Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-02-05

such were the old farmers valeiictorv
words az ! sprang into canoe, graspet the
zaddIe and pushed Off. "Pifty too, 10 see IL
cone. We Oughter hev held him back by
Orce ncigbbOrsln
However. was by this time well out Of
fhe creek. which formed "A SORT OF miniature
harbOr, and plying my patdle with the vigor
necessary TO cOntend with the force of the
current, now swollen by the effects OF the
long continued thaw. Luckily, during my
residence beside the Delaware, / mad acquired
that deXterity I'm the handling OF canoe
which nothing but practice could confer. and
/ succeeded in eludiDg the shock of those
might have proved fatal To my slender skifT,
and had almost gained the southern extrem-
1ty of the island, when loud shout OF warn
ing from those on shore made me turn my
head, to behold. with dismay, that guam
tity of gigantic masses OF the cleaning crys-
tai had broken away from the slow moving
gorge and were rushing furiously down the
stream, revolving in giddy circles as they
came. Almost mechanically / gave one
long sweeping stroke with the paddle, and.
as the canoe darted forward. rose 10 my feet
and sprang into the water, which proved TO
be little more than waist-Ceep at the spot,
so that / easily scrambled up the garden
bank. while my frail bark, caught and
crushed between two of the drifting blocks,
foSted helpless wreck along the river.
Up 10 this moment haC achieved a par
tial. but Only partial, success. j had
reached the island, but the heaviest part of
my task. as i was well aware, lay before
me. The canoe was gone, so that unless
some boat belonging to the farm should DE
still fasLered 10 the bank, must depend on
my own ingenuity for The means of convey
Ing myself and those 10 save whose lives |
had Imperfect my own, II firm ground. Had
Il but time had little doubt that, by some
one OF the expadients that suggest Them
selves TO a trained engineer, could effect
safe passage to the shore; but / could not
avoid entertaining some dismal fOreb Gdiugs
as noted the alarming rapidity with which
the flood wave was rising. Another So
called '.Jan" had taken place as the Ice
gorge touched upon the shadows near the
island, and / could hear t1e grinding AMI
clashing of the flOe. as slab upon slab was
piled up by the mighty pressure from above.
had enough to do to sOOthe the fears of
poor little Mrs. PAMELA gentle, blue eyed
little woman-whO bad thanked and blessed
me as her preSerVer when we met. but who
now, as she saw the river rushing over the
islet, sweep away barn and byre, and lnvad-
Ing the lower rooms Of the farm house, gave
up all for lost; while the chiId-a noble look
ing little boy-shOwed scarcely any sign OF
alarm.
Those were anxious moments which sue
ceedod. / could tell by the dull thud- thud!
as OF a steam hammer, that the ice was beat
Ing against the stout timbers OF the farm
house. The meadows were submerged, the
garden dreary waste of floating fragments
of woodwork, up-rOOted shrubs, and turb!d
water. The flood was up To my knees as |
crossed the threshold of the dwelling itself.
That there was no boat but that which hal
been carried of by the cOwarily hirelings
who had left their masters family to perish
had speedily aSCerfaiued. OF rescue from
the shore there could be no REASONABLE pros
pect. The danger had increased ten fold
since first set off on my venturOUs voyage,
and no one was likely to launch 4 boat in
the face OF almost certain destruction.
SO far as / could see, there were but two
courses open 10 US. We might remain IN the
upper stories OF the farm house, or, If nRrd
pressed by the mounting wafer. take refuge
on the roof, trusting that the strong wooden
framework would hold together till the Hood
shOuld abate. But the manner in which the
walls tremhled beneath the shock OF the on
coming ice was rot reaSsuving. while the
fTighttul rapidity with which the water rose
threatened absolute ruin. The other alterua-
tive was TO construct raft capable of bat
Ting with current ard pack-drift: and 10
this l at once addressed myself. Luckily,
number of empty hour-caS ks. set on end :,
and some sbCey-hurdles. which | espie
floating about in the yard, now trans
formed into lagoon, in the midst of
which the affrishisd poultry screamed aud
huttered. supplied the reedfui materials,
while my professional hardness stood me
In good stead; but the peril was pressing and
imminent, for row the blows dealt by the
lce-biOcss without made the hoaSe reel a
though beneath the STROKES OF battering
ram.
Never before had toiled as did then,
well knowing that life and death depended
on my prOmptitute, and that the breaking
up of anOtng " JAM" or temporary ice dam.
wculG probably render the river Unnaviga-
bic. $" That, should the house be swept away,
our last poor chance of safely would De gone:
So worked % with n fierce eagerness. until
Tn" empty KS and the oSier hurdles were
as lightly occurred with withes aud cords as
cOCiJ a- effected by one pair Of hands; aud
then Tie reciOus raft was launched Mrs.
FarGeil .eLding her slight strength TO the
dragged through the shallow water in
search OF q place whore there should b.
Sufficient ceqth 20 set IL aiOat. There was
a moment OF agoniZ NJ suspense as |
strained every muscle and sinGw In the
attempt TO drag the light structure clear %
some uprooted trees, while the house shooz
perceptthly beneath the Numbering blows
OF the piled up ice, which now rose many
feet high a the back OF the islet. Then the
raft fOated; and bidding those under nv
charge 10 sit stu and leave the rest to me,
l seized 8 FIR pile and thrust IL OF from the
bank into the Wh!riing water.
Once, twice, and yet third time touched
the bottom with the pole with which tried
10 steer the rude craft, and then we were I'm
deep water and driving along at the mercy
of the current. A shrek from Mrs. Parneil
made me look back, and 1 saw the whole
side OF The dwelling we had just left collapse
like childs house of cards, while with a
roar like that OF artillery the ice barrier
broke up, and in pell nell confusion the
shining hillocks and glittering slabs began
10 hurry towards US, the horrible grinding
sound of the blocks as they dashed against
one another being loud enough to deafen the
ear that heard 10.
For a moment but only for a moment. de-
spair took possession Of my heart; but then,
as an eddy swept us in Shorewaris, a ring
Ing cheer from the men clustered on the
DdNK, ana tnen dnOt1er, attracted nv atten-
ton. The ice was very near; but the shore,
thank heaven, was nearer still, and a long
rope was thrown TO us. / caught il, and We
were dragged TO the bank, where amidst the
DRIFT ice the raft was upset. and il was not
without some trouble and peril that, brui sed
wet and breathleSs, we gained the solid
earth.
Half an hour later Mrs. ParnelI and little
Louis, chilled and exhausted bu: Unharme1,
were safe under the hoSpitable care Of the
kindly folks in whose house i lived, while
before night her husband arrived 20 clasp the
Rescued ones 10 his heart.
Under Gods mercy" said the honest fell
low To ne, with quivering lip as he took
my hand and wruug 10 for the tenth time, IL
owe the preservation Of all | love to you.
Were friends for life, guess"
And staunch and fast friends have we been
tin nov, though years have rolled by since
that day aud both of US have pToSpered in
the world and have happy homes ana a fair
sutfciency Of the good THUGS OF life. But we
have neither OF US ever forgotten the events
OF that terrible winter, or let slip from cur
memories the ice-gOrge and what came OF
lit BGlGTdrid.
SOCIAL LIFE IN BERLIy.-Tue Berlin
opera house is not so large as that in
Munich, but IL is an exceedingly cheerful
and agreeable one. The EmperOr's box
which Is opposite the stage. occupies a con-
siderab bic part Of the house, and the house is