New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1879-01-08

the lower roof in safety. Such cheer
arose for this. Well done, brave men,
we'll done! watched and waited. Pull
ing in, the heat was great. I pulled away
to the opposite wing, abbutting on the
river, now almost wholly clad in flame
I and smoke, but still itself unburning.
What is that2 Can it be man or wo.
man kneeling there, and unobserved amid
the sbrouding smoke by all the rest who
are gazing at the gallant men around the
stables? The soldiers had arrived and
we're doing good service; but no one
else perceived the solitary form wrapped
in an ulster coat, and trembling on the
wall above the river.
Not moment was to be lost. pulled
! in hastily.
Leap" shouted, .'leap!"
AsI spoke rose up IN the boat. The
planks winked once more and ratified.
"Jump!" yelled in my excitement.
One look to heaven--a glance down to
the swiftly-running river, and the person
addressed leaped feet first. Unthink-
ingly, moved suddenly; the light gig
rocked. In vain I attempted to recover
by balance; the boat tipped over and l
! fell headlong into the water, now covered
with debris.
The two planks started after me to-
gether from beneath the thwarts.
sank and as did so I thought of
Rcsie, and made up my mind to die, if l
must; but struggled manfully tor life
the while.
| When one is unwillingly under water
| the brain seems to become buster than at
all other times. know not why, but in
! that half minute or so that was under
meath saw many acts of my life. Cir.
cumstances locked, from m; mental
point OF view, very different
from what they had to my
bodily eyes. had plenty of time to re-
pent my rashness, to utter prayer and
to forgive my enemies; and then strug-
gled. knocked my head, half sank again,
put out my right arm and grasped some
thing. 1t was plank.
Seeing body rising up close BY, I
raised the head. The person had tried
to save was sensible, evidently.
twas delighted TO find that he, too
was floating on plank, the twin support
er of my arm, and how those good
friends tossed about, and drove up against
each other in sheer delight, as we all
foated away fast downstream together,
battles description.
impelled my plank toward the other,
and, no doubt added by that woudrous
law of attraction and sympathy which
exists even in wood, succeeded III get
ting close to my companion. Leaning
my arm upon the trusty plank, man
aged to support the form near me but all
this time we neither Of US spoke word,
nor could we discern each others fea
lures. The fast subslding fire was far
behind US now.
The steady planks kept floating with us
toward the bank, but was not very anx-
ious to 60 ashore jus: then, as the river
sides were steep, and certain curling ed
dies did not look attractive.
The moon had been obscured by heavy
clouds; but we could discern the stones
which here and there rose up from out of
the water from shoal in midstream. We
should soon be in safety. The planks
apparently thought otherwise. They
bobbed about and grew very impatient
to reach the shore
There's distant thunder! A storm is
coming up. No, it must be train pass
ing the bridge above. No; the noise in
creases! the sound is born continuously
on the wind. The planks got very rest
less now. The banks even came closer
to us, but the stream ran all the faster.
The noise was getting louder every min
ute
knew what it was at last knew too
well-it was the mill weir!
If the sluice were open to the huge
over shot wheel our doom was sealed.
Nothing much short of miracle could
save U.s. Striking out for the bank.
called for my companion to do the same,
but encountered with the ulster coat his
progress was net great.
We would find footing on the lasher
probably; the eddy would assist us.
We fcated round the turn in the stream.
The wheel was revolving. could plainly
hear the splash, splash of the monoton-
GUS clank and dash; the water dripped
and ran away from the grinding wood
work, and gladly escaped beneath to
save being crushed to air on the top of
those mighty paddles.
| We had two channels to choose from :
one over the weir, the other beneath the
wheel. The suction in the latter was
tremendous. I swan strongly Tor the
former. I reached the slippery piles and
caught them. A bright light was burn
ing in q small window in the mil, twenty
yards or SO away. We were in an eddy
for moment. I called out loudly. 4
head was put out. l yelled again. The
plank wherein | Law slipped from be-
meath me, rose up again, and carried me