St. Landry democrat., 1882-07-08

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;SI ingenuity devised for me! The ere
vase was forming with terrible rapiditv
i knew that in less time than Morcly
had said, the entire loosened flood must
come bursting over my devoted head,
and roll far and wide over the sur
rounding country. And yet | could not
close my eyes, | could not even pray; |
could only watch the fatal work of demo-
Etion with Il species of horrible fascina-
ton.
| had not long to wait or watch.
There was no actual tissure at all for
several minutes, only q terrible, con-
stantly increasing infltration, which was
in itself sufficient to ill to Overlooking
the ditch at my feet.
Then suddenly, and without further
warning, the entire breastworll in front
OF me seemed to rock, crllmble and
subside. There was rushing, roaring
sound, the river overleapeu its artificial
confines in maddening triumph, there
seemed to be a Watery universe rushing
over me, crushing me down and tearing
me to pieces, and knew no more.
When l came to my senses again l
was being whirled about upon waste
Of waters, still bound to the stump,
which had been uprooted and set atoat
by the first rush of the untrammeled
food before my strangulation had been
effected.
| was lying on my back, gazing up at
the sky, in which the light of a new day
was fast chasing away the stars. Voices
were calling around me at various dis
tances-voices as of men and women in
different stages of distress and excite
ment.
Z The water had so loosened the raw
hide thongs with which | had been
bound that | speedily released myself
and sat up, removing the gag from my
mouth.
A deadly, nauseous sickness at first
ovcrcame me, but, after drinking a deep
draught of the turbid flood and then
casting up what | had swallowed, l felt
much relieved, and was enabled to look
about me intelligently.
Nearly the whole surrounding region
was flooded as far as the eye could
reach Men were plying about in boats
and on RATS in the neignborhood Of st.
~, only the upper parts of whose
houses were visible, while many of them
had wholly disappeared.
But, to my delight, I found myself
near Colonel Lavigne's mansion, which
was alone high and dry, by reason Of its
having occupied the only considerable
rise OF ground that existed in that part
of the river bottom.
Presently ! saw him passing near me
in a skift, in which were likewise
Rcnshaw and two others. | hailed him.
Wonderingly he rescued me from my
stump, saying that he had given me up
for lost; but few words slIliced to ex-
plain my personal adventures.
"Well, you are in luck, if the rest OF
us are out of itn' he exclaimed. Aye,
my friend, in even better luck than you
ian imagine"'
''In what way?' I asked.
"Why, in the professional way, to-
be-sure You viii arrestand take away
the rascal you came for, after all, with
perhaps two others into the bargain.
They re under strong guard now, over
yonder at the house, awaiting your or
ders. Directly after the levee broke,
that counterfeit villain, Clint Merely,
with two others, came padding up to
my place in a skiff, with precious
story about his taking sentimental
moonlight stroll at the time the bank
gave way, and with a great ado about
rendering assistance to my household.
He hadn't an idea of your having al
ready advised me as to his true charac-
ter, but his eyes opened wide, can tell
you, when | suddenly surrounded him
and his companions with my servants
and took them into custody. | don t
know who the others are, but Clint, at
all events, is over there, waiting for you.
Come-you shall 90 over and interview
him at once!'
1t never came out exactly how Clint
Merely had succeeded in palming HIM
self off for Judge Bankers son, who was
still in Europe at the time. | have only
to record that carried him away with
me in triumph by the next up-going
Cteamer; that he was tried, convicted
and sentenced to long term of i'm
prisonment, and that l ultimately got
my reward.
1t turned out that the companions wEo
had assisted him in breaking the levee
had had nothing to do with the train
robbery; but they were, nevertheless,
desperadoes, and, though I have never
heard how severely they were punished
for opening The crevasse, / doubt not
that they received their deserts. -Satur-
day Might s.-.
A Lady's Complaint Against the Gus
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A lady fashionably attired called upon