Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-04-17
SKETCHES OF THE MINES.
BY A VETERAN.

BY VETERAN.
Thirty years ago, there lived, in a
neat little cottage house that stands
about halt way down the "Hollow, -
widow lady and her daughters
sprightly girl Of ten or twelve sum-
mers. She had reached the matronly
age of forty years when the once slen-
der frame OF most ladies is apt to de
velop in size become more substantial
and assume a new style of elegance.
Such was now true of Mrs. w. though
it detracted nothing from her easy,
graceful movements and rather added
charm to her appearance, not un-
pleasant to the opposite sex especially
when of the same age aud bereaved
condition. For unknown reasons
she lived mostly to herself, keeping
aloof from her neighbors who were
mostly miners knowing little of each
others former life or family and car
ing less. There was nothing to indi.
cate that she suffered from the want
of anything but companionship and
this she did not seem to desire. Her
little home, externally, wore cheerful
attractive appearance, and to the eye
of the passing observer would indi-
cate happiness and contentment
within. In summer the thick foliage
OF young naples shaded and cooled
the soft green carpet beneath, while
honey-suckles clambered over the
windows and blooming roses mingled
their fragrance with the evening
breeze. If the cultivation and love
OF beautiful flowers is the criterion to
form an opinion Of a woman's nature,
then hers was one of the sweetest
and most beautiful imaginable. And
so thought one of her Methodist
neighbors, now an eminent pract,.
toner in the West, who occasionally
dropped in to break the spell of her
solitude. Nature, on every side,
with choicest robes aud fairest smiles.
beguiled his heart. and, in meditative
mood, he wandered round in shady
groves and lonely dells, and sought
to break the spell. But, nature
clothed in fairest beauty, and most
seductive forms, could not dispel the
widows plaintive words and sweet
bewitching smiles and the good
brother yielded to destlny-and the
widows charms. Short was their
courtship and so was their welded
life. As the winter is averse to vio-
lating the sanctity of this holy state,
conjecture must answer for the I'M
seen causes that led to their scpara.
ton and speedy return to their sepa-
rate domiciles. Such is life. As the
Lord has promised to provide for the
widow and the fatherless in this in.
stance she was clearly wrong in seek
ing human aid and consolation and
their separation was probably a case
of divine interposition to strengthen
her faith and keep her from again
falling into "blind infidelity." Oh
why do the widows have 80 little
faith in these heavenly promises p
Tell me why?
After this little episode of folly,
she resumed her former widowbood
and reticent life and 80 continued till
the summer of 1850 when one OF those
unseen calamities, startling and aw-
ing alike the bravest hearts, reached
within her quiet home.
1t was no less than one OF those
periodical floods that come with the
suddenness of summer storm and
sweep these valleys and ravines with
irresistible fury. So it came to the
sleeping, unsuspecting inhabitants OF
the little village of Rockdale in Iowa
in 1875, awakening with the roar OF
q deluge, the sleeping inmates of the
place, and, without moments warn.
ing, carrying the helpless infant and
wailing mother; the maiden in her
bloom and the young man in bis
strength, the aged, the infrm and the
strong man, alike powerless and ter.
ror-stricken, ont into the bewildering
darkness and on to a watery grave.
And such was the appalling scene
that visited Potosi in July, 1850, and
again in the year 1860 taking each
each time a victim to the watery
fend. Mrs. W. was alone 10 her
house. The night became fearfully
dark and the roaring elements seemed
as if again about to repeat the de.
struction of a wicked world. The win
dows of the heavens were opened and
the black clouds rent in twain by the
frey bolts oiheaven's artillery, seemed
as if about to "heave an ocean or
their march below" From bluff te
bluff the waters rose, and as the,
went wildly coursing down the val
ley, bearing everything movable il
their onward course, it seemed as i
the very bills would be rent and tori
from their firm foundations. As tn,
flood deepened and surged around
the Widows door, in its increasing
strength and volume threatening
every moment to bear it to destruc
ton, frantic terror took possession
of her soul--she rushed out Wild,
into the raging waters and alone, il
thick darkness and amid the roarin!
tumult of elemental strife, the fright
ened spirit of this poor woman sough
refuge in the Ark of Him
! Who plants his footsteps on the sea,
And rides upon the storm"
/ In her younger days ] was told sh
was a peerless beauty. She came l.
/ tha x-Lax