The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1883-05-03

strength.
''Th. OLD clint the old elm" hc cried
III We could get mp amoog The big Iimhsf
and then be formed his heroic plan and
proceeded to pat il into operation.
/ The elm had great outstrc.chinv branch
e. one Of the largest OF which extended
aoress corner Of the kitchen roof, whiel
Vas nearly fiat. and easy Of access from
window in the second story OF the house
Henry had often climbed ont there and
mounted the branch, from which he
could ascend nearly to the top OF thu
irse-a dizzy height, however, ~hicl
he seldom attempted.
"The food cant dig the old elm out,
he thought, .It's stood there too long.
But little Izsb and Jennie be feared TO
<hcm. II was as much as be himself darss
do 10 climb the tree. and de feared the lit
tie girls would grow dizzy and fall int
A. ---ai-s ---srsS usn1a'"' % h-sv,
boy thought of vi this sSd solved th
pvobieu 10 Q manner that speaks va
's.At Tor bis aosrsgc and his jnyeniion.
- .s,osgh ths water on theRitcd
Wading ). sss wooashed, AMI
en- floor, he reachea '-.tss line
there procured his mothers O..
also coil Of larger rope and an old do.
besides number OF loose boards which
stood in corner. Carrying these up stairs
where the little girls stood crying and cal
ling for ''papa and mamma, he put them
out on the kitchen roof
stop crying, girls, be exclaimed cheer.
lily, Stop crying. Pa and ma will be
here as soon as they can get a boat, and
I'll take care Of you till they come. We
are going to get up into the big elm and
build us house up there and take up
victuals. The water will never take that
old tree away, and we will live up there
like squirrels.
The energetic lad now sped about the
house to complete his preparations for
their strange change OF abode Even lit.
tie Jennie, the youngest sister, caught
something Of his courage, and both girls
ran about, helping in whatever way they
could.
Some loaves OF bread a bucket OF dough-
nuts, together with dried beef. q smoked
lam. and several wooden blankets we're
aid cut on the kitchen roof. Then Henry
,ound the clothes line about his waist
md climbed on the great branch and hence
Up the large limbs above till he reached q
leight of some twenty feet above the rush.
ng waters,
Selecting spot where two limbs
'ranched Off parallel with each other, he
ow lowered one end Of his rope to his sis
ers for the old door and boards. Before
limbing up he had instructed them what
o do and how to do it, and in q very short
ime the boards. the door, and other coils
: rope were banled up. one after anothor,
nd securely fastened. /,
The door and boards were then placed
n the parallel branches aud tied with the
ope. and in this manner small floor or
latform, six or eight feet square, was
nd, large enough for all three to sit or
q on.
II did not take long now to draw up the
BOD and blankets, but there stlllremained :
,r the lad the harder and more perilous
.sk Of hoisting up the little girls to his :
Try platform.
He had reserved the longest and strong
st rope for this purpose, and looping it
i the middle over the limb, and letting
,e two ends fall TO the roof, he descended
nd tied an end firmly beneath the arms :
both Izah and Jennie in turn.
To climb back to his old position was :
ut the work Of moment. Then came
ie real work. Izah WAS plump little !.
irl, aud Jennie was still heavier, though
ot so old They were frightened, and
considerably, but he hauled
lem safely on 10 the platform.
Meanwhile the wild rushing waters were
eadly rising, and now nearly reached :
le kitchen window sils. Still larger "
Ikes OF ice were driving pondcrously =
ong among the trees; occasionally one !.
-onnd against the elm, giving 1t heavy, u
rring bump, or struck the house with "
rec that made the timbers crack. ~
The little girls trembled with fear, and
Nv that the excitement OF climbing into y
% tree was over, despair again seized up. y y
i them. In vain Henry tried to quiet u
er fears Gsat sobs would we'll up, in y y
lite OF their childish efforts to be brave. :
II was in truth an appalling situation. -
ister poured the ever rising flood; and =
Nv the ice cakes and great DRIFT logs were
nashing in the lower windows. Nothing =
As left Of the stock yards, shed and barn "
1t here and there some OF the wretched "
tile still kept their heads above water. -
ID more disheartening thsn anything
SO we're the poor creatures mournful -
wings. There was no hope for them. ~
heir drowning was but question Of an y
,ur or two; everything was going down 81
meath the black, rolling current. And 81
I'll might the children feel thankful il
en- the great elm withstood the batter W
g Of the ponderous ice cakes which
me grinding in among the scattered
ees Of tho grove
Henry's heart almost failed him. II re.
iired his best efforts to keep from break o.
g completely down, and giving way to 50
s fright and grief But mastering these
rrors at length, he earnestly set to work
make everything secure. He felt. too. el
at he ought to save the bedding and the tr
ost yalusbie OF the household furniture el
r he saw that IL might he hunO unon tho