Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1881-06-25

sometimes the end OF limb, sometimes
a sapling, sometimes a stump but the
swiitness Of the stream, with the force
of the wind, rendered all my efforts in
effectual. Probably, too, the peril We
were in confused my brain.
Again were We whirled into the
middle Of the stream, and / went to
bailing. The last shock had been al
most too much for the frail craft, and
bailing ont with the hat could no
longer keep down the water. Womans
wit came to our aid. Ellen, taking off
the short cloak she wore, rontrived TO
pin it into a shape which would hold
water. Between us, We managed to
keep the water from getting any deeper
in the bed, though we could not lower 1t
any; but it was apparent We could not
keep aAoat much longer.
81 had hunted on this part Of the
river before, and knew that there WAS
one place where the lasso could proba-
blv be used with advantage, This was
where there was an old clearing on the
bank of the stream, thickly studded
with stumps. The river had esten into
the bank, until some of these stood
ouite At the waters edge; though
! Il. low water considerably above the
| stream.
- knew we must he nearly level with
them now. | thought that hero We
| would he swept near the bank, and de-
tclmincd to make my last trial there.
Should it fail | would take Ellen in my
arms, and make o desperate effort to
| reach the bank.
"Soon we came in sight Of the
clearing, and prepared again to throw.
But the current had changed since l
had been there, and the stream swept us
ont Of reach Of the bank. My rope was
long enough; but heavy at any time, Its
weight was doubled NY it's being wet,
and my utmost efforts could not throw
it far enough.
II threw time and again, nearly
throwing ii over astump sometimes, hui
alwavs falling little short. We soon
ran by the clearing. and but one chance
seemed left to us. The wagon-bed was
fast filling and would soon sink, whether
We left it or not.
81 looked Mt Ellen. and in that SUI
prcme moment each read in the other,
eyes the love as yet unspoken betweer
us. With the whispered words, Oar
ling. if I cannot save you will die witt
you, clasped her in my arms. and wa
Just preparing to plunge into the rive
when her dear voice said:
"'Waitv'
Gas she spoke she pointed at a larg'
} cottonwood tree, which was drifting rap
idly down stream at an angle with tn
current, and nearly on us.
: This only seemed to me reason 10
| greater haste. particularly as our sink
ing craft had been caught in an eddy @
, the stream and was almost stationary
e Again I started to plunge in, and agai
she restrained me. She told me aftel
ward she had An instructive belief ths
Q tie log would save US.
a $50, indeed, IL proved. IL drifte
8 nearer the bank, until one end ia
against it, end on this, as pivot,
: SWING around, inclosing US between
Q and the bank.
!, "The tree came with such rapidi'
{ that feared We would be crushe
v But. before it reached us, the lol
n branches began to drag on the bottor
e and it came more slowly. Soon it stru'
the wagon-bed, and bore us slowly, b
II steadily, toward the bank. In ft
~ moments more it grounded, and l leap
- , out with Eller and made my way up {
bank.
"Not Q second too soon. Scarce
were we ont on dry land when the tr
~ =, became dislodged and drifted down (
river, carrying our boat with it. II
= went barely fifty yards before it sar
:. ~ Just as we turned at the top Of the ba
;. to get last glimpse of it.
- 1--WE made our way to house a
A. ~ miles distant, where We obtained
1 clothing. hired horse and w
nd after my team. The mules were "
no trained and had kept tho road, III
passing house, where the owner kn
er them, they had been stopped. The p
to pie were just organizing search for
ed when rode up.
an "Since then, whenever ! have to or
TO deep water, I have always tied down
,is wagon-bed; and I never stopped on
n. island in Kiomatia again"
d: WHuN Beaconsfeld was young,
,k n,L. of Rrfland sneered af him