The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1882-06-24
AN ARK OF SAFETY.
The Bell Of st. Johns A Tale of
the Recent Floods.
From the New York Obaerner.


For many days the rain had fallen in
ceaseless, heavy torrents, and from every
direction came now the brooks and the
streams rushing with unwonted swift
ness, and sending up a deep, hoarse
murmur, which was but a musical echo
to the voice of the mighty. swollen
rivers.
In the little town OF Chesterbrook
there wss taise for the anxiety and the
alarm which was increasing hourly; al
ready was the giant Mississippi, near to
which the village lay, at its greatest
heighth ever known at that point, and it
was stealthily snefonching upon the
main street, while the inhabitants dwell
ing further back were thankful for the
natural rise of land which placed them
in safer position than many of their
townsmen.
Is not the river very, very high, grand
f,ther ?" asked Ruth Boynton, timid ac-
cent faltering in her tone and her cheek
paling.
She was young girl of fifteen, busted
at the time with preparations for the eve
ning meal, but pausing now as she spoke
to look towards her old grandfather as he
sat beside the open window in his large
armchair, and looking very anxiously
without
Receiving no answer, Ruth came near
to him, laying her hand upon his
shoulder.
docs it hot look veryvefy high ?" she
repeated. "1ook, grandfather, there are
so muny loose timbers floating oh the
water ?"
1T is, indeed higher than have ever
known it in my 80 years, Ruth" replied
tho old man in voice grown feeble by
age.
"Do you think the tawn is in danger.
grandfather" asked the young girl 9
slight pallor creeping over her face as
she spoke.
''Not tonight, child. not tonight" he
answered; land tomorrow may bring u
brighter skiesI - ayei Tomorrow, who
knows 7" he murmured to himself softly,
as Ruth turned away to her work again
aud the old man folded his hands anC
closed his eyes in silent prayer to Goo
Who rules the storm and clouds and sun
hine.
Midnight had already passed in tht
thick, inky darkness which enshroudeC
the ill-fated town. even the most watch
ful and anxious were at last sleeping
heavily.
When, suddenly - with confused
thunder of sound rising above the angry
bowling of the storm in deafening crash
down upon the doomed town came th,
river.
The levee- that frail embankment tha
man had erected-had been swept like
chaff before the swollen, resistless water
and in a roaring torrent, seeming to reno
tarth and sky asundef, it rushed toward
the village nesting so quietly amid the
peaceful hills.
Chesterbrook was thus sternly aroused
to destruction, and dismayi aud woefu
death.
Bursting every barrier-restrained dc
longer by any former bounds the re
lentless stream, amid the despairin[
cries of the ill-fated human victims, wa'
wildly sweeping away every tenement oi
building in the way of its rapidly wild
ening road.
With the first wild alarm, Ruth Boyn
ton had started terrified and bSwildereG
from her bed, aud rushed into the ad
joining room to find her grandfather ~
also, cropping with the neTVous tremor o
age blindly amid the darkness for a can
die.
In that moment 1t Reemed as though
the old man, who had been so strong fol
his so years, was transformed into tim
id, trembling child.
"what is it, Ruthie p he cried, with
an imploring, piteOus glance at the gir
entering with candle in her trembling
hand.
"What can it be- :" be added excitedly
''And what-Oh. what. shall We doT' a
the roar and crash increase upon his ter
rifed ear.
ut is the river grandfather, she an
swered. hnTTyinR 70 the door; ,.the tow