Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1876-10-19

w VII tAAS N"A SAAA"H oN
self.
"Ken you swim, stranger?'
he asked.
""Not stroke" Ireplied.
"And now what shall j pay
you, my friends?" l inquired.
when we had all safely landed.
"That's a question we're jest
a goin' to SETTLE" returned the
former spokesman.
| was rudely grappled on
either side. The purse | had
taken out fell from my hand,
but my pocketbook was soon
in the possession of my assail-
ants, one of whom FASTENED to
open it, and after fumbling a
roll of notes, said to his COM
ipanion:
Guess thar's enough here,
Bill; let's be OFF,
As they leaped into the boat
and showed off, one Of them
called out, derisiyely:
"Ef you want to git to your
friends tonight. you've no time
to lose, for the rivers risin', an,
you'll soon hev wet feet har. "
As he spoke, l felt the water
coming over my ankles. There
had been heavy rains above, and
several of the rivers largest
tributaries were pouring down
vast torrents, caused by the
melting of the mountain SHOWS.
1t was the beginning of one of
the spring fre>hets which often
! inundated that region, carrying
terror and destruction far and
wide.
Whittier to bend my steps |
knew not, but TO remain there
was impossible. | turned and
CROPPED my way a few PAGES,
when the roar Of the angry
food again confronted me.
Whichever Way | turned | heard
it. A storm was gathering, and
every moment the darkness
grew thicker and thicker. A
flash of lightning blazed from
the heavens, lighting up d scene
before which / recoiled with
horror. BY the lurid glare, l
saw that l was standing on IA
low, fat island, every portion
Of which, if the rise continued,
would soon be many feet under
water! l understood, now, the
purport of the villains question::
Can you swim""
I shouted for help-prayed
for it-but no deliverance came.
The only answer was the'sound
of the rushing, mighty waters,
or mightier thunder which
seemed to rend the very sky.
The rain fell in torrents. Fas-
ter and faster the waters rose.
Step by step l retreated before
them. At every returning flash
l saw my little spot of ground
growing smaller and smaller.
Isought in vain for some tree
or bush into which l might
climb, but found nothing strong
enough to bear my weight. The
island, at last, was reduced to a
speck, and the next flash re-
vealed but a waste of waters.
Soon | stood waist deep in the
surging food, which threatened
every instant, to sweep me
down. Once more L cried out
in agony, but my voice was
drowned in the din Of the ele-
ments.
The waves had reached my
shoulders. Strength and cour-
age were fast failing. 1t wonld
be impossible to hold my foot
ing a minute longer, and [ was
or the point of yielding, when
some dark object floated toward
me. | put out my hands eager
Iy. An exclamation of JOY es-
capped me. 1t was a small boat
that had drifted within my
reach. fa,e5ysg s'i.lyL
| know not how | managed
to climb into the trail craft with
out overturning it, but, in an
other moment, it was bearing
me safely from the spot on
which [ had suffered allOf ter
ror which death has in his pow
er 10 inflict. -sl'-a 2-'.-s'--
A moath afterward it be-
came my duty to prosecute two
prisoners charged with passing
counterfeit money. The Cast
had been prepared by an assis-
tant, and knew nothing-of the
particulars till it was called fol
trial. T.4
| Ny assistant was putting il
1.-THE proofs-among other things
the forged notes passed by the
prisoners while in company
and numerous others of the
| - :. 4 I: =. 49,. -.