Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1875-09-16

me that lie had his own reasons FOR it, In fact,
he did much what lie liked with such opponents
~ he met at Willoughby Arms, though Chey were
slow to sec il and his fine talent for the game
no doubt brought him i'll comfortable adflnon
TO his income. He employed hls know wledge of
cards whenever opportunity ohcrcd, Win INC
The winter of 1868 is still remembered in New
South Wales as that in which one ol the largest
floods that tho colony has ever been subjected to
occurred Tho Hunter River district suffered
especially, and we in MilIonghby tlu ny escape
the general destruction. Tho rapidity Win
which n flood occurs IN Australia is not readily
realized by people in the home country. mo
rain began to fall i'll Willoughby at noon OF one
day. and 10y dusk OF the next the river hat rlsou
thirty feet. by next morning half tho town was
suhnerged, the water completely covering the
ground floor OF many Of the houses. Our bank
pramis es stood comparatively high, bnb We were
Obliged to abandon the first ilOor on the second
morning OF tho flood. Boats were employed all
that dty conveying tho inhabitants from the
lower parts of the town, and the houses iniine-
diately contiguous to tho river, to those situated
on m jrc elevated ground farther bnck from the
stream. Of course. at slch II time all basiness
is ut tn end. Every one who could bn OF any
soi yino emplnyeh himself IN manning Tie b9Ats
for tho rescue OF the 1odedOuG families. "SF
AMI I had been hard atwogk all day with tue
boats and were resting from our eXertionsi IN
our little sitting room, after cur oclocH Till
ner We were both pretty tired, and dtu not
propose doing anything more that ni6ht, unless
we sst smoking in silence, Weir said, suddenly.
" Blythe bye, did it ever occur to you how the
Wyandra people may be getting on p ,.
mo- I answered, somewhat slowly, 1T
never struck me ; but | suppose they're all
right they don't lie worry low, and they've tho
boats"
s'Ihey don't lo very high" replied Dick,
rising TO his feet, and standing with his back to
the ire - and M to tho BOATS il they haYo to
take 10 thom, who's to man them You know
MIR. Ulaxiand never pulls, and the two gardeners
are J. should think, poor enough hands at It,
There's good lot of folk abont tho
place. and very few men at this time OF the year
--noilo, III fact, l expect, expect tho gardeners
and u boy. by Joye jack we should have
thought OF this before. Bnt thore's no time to
be lopt. We must lind II boat and get up to
WyandIa tonight. Are you GUne for it, Old
man? Don't go, if yon don't feel mp to 1t. /
shall easily be able to pick up crew at the
Wiloughby Arms"
right we should havo thought Of it before.
We got four men at the hotel, whom we knew
to b call study puors, and boat
; Wyandra lay up tho river, and in making for
S it, Wo followed the COURSE Of tho stream. Had
iC heun in the daytime We might haYo saved
something by taking q cross-cut, but tlofe was
, not sufficient light to make such course now
= ludciOus II was still raining III torrents from
: the heavy, low-hnnG heavens That seemed to
, ho slowly settling down lower and lower upon
/ tho Garth. The current of tho swollen river
: wa4 very strong. rendering pulling extremely
difficult. We wuro tho best part OF an honr III
: reaching Wyandra. Rowing, across what was y
day or two ago smiling garden, We approached
4 tho house from the front, .and- found the
gruunll-flOor completely submerged. There
was al oniliuu4 sllqnca about tho place. and it
n was " tth no slight feelings of m,sgiving that
: Weir ind climbed from tho boat through tho
windows Of the second floor, and cntored the
, housc. We found the household gathered to-,
. goblier in one room-air. and Mrs. Oakland
. | and their daughter, three women domestlcs,
| md
u seated with white faces and covering forms
:, around tho dying embers OF wood iire, and
4 tho whole group presented a very pitiahle sight.
@ As we entered tho room, John Dlaxiand started
It to his feet, aid whom no recognized lis, grasp-
: cd the hands Of both OF Ia with conNnlsiSe
?. energy.
il "6iyidear boys" he cried, "you are just in
n tino half an hour more, and the water Will be
+. kuco deep in this room All our fuel is useless,
l. too and we have been half-famshcd with cold
x - Dear me, MIR. Blaxland," eaid, 1--WE never
II imagined you would have been in such plight
10 buG it has been very thoushtess OF us. Didn
a Won think of trying to get away in the boats ri
g. stirst Pr
N "We put it of till it was too late. Tls tw'
ii skihs are such light things YOU know, ana none
ID of us understood mlicl about tho infringement
H. of boats. We didn't fancy Trusting ourselves tt
th0m, that's the tinth.'
+. 'We, We mustn't put OF time now, rIt,'
I'd cried.
,d Dicli Lad Eoon meanwhile doing his best tc
At re-aesurU Mrs. Blaxand and her daughter, th
or former Of whoIl was in a state OF extreme nerv
s ousnesg which tho poor lady was in vain exert
IT, ing herself to conLrOl We got together sucl
If shawls aud rugs It's were in the house and sti
or untouched by the water, and wrapping then
nd about NLrs. BlExland, Ella, and tho other thre
th women, made them AZ comfortable as tho Cit
to cumstances admitted in the stern OF Ghe boat
IT, When all tie male portion of tho party wer
10. seated, and tho rowets had taken Their pace
| We found that tho boat was already full. IN
ial other person it might hold, but not posElbi
! a. rlt,-Kr had not NIt,. AN
nv plated We had taken the largest boat We coul
inf rnt at Wioughby. What was TO ba done2 We
NJ. was prompt With remgdy. Ifs took nc aside
tic moment.
AZ "Ihere ia only ono thing FOR u, jarF, he sR
lck g / must stay behind"
Not while | go" replied.
ad Now, jack" said my cJmpaliun, ~ II InGe
at but decided voice, " listen to reason lth slmp
ay. II rnstter OF necessity. There are not two sid
nd to it. Both OF lis can't ,, and one Of lis mus
tic You must, for you are the best staeref, a:ld
we will noed nli ycur rktll in getting shfiy b&'
net with that heavily.ladeh boat, ANA through snt
nd a sea of waters, | know yut would do What
ind am dong but, you zee, must bo tho one v
re- staya behind in ills case. The lives Of all
I'M tho boat depend upon yunr going.'
I'M. saw the storn force of what he sa!i IL "
me, imperative that should CO. and it seemed II
Ory possible that Dick should 90 to.
bon s'Well, Dcl," | said 81 sec II must bo p
in Heaven grant that We may be able to come BIZ
den for Won in time. You will have to tako TO /
aud out against the cold all will bn we'll shall I
lit some fresh men at the hotel
in "AlI right old fellow, said Dick, hnrryi
eli mo into tho boat 81 shalt be all right do
par- fear. Just give mo your tohacco,ponch, v
her YOU? iii keep lifn in mo till yon retuI
un- Yonye got the brandy laTl Think bmt perh'
ung you'll need 1t for some of tho Wotnon.' He
air wonderfully calm and cool.
rton "Nu, no." l said, handing him tho ia
,1w- "ynu'il want il Il great deal more than any
ssy them" took my sest in tho steri of tho b9
,ui,g 40 Mr. Weir" cried Miss BlaXland from
lors place, ''can You not go with US! suroly So {
mako room Tor ono more
4 To "N,, No, AIiss BaxIu,i,' 10 IiiSd Wor. 81
for hoat ii already fuller than il safe h!ibl be
4he ri dit till Jack returns. Push oil, mon.
tho Tho boat inrchcl forward into clio tnnibli
.,Isf 4ca of waters ] looked back ut Dich. and ft
nct- moment raw his pale, calm, resointc face wat
mere ing US from the wininw III Tho next IL :
JJrn swallowed uD in tho enSinluuGiHH uarhhess
,ycr1 Tho current of tie river WAS now Will fis,
! an our progress WAS more rapid than it had |
,crIy yiOusly rctn. But our course was more dal't
had ous from tho turbulent violence with which
ctur current was flowing, and from the heavily la
MAJ enrdition OF the beat. Steering was cXtron
mad dinient and it was only with the greatest ell
Of h that could keep tho head of the boat straik
WAS For that night at least. the only pace III W
l. but nv living freight could DO accommodated
thai nv own rooms ut tle bDnk, and as soon as |
h ho seen Mr. and Mira. Blayand, Ella and tho res
with comfortably provided for as possible, sot
II two again in tho boat for Milionshby Aihis;; VI
/ be- four ruWers one consented to return wiilhei
away other three though they would have peeh
Linr, Gn, to go with me- declared themselves MI
rnrGt. for the work. At the hotel, by offering u r
Ii..tt cinnt money inducemcnt, Wes enabled 10
lie.?" tain three other mon. ,,
n. If Back over the dark edayinR !iood We made
lands SLOW way The rain was falling, II possibi
ponC- heavier torrents, and the night had grown u
this cr Stormy MASSES OF cIouus 7"oH' i Or
ucross tho lowering heavens, looking az INC
le TO- thoy might at nay uuuiehb Ge-c0md bodily
said oyerwhGlln us in black destruction IL was
IN El- a heart beating with anxiety that sat stlal
my eyos out into the darkness as we approa
,at his the house at Wyandra. Tho water had
nwInt | high above the windows of the second loor
alipht, was level with the roof-more than level
said. turbid colored tide was tapping over the
don't stone parapet in front. l climbed up upon
roof / knew that Dick must have been ii
lly in from the interior Of the house long since.
T. but stooping position, more often than not 0
Dicks hands and feet, gTopcl my way in the rail
mem darkness along the sloping shlnSle roof.
hand sone time was unable to discover any SIC
chiId- Weir | called his name again and agali
there was no answer. dread came upon
sf i'm that wearied ont as he WAS by the long ant
10 mar wonted exertions of tho day, he had been
, upon come by exhaustion, and swept away by q
yautlra. morsecHs waters.
not in At last, when hope was fast sinking With
worthy ( stumbled and tlippcd against something
friend at my feet. stopped, and found Welr lyint
hearted bis back propped against one OF the chiinn
ft,J in, app,. and