The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1880-06-04
dwelling, and handkerchief was waved
imDlorinply toward him.


Unhesi atingly he rode into the water,
which for some distance was not over
his horses back but it soon drew deeper,
forcing the animal to swim. Fiorian
urged him forward, and, drawing near
the house, the door was thrown open,
and he cried out in affrighted surprise,
for there stood Miss Linwood and Har
Tiet Gelderl M
Harrietr cried Florian, "fol
heavens sake, how came you here2'
We came to see a sick woman" re,
piled Harriet, with prompt coolness
and the water rose before We"
"It is rising now, and fast" he inter.
rupted, excitedly, and there is no time
to waste. My horse will carry two;
which of you shall take 6rst3'
"The sick woman FIRST" said Harriet
quietly.
Flirt, coquette, as she was called, and
not without cause, yet the element Of
heroism was in her nature. She was as
calm and cool now as she had ever been
in her life, while her aunt stood trembl-
ing with excitement. Florian trembled,
too, ashe looked at the feeble old woman,
whom Miss Linwood was assisting from
ber chair to the door, and whom he had
not noticed until Harriet called his at.
tention to her. He trembled with the
appalling fear that there would not be
time to go and return twice, before the
swiftly rising waters should have torn
the frail structure from its foundations;
for there was already an inch of water
upon the floor. But he only cast one
glance at Harriet's calm face, and stopped
to lift the sick woman up before him.
Without word he turned his horse
toward the shore, and the good beast,
with its double burden, struggled back
through the food.
Harriet and her aunt waited, shiver-
ing as they watched the water growing
deeper and deeper upon the floor, and
heard the waves wash with an ever
louder sound against the frail four walls
that stood between them and death.
They saw Florian reach the shore, place
the sick woman upon the ground, throw
sotf the heaviest of his clothing, and turn
shis now unwilling stsed toward the
house again.
They were standing knee-deep in water
when he once more approached the al
ready shaking building. He did not
speak word, but looked silently from
Harriet to her aunt, his white face
growing winter yet as Harriet said, in
steady tones, "Aunt Hannah first"
e Harriet" commenced Miss Lin
wood.
"Go. Aunt Hannahl"
Harriet, / won'tl"
~ aos1 III -saAG
Harriet, Harriet For pity sake"
"You are delaying her, Miss Hannah"
exclsimed Florlan, hoarsely. Come,
she will not yield, IL she diesp
With groan, Miss Linwood gave UP,
and he lifted her upon his horse. The
turbulent waters washed into the room
and Harriet staggered and chung to the
wall for support. Florian's face was
chastity, as he bent forward and placed
(, his hand upon her shoulder, whispering,
in choked voice. Kiss me Harriet.D
z Shetput her arms around his neck and
kissed him-a long, passionate kiss,
which was their first, and might be their
last. #
+ He strained her to him, saying, Har-
riet, do you love meF
Yes, Florian."
She then leaned against the wall
again, as he went. and hid her face, try
ing to shut out the sight Of tho'e yellow
waters, creeping up the side of the room,
higher and higher with every wave that
ro led in through the door.
AS Florian reached the shore car
riage was approaching in the distance,
rocked from side. to side, with the
furious speed to which the driver was
lashing the horses.
at is the carriage from Linwood" I"
said Miss-Hannah; we have been afraid
of freshet, and they have taken alarm
and come back to look for us."
Florian did not hear her; he was urg-
ing his exhausted horse into the flood
again. The poor beast trembled and
hesitated; but Florian spurred him
fiercely on, shifting him with his
clenched fist, and shouting at him in his
| frantic excitement. He was half mad
with agony as he lookId across the
turbid waters to the half-submerged
house and saw that they had risen above
the top of its door, and Harriet had
climbed up through the loft to the roof
where she chung in momentary peril Of
death. Ie
T When the hurrying carriage reached
the spot, and Miss Linwood's coachmaI
leaped to the ground, Florian was half
| way back to Harriet. Mistress and mai
stood with pallid faces and hearts tina
hardly beat, silently watching the beau
tiful girl, as she clung to the frail sup
! port, and the young man, with his whit
face, and his golden hair blowing back
as he dashed madly through the fioo'
to her rescue. $500
While they watched, great billov
came rolling in from the river, roaring
fearfully, and tossing its yellow water
as it dashed upon Harriets refuge. Mis-
4 Linwood screamed, and her servant ut
tered hoarse cry, for where the hous
had been was whirling wreck of board
and timbers, and Florian's horse wa
struggling, riderless, toward the shore
l. Il.sLsx :. -. lard thauf ia !