Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-09-11


ton did moi impress me with this idea. ! felt
that this might be in a great measure preJu-
dice, but some of llamertons habits OF llfo dd
net appear specially laudable. Weir and found
him frequent night visitor Of the billiard room
OF the WilIoughby Arms, and this not with tie
merely innocent object Of enjoying game. He
never seemed to care FOR playing unless for
money stakes and he WAS always prepared to
play ashigh as his opponents would. lie almost
invariably won and when he did not, it struck
me that he had his own reasons for it, In TACT
lie did much what he liked with snch opponents
al he met at Willoughby Arms, though they were
slow to see it and his fine talent for the game
no doubt brought him iii a comfortable addition
TO his income. He employed lbs knowledge of
cards whenever opportunity offered, with the
Same results.
Tho winter Of 1868 is still remembered in New
South Wales as that in which one of tho largest
tiooda that the colony has ever been subjected to
occurred. The Hunter River district suffered
especially, and we in Wlioughhy did not escape
tho general destruction. The rapidlly with
which Hood occurs III Australia IL not readily
reslizod by people in the home country. The
rain began to fall in Willoughby at noon Of one
day, and by dusk of the neXJ tho river had risen
thirty feet. jiy next morning half the town was
snhmerged the water completely covering the
ground-ioor of many OF the houses. Our bank
premises stood comparatively high, but we were
obliged to abandon the first iloor on the second
morning of the flood. Boats we're employed all
lildU uhy conveying tHb iHiidbHplils itbti tho
lower parts of the town, and the houses inme-
diately contiguous to tho river to those situated
on more elevated ground farther hack from the
stream. or conrae, at SUCH tinn all DhrlnesH
is ut an end. Every opo WHO could be of any
service employed himself IN manning the boats
for tho rescue of tic llondtd-Ont families. Weir
and had been hand at work all dHy with the
boats, and were resting from our exertona, III
onr little sitting room, after our u o clock din-
ner. We wefc both pretty tired, and did lot
1Nt,.,
some uigent demand were made upon us. As
we sat smoking IN silence, Weir said, eudiahy
81 BY tho bye, did 1t ever occur to YOU now the
Wyandra people may be getting on ~
NO J. answered, somewhat SLOWLY; " it
never struck me but | Hupposo they're all
right they lout lie very low. aud they've the
boats
.Thoy don't l;o worry high" replied Dick,
rising to his feet, and standing with his buck to
tho fire /; +" aud as to the boats, il they have to
take TO them, who's to man them? Yon know
Mr.. Blsxland never pulls, and the two gardeners
are, / should think, poor enough hands ut it,
There's u good lot Of women.fClk about the
place, and worry few men at this tinie OF che year
hone, in fact, expect, expect the gardeners
and n buv. sv JoVo Jack, We should have
thought of this before Bnt tlIeres no time to
be lost. We must iidd boat aud get up to
Nyandra tonight. Are you game for II. old
man? Don't 80, if you don't feel mp TO 1t.
shall ensiy be able to pick up CROW at the
Willoughby Arms"
I'm quito ready. Dick" anewered, You're
right We should have thought OF it before"
We got four men mt the hotel, whom we knew
to h call sturdy pnllers, and a boat.
Nyandra lay up tho river, and in making for
Ii, we followed tho cour-e of the etreAm Had
1t been in the daytime, We might have saFed
something by taking cross-cut but there was
not sufficient light TO make such course now
ildicious 1t was sti raining III torrents from
the heavy, low. hung heavens, that seemed to
al
the Garth The current of the swollen river
was very strong, rendering pnlling extremely
diilicnt. We were the best part OF an hour III
reaching Wyaudra Rowing aoross what was a
day or t~o ago smiling garden. We approaehed
tho house iroin the iI0It, .4nd. found the
ground-h9nf completely subnielgd. Iliele
was All oinnous silence about tho place, and II
was With uo slight teel!neA of nisslvlng that
Weir and climbed from the boat throuah The
wndowa Of the second ii0or, and entered the
house, We found the household gathered to-
gother in ono room Mr.. and Mrs. Blaxlaud
and their daughter, three woIncn domestcs,
two mon servants, and the boy. They were
seated with white faces and covering forms
around tho dying emhars of wood ire, ohd
tho whole group presented very ptiable sight.
As we entered the room, John BlAxand etefted
to Lis feet. aud when he recognized ns, grasp
ed the hands OF both Of us with conyulage
energy.
| timo half an honr MORE and the water Viii be
| kueo deep iu thA room Al our fnel is useless,
| too and We have teen half-fan.shed with cold.
. Dear mo Mr.. BHylaud," | said, Two mower
! imagined you would have been iii such plight ;
| but 1t has been very thOushtleGa of ua bdA
you tnk Of trying to get a%ay in tho boats VI
hraty'
+" lie Put ii oil til 'it was too laae. Tie t.go
| sltiifs are saeh Eight Things yuu lsnow, and nene
ot us understood uael ABOUT the management
OF boats. We d'.n't flLes tlrltiHS ourselves to
them. that's the truth.
wei, We mustn't put OIL time row, eir,' I
cried.
Dick had been meanwhile doing his best to
| re assure gla. Hlaxland and lar dauRhtor the
fofmsl of whcm WAS IN . state Of extreme nety-
eusness, which the puor lady was in vain exer5-
ing herrelf to control We got together such
elaH!s and rugs az were 10 The hdnso and still
untouched by tho water, aud wrapping them
| about Mrs Ii0Xlgnd, Ella. end the Other three
women, made them as comfortable a. tine CIR
| cumstanecs admitted in tile stern Of the boat.
| When all the male portion of the party were
seated. and the rowers had taken tleir places
| we found that the boat WAS already futl Ono
other person it might hold, but not possibly
more Here WAS difficulty we had not contem.
plated. We had taken tho largest boat We could
got at Willuuehby. What was to be done? Weir
was prompt with T. remedy. lie took me aside Il
moment.
"There is only one thing for it, JacE, ho said
81 must stay behind"
mot while so" replied.
| "Now, jack, said my companion in quiet,
but decided voice, al liston to reason. It's SIMPLY
| q matter of necessity. There arc not two sldes
| TO it. Both Of US can't 50, and one OF rs must,
| Yon must, for you arc the best eteerer, and it
will need all your elIl in getting safely back
| with that heavily. .aden boat, aud through such
| u sea OF waters know you would do what
| am doing, but you see, must be Tho one who
stays behind in this case. Tho lives Of all III
| the boat depcud upon your going"
| I the stern force CT what he SaiN, Ii was
| imperative that should so, and 1t seemed i'm
possible that Dick shonld 20 to.
| "Mell, Dick" said, :" see il must be SO.
| Heaven grant that We may be able to come back
for you III time You will have to take to the
roof, expect bat II you csn manage TO hold
| out against the cold, all Will be well shall get
| some fresh men at the hotel
| "All right, old fellow" said Dick, humying
| me into tile boat; II ehall be all right don't
| fear just give me your tobacco pouch, will
Won? III keep life in me TIL you return
| You've got the brandy tlasl,1 think, but perhaps
vou,ll need 1t for COME of the women.' He was
| wonderfully calm and cool.
| "No, no." | said, banding him the flask,
"vou'll want it great deal more than any OF
| them" | took my seat in the stern of the boat.
80, Mr.. Weir" cried Mics Baxland from hen
| place. "can you not so with MS. Surely we can
make room for ono more.
| "No, No, Miss Blaxland," replied Weir. "The
boat is already fuller than is safe sAall be all
right till Jack returns Iu'h OF, men,
lhe boat lurched forward into the tumbllng
sea of waters. looked back at Dick, and fora
moment raw bis pale, calin, resosnte face watch