South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1876-06-23

ing rainy weather for O week or so and
it now had cleared Oh bright and beau.
tiful. We stopped and took dinner at
. wayside inn. four miles beyond which
was stream which must be forded. -
The inn-kceper told me that the stream
was somewhat swollen from the late
rains, but that If my horse was trusty
there could be no danger"
Arrived at the stream-the Wampa.
tuck river-f found the water indeed
risen. and the current strong, but l saw
that others had recently gone over. and
resolved to venture. knew my horse
and had faith in him. My wife was anx-
ious. but she trusted my Judgment. A
third OF the way across the water was
over the hub OF the wheels. A little
more and it would have reached the
body of the wagon. began to be a.
Harmed; feared had lcf. the true
track. Presently my horse stumbled
and staggered. having evidently step.
ped upon moving stone. The wagon
swayed and tipped, and tile food poured
In upon US. My wife slipped and in a
moment more we were in the water
With one hand l grasped the harness
upon tue horse, and with the other held
my wife. L was thus struggling when a
Wild cry from her lips startled the air.
Our child was washed away.
"Oh my soul cannot tell YOU what
L suffered during those moments. l
could not help our darling. If left my
wife she was lost. / chung to tue horse
and to my shrieking wife-shrieking to
God for mercy for her child. The horse
was struggling for the shore. In the
distance upon the bosom of the strug.
CLING flood could see our little one, her
white dress cleaning in the sun, being
borne swiftly away. A moment more
and saw man plunge from the bank
into the river. l saw this much and
then an intervening point OF land. shut
out the scene. The horse was now IA.
pidly nearing the shore. and ere long nv
wife and were upon dry land, with the
horse and wagon. AS soon rs | was
sure my wife was safe / left her to care
for the horse while posted off down the
river bank in quest of the swimmer and
the child.
You may we'll understand that all
this time I was frantic. was n ma.
chine being operated upon by surging
and agonizing emotion. How long or
how far wandered do not know, but
at length l met man, wet and drip.
ping, with my darling in his arms-my
darling, safe and sound. He told me
he caught the child within few rods of
the falls, and that in landing he had
cleared the fatal abyss by not more than
two yards. lie was young man-not
Inn G.x> Il 4
stalwart. lie said he had seen my wa.
gon tip and was coming to my assistance
when he saw the child washed away. Il
threw my life into the balance" said he.
with genial smile, "and thank God |
both the lives were saved.
II asked him how should ever repay
him. He stopped me with all imploring
gesture.
eff you talk Of more pay than have |
received" he said, "Il you can
rob me OF the only solid reward | can |
claim. mercy! If saving tic life Of such |
n cherub is not enough of reward in il. |
self, then hard is the heart that Graves |
more And with moistencd eyes he |
told me that he had child of his own
ut home-an only child--of nearly the |
same age.
II asked him il he would tell me his |
name. With q smile, he answered that !
his name did not matter--he was not
sure that he had name. ] then asked |
him il he knew me. lie nodded and |
said he thought might be Mr.. Lurliny.
ton, Of Waldbridge. When told him
that he was correct he said / must ex-
cuse him. lie was wet and must hurry
home. was too deeply moved 10 stop
him, and when lie had disappeared /
started to rejoin my wife with dawn.
ing impression that the man might DO
slightly deranged. But my darling was
safe-her broad fcecy cloak had hoated
out and kept her head above water-and
went on my way rejoicing, resolved
That the prcscrver OF my child should
not be forgotten.
81 will not tell you OF the emotion OF
my wife as she held her child once more
IN her arms We reached Shireton be.
fore night and found quarters Mt com.
Portable tavern.
"On the following day Laban Sarrurt
called upon me and was about 10 spread .
his evidence for my inspection. when I /
interrupted him. ! told him could not
accept his confidence until I had made I
mp my mind to take the case in hand. /
Something seemed to whisper that there
was danger ahead. ] did not feel com.
fort table in that mans presence. felt
rs though he was trying 10 buy me-
The court would sit in four dnys. /,
old him ] would give him a final answer
IN two days from that.
That evening ] made confident Of (
my wife, and asked her what I should
10. III take the case" I said. II am .
sure OF five thousand dollars" She f.
babe me do what was right. God has .
been very kind to u.s. she said. Let /
rs look to him for our guidance"
After this ! called on the clergyman
Of the place. whose son had been nv
,lassmate in college, and whom I had /
'nce bfore visited. He received me
heartily, and by and by / asked him a. /
bout William Acton. The result Of all .
ne told may be summed mp in his clos.
no eputanca Gofd he.