker OF tn"
boat. poured some brandy into his throIt. and
began ch ting bis hands. For some minute,
he bowed no signs OF returning an'mlfion.
and thought all was over with him; but IN
little while his lips moved nervou>ly, and
be seemed 10 go Off again. as it were, in "A
swoon. H Il ,Sured, however, that he va
still alive, | babe the men push of, and wrap
! ping the rug closer ABOUT the rigid form Of
nv friend placed him at my feet at The
bottom OF the boat, where could watch him
as steered. Again we were IN the curren'
of the river. The night had grown still
| darker, and by straning my sight to the Ut.
| 4 Fu bar hap ha a a,
Yards beyond the boats bead. thr
current was rushing at headoug speed,
and With dcatening roar like the
crash of vast waterf,ll. The men
were u>lng their oars more 10 steady the
| boat than TO propcl her while we were borne
along with an uneasy, iurchlng motion 90
| the swollen. edGying waters. Every few mo.
mentS dark object driitedael>t us-now
| dead horse or COW, now barrel. ladder, or
hen-coop-- waits from many aruined nom"-
stead Once a nIystack Stru"k the boat side
ways, wheeled US round, and all but over
wnemPd Us 10 the snrging flood. From
time to time | bent over Weir and applied
the spirit Fl .sk to his lips. 1t was all that
could do for bad to give my undivided at
tention to the work Of steering. WDen we
reached the town The men were all but eX-
nau.ted. Like the rest, they had been work
ing with the boats all day. One OF the three
doctors in Wilioughby lived close to the
bauk. and babe the men stop for m omen.
at his house. When he heard my story the
doctor Immediately accompanied me home.
| We laid Dick in his bed. Bes ides the
doctor aad myself, Mr.. and Mrs. BIaXIand
and their daughter were the only others in
! the room
With anxious faces we bent over the bed
As the doctor proceeded 10 examine the sill
nSensibe form Of Weir. He laid open
Dicks wais;cOat, tore aside his shirt, aud
| placed his hInd on his heart. As he did so,
something fell out from between the folds OF
the wooIen shirt aud lay on Dicks breast.
| Ii was small knot of blue ribbon. picked
| it up and handed it to Ella BliXaud. A.
she took it her face, that had been marble
pale before. changed 10 crimson a straoee,
Startled look came into her eyes, and she
turned hastily from the bedside and seated
herself by the fire. She, too, recognized the
ribbon.
A few moments examination satisfied the
doctor that Dick was still alive, and we
proceeded TO apply such remedies for his
restoration as were within our power. These
proved more quickly successful than | bad
hoped for, anu soon we had the satisfaction
OF seeing Dick slowly returning to con-
seriousness and life. Before the doctor lei
ne had fallen into sound sleep.
When he awoke next morning, Dick WAS
completely himself again. When the doc
tor called and saw him, be pronounced
that no grave results had ensued from the
previous nights exposure.
On the day succeeding that of the events
above narrated the rain ceased and the wa
ters receded from the earth almost AS quickly
AS they rad risen. But what scene of de-.
olation they left behind! Far as the eye