Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-02-02
arm should be still fastened to the

farm should De SC1ll IaSL0noQ TO Uue
bank I must depend on my own in
genuity for the means of conveying my
self and those to save whose lives had
imperilled my own to firm ground. Had
but time I had little doubt that, by
some one of the expedients that suggest
themselves to trained engineer,
could effect safe passage to the shore;
but could not avoid entertaining some
dismal forebodings as Inoted the alarm
ing rapidity with which the foodwave
was rising. Another so-called "jam "
had taken place as the ice gorge touch.
ed upon the shadows near the island,
and could hear the grinding and the
clashing of the ice, as slab upon slab
was piled up by the mighty pressure
from above.
I had enough to do to soothe the fears
of poor little Mrs. Parnell-a gentle,
blue eyed little woman who had thank
ed and blessed me as her preserver
when we met, but who now, as she saw
the river rushing over the lslet, sweep
ing away barn and byre, and invading
the lower rooms of the farmhouse, gave
up all for lost; while the child-a noble
looking little boy-showed scarcely any
sign of alarm.
! Those were anxious moments which
succeeded. I could tell by the dull
| thud-tbud as of steam hammer, that
the ice was beating against the stout
timbers of the farmhouse. The meadows
we're submerged, the garden dreary
waste of floating fragments of wood.
work, uprooted shrubs. and turbid
water. The food was up to my knees
as crossed the threshold of the dwell
ling itself. That there was no boat bat
that which had been carried off by the
cowardly hireling who had left their
masters family to perish 1 had speed
ily ascertained. OF rescue from the
shore there could be no reasonable pros.
poet. The danger had increased tenfold
since first I set off on my venturous
voyage, and no one was likely to launch
a BOAT in the face of almost certain de-
tructiOn,
So far as could see, there were but
two courses open to us. We might re-
main in the upper stories of the farm
house, or, if hard pressed by the mount
ing water, take refuge on the roof.
trusting that the strong wooden frame
work would hold together till the food
should abate. But the manner In which
/ the walls t1embled beneath the shock
| of the on Incoming ice was not reassuring,
while the frightful rapidity with which
the water rose threatened absolute ruin.
The other alternative was to construct
raft capable of battling with current
and pack-drift; and to this I at once
addressed myself. Luckily, number
of -four casks, set on end, and some
sheep hurdles, which I espied floating
about in the yard. now transformed
into lagoon, in the midst of which
the affrighted poultry screamed and
futtered, supplied the needful mate
rails, while my professional hardness
stood me in GOOD stead; but the peril
was imminent, for now the blows dealt
by the ice-blocks without made the
house reel as though beneath the
strokes of a battering ram.
Never before had I toiled as I did
then, well-knowing that life and death
depended on my promptitude, and that
[ the breaking up Of another "jam," or
temporary ice-dam, would probably
render the river unnavigable, so that,
should the house be swept away, our
last poor chance of safety would be
gone. So I worked on with fierce
eagerness, until the empty casks and
the osier hurdles were as tightly Sc
cured with withes and cords as could be
effected by one pair of hands; and then
the precious raft was launched, Mrs.
Parnell lending her slight strength to
the task as, slowly and indeed
painfully, it was dragged through the
shallow water in search of place where
there should be sufficient depth to set
if afoat. There was a moment of
agonizing suspense as strained every
muscle and sinew in the attempt to drag
the light structure clear of some up
rooted trees, while the house shook per-
ceptibIy beneath the laundering blows
of the piled-up ice, which now rose
many feet high at the back of the islet.
Then the raft foated, and bidding those
under my charge to sit still and leave
the rest to me, L seized a fir-pole and
thrust it off from the bank into the
whirling water.
Once, twice, and yet third time I
touched the bottom of the pole with
which 1 tried to steer the rude craft,
and then we were in deep water, and
driving along at the mercy of the cur
rent. A shrek from Mrs. Parnell made
me look back, and saw the whole side
of the dwelling we had just left collapse
like child's house of cards, while with
roar like that of artillery the ice-bar-
rier broke UP, and in pell-men confusion
the shining hillocks and glittering slabs
began to 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 it.
For moment, but only for moment,
despair took pos es or OF my heart;
but then, as an eddy swept us in shore
wards, ringing cheer from the men
clustered on the bank, and then another,
attracted my attention. The ice was
very near, but the shore, thank heaven,
was nearer still, and a long rope was
thrown to us. caught it, and we were
dragged to the bank, where amidst the
drifting ice the raft was upset, and it
was not without some and peril that,
bruised, wet and breathless, we gained
the solid earth.
| Half an hour later Mrs. Parneu and
little IIO1lis chilled and exhaustad lo,7t