The Iola register., 1880-11-19
CONNOR MAGAN'S LUCK.

CONNOR MAGAN'S LUCK.
''TM in luck, hurrahr' cried Connor
Magan, as he threw up his brimless hat
into the air-the ringing, jubilant shout
he sent after it could only spring from
the reservoir of glee in the heart of a
twelve year-old boy. Giving a push
to the skiff in which his father sat wait
ing for him, he jumped from the shore
to the boat, and struck out into the
Ohio River. G = :
Tim Magan, father, and Connor Ma
gan, son, were central figures in very
strange picture.
Let US take in the situation.
1t was Western spring freshet. The
Ohio was on rampage-a turbulent,
cofee-colored stream, it had risen far
beyond its usual boundaries, washed
out the familiar landmarks, and, still
insolent and greedy, was licking the
banks, as if preparatory to swallowing
up the whole country. Trees torn up
by the roots, their green branches
waving high above the flood. timbers
from cottages, and wrecks from
bridges. were floating down to the Gulf
of Mexico. r..T
It was curious to watch the various
things in the water as they sailed slowly
along. Demijohns bobbed about.
Empty store boxes mockmgly labeled
dry goods elbowed bales of hay. Some
times weak, cock-a-doodle-doo from q
travelling chicken-coop announced the
whereabouts of helpless though still
irrepressible rooster. Back yards had
been visited, and oyster-cans, ash-bar-
relsand unsightly kitchen debris brought
to light. 1t was mighty revolution
where the dregs of society were no
longer suppressed, but sailed in state
on the top wave.
LIT is an idle wind which blows no
one good" and amid the general de-
struction the driftwood was God-send
to the poor people, and they caught
enough to supply them with fre-wOod
for months. Logs, fences, boards and
the contents of steamboat wood yards
were swept into the current. On high
points of land near the shore were col
lected piles bristling with ragged
stumps and limbs of trees. The great
gnarled branches of forest trees some
times spread over half the river, while
timbers lodging among them formed a
sort of raft which kept out of the water
the most wonderful things pieces of
furniture and kitchen utensils, which
shone in the sun like silver.
Cullom's Ripple is few miles below
Cincinnati. Here the deep current sets
close to the shore, making a wild kind
of whirlpool or eddy that brings drift
wood almost to land; the rippling water
makes sudden turn and scoops out a
little cove in the sand. 1t is splendid
place for fishermen, but quite danger
GUS for boats.
Not far above Cullum's Ripple is stu
ated the Magan family mansion or
shanty. The river is on one side and
two parallel railroads are on the other.
On the top of the bank, and on level
with the railroads, is a piece of land
not much longer or wider than a rope
walk, and on this only available scrap
the railroad company have built a few
temporary houses for their workmen.
They are all alike. except that a morn
ing glory grows over Magan's door.
The colony is called Twinrip, possibly
the short of ''Between Strip" f the
name does not mean that, will some one
skilled in digging up language roots,
please tell me what it does mean?) The
atmosphere around these cabins is as
filed with bustling. whistling confusion
as chimney with smoke.
Besides the water highway, on the !
other side, just few feet beyond the
iron roads, q horse-car track and turn
pike offer additional facilities for
1ocomotion. Birds perched on the |
numerous telegraph wires amid wrecks |
of kites and dingy pennons-once kite
tails nothing hurts them; and below
the children Of Twinrip appear just as
free and safe. and seem to have as much |
delight in mere living as the feathered /
friends. tli- ,cStGst i
The Magans were light hearted |
Irish family, whose cheerfulness seemed |
better than eucalyptus or sunflowers to 7
keep off the'fever and ague, and who /
made the most of the little bits of sun
shine that came to them. Tim. strong