The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-02-16
double burden, struggled back through

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, ant
heard the waves wash, with an ever
louder sound, against the frail four wall
that stood between them and death
They saw Florian reach the shore, plac'
the sick woman upon the ground, threw
off the heaviest of his clothing, anC
turn his now unwilling steed toward thu
house again.
They were standing knee deep il
water when he once more approached
the. already shaking building. He die
not speak a word, but looked silently
from Harriet to her aunt, his white fac'
growing whittier yet, as Harriet said, IL
steady tones, "Aunt Hannah first"
"Harri> t." commenced Miss Lin
wood.
$50, Aunt Hannah!"
"Harriet, / won'tw
"You mustp said Harriet, firmly.
Harriet, Harriet For PHYS sake"
"You are delaying her, Miss Hannah" f"
exclaimed Florian, hoarsely, "Come, she
will not yield, if she diesl
With a groan. Miss Linwood gave up,
and he lifted her upon his horse. The
turbulent waters washed into the room
and Harriet staggered and clung to the
wall for support. Florian's face was
ghastly, as he bent forward and placed
his hand upon her shoulder, whispering
in choked voice, kiss me, Harriet"
She put 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, you do love me9"
eyes, Florian."
Then she leaned against the wall again,
as he went, and hid her face trying to
shut out the sight of those yellow waters,
creeping up the side of the room, higher
and higher with every wave that rolled
in through the door.
As Florian reached the shore a carriage
was approaching in the distance, rocking
from side to side, with the furious speed
to which the driver was lashing the
horses.
"It is the carriage from Linwood,"
said Miss Hannah; "we have been afraid
of freshet, and they have taken alarm
and come back to look for U.S."
Florian did not hear her; he was urg-
ing his exhausted horse into the food
again. The poor beast trembled and
hesitated; but Florian spurred him
fiercely on, shifting him with his clench-
ed fist, and shouting at him in his frantic
excit ement. He was half mad with ag-
ony as he looked across the turgid 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
clung in momentary peril of DEATH"
When the hurrying carriage reached
the spot. and Miss Linwood's coachman
eeaped to the ground, Florian was half
way back to Harriet. Mistress and man
stood with pallid face and hearts that
hardly beat, silently watching the beau
tiful girl, as she chung to her frail sup
port, and the young man, with his white
face, and his golden hair blowing back,
as he dashed madly through the flood to
her rescue.
While they watched, a great billow
came rolling in from the river, roaring
fearfully, aud tossing its yellow water, as
it dashed upon Harriet's refuge. Miss
Linwood screamed, and her servant ut
tered hoMse cry, for where the house
had been was a whirling wreck of boards
and timbers, and Florian's horse was
struggling, riderless, toward the shore!
But another moment and they saw
that Harriet yet clung to the floating
roof, and Florian was beside her upon it.
Selling a long board, as the waters
whirled it within his reach, he guided
the frail raft with it toward the shore.
As he neared the land, the coachman
from Linwood sprang into the water, and
came to his assistance; and in a few mo-
ments they were all standing upon the
land, a wet, dripping, but profoundly
thankful party.
They proceeded, as fast as the carriage
could carry them, to Linwood, where
they all found plenty of employment for
the remainder of the day in getting rid
of the effects of theiSsperilous adventure
so far as they could do so.
1t transpired that the sick woman had
not received any injury; Miss Hannah
had caught a slight cold; Harriet had
caught severe one, and Florian had
caught-Harriet.
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