Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-06-20

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and shook out our crumpled dresses.
i We ewere received by beautiful white
haired old lady, who kissed US all and
made US welcome. After glance at the
bare hands about us we slipped our
gloves into our pockets and were usher.
ed into the parlor and Joined one of the
two lines that sat facing each other for
the ceremony to begin. The white-
hailed old lady sat beside Ruth, who
had evidently taken her fancy. could
see that the sweet-faced matron was tell
ing my gentle girl the story of her own
daughters misadventurousl love that was
soon to be crowned with happy truition.
Had she OWNED that my Ruth was
heartsOre and sick because of love? I
think so.
The guests waited awk wardly as coun-
try people gathered from far and near
are wont to do. The servants moved
officiously about to save,the appearance
of delay. At length the hostess, with
the slightest flush of annoyance on her
fair face, left Ruth to devote herself to
others. Ruth came over where I was
standing by an open window, and put
ting her hand on my shoulder turned
her face from the light and said:
"Oh, Aunty, am so miserable. Why
is it that everyone else may be happy
and u
"There, there, !" I said, soothingly, "do
not be so weak" And then I added, in
bantering tone, mo doubt Frank will
come back"-
''Too late," she said, II have promis-
ed to marry Major Grant"
"Why, Ruth"
| had no time to say more.
| ho int iof, =, fho
bridal party the promises were made,
hands were shaken, congratulations ut
tered, refreshments were eaten, the fid~
dlers were called in and dancing be-
gan.
Three hours had passed. The revel
was at its height The fair bride, her
long-delayed hopes fulfilled, the gloomy
prophecy exploded, foated in and out
in the mazes of the dance, the gayest of
the gay. Ruth, her fair face flushed,
seemed to have forgotten her sorrow in
her enjoyment Of this auspicious occa-
zion. By her grace and tact could see
that she was adding much to the enjoy
ment of others. The happy mother of
the bride moved about among the elder
guests, dispensing smiles and bringing
pleasure wherever she went. Presently
Ruth came and said with her face beam-
ling with joy.
"Oh, Aunty, I am 80 glad that we
came. I never knew it was such pleas
ure to make others happy. l am not
bit sad now. believe could even meet
Frank with cOmposure. Hark! What
is that ?" she exclaimed, turning to
ward the open window, through which
there came dull, harsh murmur.
Before she had time to say more there
I Al L. / l.
cry of "Crevasse! Crevasse !" from
the afrighted servants, and Frank Rus
sell, rushing through a crowd of dancers,
leaped upon a chair not three steps
| from us and shouted:
1.-THE levee has broken: save your
selves at once, there is no time to lose."
There was an instant of awful silence;
every breath was hushed, and rosy
cheeks were blanched with terror; then
the voice of the despairing bride rang
out:
"It has come true! It has come true !"
her husband as the guests fled in every
direction. The gray-haired mother sank
upon her knees, and we could see her
lips move in prayer.
Franks eyes wandered over the hur-
rying crowd an instant in search ofsOme
one he evidently expected to see. Even
in that terrible moment I could
not help thinking how brave and
handsome he was. l did not wonder
that Ruth had lost her heart to him. At
length his eye rested on US. In an in
slant he was beside us. He put his arm
about Ruth as if they had parted with
kisses Tut yesterday, looked quickly
back and said as his face blanched and
his lips shut close: "We can only save
ourselves cOmeW
He swung Ruth lightly through
the easement, clasped me by the arm,
and we fled away from the house of
feasting with the brides heart-rending
shrek in our ears and the mothers
blanched face upturned in hopeless
prayer ever before our eyes as we dash
ed out into the night and Joined in a
wild scramble for life.
The blackness of the night, the roar
of the wind and the increasing thunder
of the river were enough to appall the
| stOutest heart. But we were hurried on,
stumbling over roots and stumps, caught
and torn by vines and briars, dashed
against trees by the raging wind, spat-
tered by the spray of the rising water
until we reached the place where Frank
had left his boat.
The river was full of Floating trees, the
ruins of houses, and all the debris which
| the mad water had wrested from it's con
querers The current was so strong it
seemed certain death to trust ourselves
to it, but 1t was the only chance. We
| stepped in the boat and each seized an
oar. We pushed out and the fight for
| life began. We were driven against
huge floating logs, again and again al
most overturned, caught in the branches
of some great tree that rushed down the
current and which in the darkness We
could not see Cries Of terror reached
us now and then, but the thunder of the
| liberated river filled the air. 1t seemed
the triumphing of the river god as he
swallow ed his victims, the human sacri-
| fee to his power.
We were trying to force our way
through the crevasse up to the higher
ground when suddenly bonfire some
one and lighted hours before blazed up.
and we saw cliDging in the branches of
| tree rushing past us the bride ciasped
| tightly in the arms of her husband
Was the prophecy to be fulfilled, "nev-
er wife or q mother?' Though the
| attempt was madness, we strove to reach
them. Fortunately both Ruth and my
self were accomplished oarswomen, and
accustomed to the river Frank stood
up and called to them while we bent to
our oars with all our strength. The
bridegroom heard us and waved his
hand in acknowledgement. Then
Frank took the oars, Ruth the pale that
was used to keep US from colliding with
the floating masses, and we rowed down
the current after the great tree with its
living burden. A jutting bluff for a
moment shut out the view of the bon.
fire. When it shone upon the floating
tree again, only the bare trunk and drip
ping branches were to be seen. Ruth
uttered moan of terror. Frank chang
ed our course and shot off into the dark
ness again. After hours of desperate
fighting for our lives. the faint light of
dawn came to our aid, and at last we