Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1883-01-26

40 river ~ : 6-7 = I5s,
"a <hly Ionood North watsTy torrents
20 sven fho mIrhtior rivof. till it poured
dow q the MIssIsslpp| With destruc-
tiveS that has mover been witnessed
Many tired farmer who went to his
rest alter a hard days work. and
dreamed for time. perchance. Of
growing crops and abundant haryests as
the result Of bic labors. arc: g to find his
farm watery waste, the angry river
already a his very door, and his live
stock wading and swimming distracted
ly about amid floating masses Of ice.
brushwood and the dobris of other
inundated farms above In vain he
sought TO save his horses. his cattle, or
his household goods; II was often Ill
he could do to save O. en- his wife on1
little ones.
Upon broad and well-cultivAted farm
on the Nebraska side OF the Missouri
there lived a family named Wilson. in .
frame house that stood in grove Of
large but scattered trees near the bank
of the stream.
Cultivated fields and wcll-fcnced stock
pastures extended back across the inter-
,ales. The soil was dark and extreme
ly fertile the land lying but little above
high-water mark. on which account the
spring frcshets always caused Mr.. Will
son considerable uneasiness. The old
est settlers thereabouts. however. had
never known this tract to be entirely
covered; and this. with Mr.. Wilson's
own experience. had. rs the years went
by. considerably lessened his first mis-
gvings
Therefore the great food OF 1881
found Mr.. Wilson wholly unprcpared,
and at the time OF its coming both he
and his wife were absent from home.
They had felt little reluctant about
leaving home. as the river was swollen
nearly 10 the high-water mark. but
urgent business compelled them to ride
20 the nearest railroad town. some thirty
miles away. from which they intended
TO return on the day following.
Mrs. Wilson carried her youngest
child, and there RENAMED at home Hen
~. lad Of fifteen. and two little
daughters aged ten and six years, with
the hired man. Rudolph.
Rudolph had relatives living two or
three miles back from the river. and
when the chores were done at night he
left the house. telling Henry that he
was going ofcr to see ''his folks" and
would be back al ten o'clock.
The boy and his sisters had been left
alone of an evening before. They were
not afraid, and went to bed by nine
o'clock. to sleep soundly. as such child
ren will.
When the boy awokc the next morn
ing he found the sun pceping in at his
window. and lcaping out of bed he
called TO Rudolph. a. his father was in
the habit of doing. But Rudolph did
not answer.
Rude must be up and doing the
chores" thought Henry; and then
speaking aloud. he said: "What a
tremendous roaring the river makes
~ ncrning. II sounds - II IL was all
~6ss6ssnsl 1 b'Bevs it i." he .dd-
q C. - 4 nop,sst' ,s and ihe.
Stoufer hearts than his might have
guailtd at the scene which met his eyes
Evcrs where was wxfer-a turbid. black. |
fumultuous food dashing up against
the trrnks Of the great trees. flooding
the s'ock-yard fences completely out Of |
sight Logs. boards and great cold |
looking cakes Of white ice. even the |
bodies Of dead cattle. were swept |
furionsly on The heads only the /
heads snd horns-of some Of their own |
cattle could be seen here and fhere. ns /
the poor creatures swan feebly TO and
fro.
Looking down in frightened ave from
the opcn window. the lad saw that the /
dclvinc. gutterin1 currenf had already
attached the foundafjon Of the house. /
which stood oons'derably higher than
Ne coftIe vards. nnd that ihe door- !!
rteps below were under water.
A. he dagger Of TIE situation dawDe1 |
upon him. the 1ads terror Greu.
Again md again be shouted 70 Ru4olDh: /
BAT there wns no RESPONSE ooye fho /
rrsh and r11r Of the river
Then he rnn 20 the room of little Jen-
he asd 1zah- who hsd alrcndy bsen Il
awakened b. h;s sbou1s- viii fright Ii
med sobs the children c1unG 70 their
brolbes. scarcely daring 10 look out up- L
N the fearful scene nbouf tbem-
= where h Rudolph Whsre b n Il
1olphT fbey sobbcd-
Henrv soofhed them - bert he Gold. Il
md le6'inR them q the head q TIE
be went below to Dee hou
hizh he rn<e kn1 riscn- Ii
To h. increzssd alarm be found fhnf I
he kitchen foor vas already covered.
nd that the muddy xn1<r wss pouring I
. f1r011h the crzcks 1bo1t TIE dcof. /
4 vas r.s'n< fasf-hed risen even since
= frzf looked cut uPon r.
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