The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1883-10-04

seemed he was pillowed on the whirl-
ing eddies; but when his emotions were
most aroused he welcomed the COM
panionship, and its very madness was
his lullaby.
But one night there came strange
commotion in the hamlet along the
stream.
Some one disturbed by sick child
was further startled by heavy crash
and roar from the darkness without.
He flew to the door, and his worst
fears were confirmed.
Plainly enough the crashing and
splintering of timbers came to his ears.
mingled with the grating and crunch
ing of great stones borne along by re-
sistless force.
Then followed the roar and sweep of
an immense body of water suddenly lib
Grated and overwhelming everything in
its course.
There was but one explanation possi-
ble-the dam had given away, and the
great mill-pond was added to the al
ready swollen current of the Branch.
From house to house the frightened
messenger ran, and in very short
time half-dozen men with lanterns
were hurrying through the mist and
darkness towards the pond.
The dam had been located perhaps q
hundred rods above the mill, where q
large region was overfiowed, but long
before it was reached all doubts were
removed.
The current was immensely swollen
and laden with debris, while much of
the bordering land was overwhelmed,
so that at last the effort to reach the
dam was given up, and the party turned
their attention downstream.
A few rods above the mill highway
crossed the Branch, but where there
had been a heavy bridge high above
the water, they could discern only
struggling wreck, crumbling away each
moment under the resistless energy OF
the flood.
The bridge had gone bodily with the
current
Hugh Crittenden had not formed one
of the first party, for his house was
more remote than those of his neigh
bors, but now they saw the flashing OF
lights about the mill, and heard cries of
alarm.
''There is something to pay there"
cried one, and all ran about the great
piles of logs and made their way to the
structure.
Hugh was there, with friend or
two, and all were in the widest excite
ment The mill was wrecked, and
trembling under the force of the mad
current which rushed through the lower
part of the structure; but it was not
that which filed those present with
horror
At the rear the door leading to what
had been the office-Daniers sleeping
room-was torn from its fastenings, but
it opened only upon a seething, howl
ing waste of waters. The little ''annex"
had been torn from its place, taking
away a section of the mill, and with all
that it contained had gone down the
turbulent stream.
..DeWolf-where is bep"gasped more
than one, and Hugh Crittenden, very
pale but calm, made all the answer that
was in his power:
God knows, men; l don't. There is
no trace of him here.'
Then he must be in the river!" cried
Nathan Goodman, Daniels assistant at
the mill, ''for was here till late, and
he was very tired and sleepy when l
left, and said he should shut down and
60 to bed soon aud try to get good
nights rest, which he hadn't had since
the storm began. Poor fellow! If he's
gone into this flood he'll never wake
again"
Possibly he may have been thrown
ashore somewhere" suggested Mr..
Crittenden. '.While there is hope we
must try to find him. Some of you
men with lanterns follow down the
bank-we may get some clew of him"
The search was made, and thorough
ly made, for apart from the promptings
of common humanity the missing
man was favorite with his associates;
but it was all in vain, though the ex-
plorations were carried far below the
limit of hope, and with the coming of
daylight the party made their way back
70 the mill with sad faces.
As the water was new subsiding, and
there seemed no danger of further dam
age, the men repaired to their homes,
Mr.. Crittenden among the number.
On entering the house he was met by
his wife with an enquiring glance which
folCeu tHc duOslion Suo Nouiu nave
asked.
Some time before neighbor had told
her the sad news. but, in the hope that
the worst might not be true, Mrs. Crit
tenden had kept the tidings from her
daughter.
''It's no use hoping" he said; "we've
got to give him up"
A despairing word fell from the hear
er's lips, at the same moment that
Ethie, who had wondered at her moth
er's constrained air and manifest agita-
ton, appeared on the scene, and eager
ly demanded:
''Who is it, father? | know that there
is some one hurt-why will you not tell
me what is the matter?"
why, girl, don't you know that
Daniel is carried down the stream, and
we can't find"
Before he could complete the sentence
the maiden, with q cry of terrible an
guish, sank at his feet in a swoon.
'.Why. mother, what is the matter
with the child?" her astonished fathe.
demanded, as he lifted her to lounge.
Don't ask me now; you'll know
socn enough. l should think you would
know without asking, exclaimed Mrs.
Crittenden wildly; and both gave them
selves to the restoration of Ethie to
consciousness, until finally she came
back to life, and gazed anxiously into
the faces of those bending over her.
Tell me, father,n she pleaded pite-
ously, .'did hear aright-that Daniel
is-lost?'
Yes, my dear girl. 1 know it is
sad, for Daniel was : good boy; but
there is no doubt he was carried down
and drowned. or dashed to death on the
rocks. No one could live in such a
flood"
And l loved him so much-so
muchm
Hugh Crittenden sprang to his feet,
and gazed first on his wife and then on
h do