St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-01-27
perilous task of hosting up the little
girls to his airy plat orm.

He had reserved the longest and strong
est rope for this purpose, and looping
| it in the middle over limb and letting
the two ends all to the roof. he de-
scended and tied an end firmly beneath
the arms OF both Izah and Jennie in
turn.
To climb back to his old position was
but the work OF a moment. Then came
the real work. Izah was a plump little
girl. and Jennie was still heavier
though not as old. They We're frigh
ened and screamed cons derahly, but he
hauled them up, one after the other,
safely on to the plat orm.
Aleanwh lie The wild rushing waters
were stead " rising and had now nearly
reached the kitchen window sills. Still
larger cakes Of ice were driv ng ponder
ously along among the trees; OCCASION
ally one ground against the elm. givin
it heavy, iarring bump, or struck the
wills OF the house with force that
made the timbers CT ok.
The little girls trembled with fear
and now that the excitement of cl NIB
ing into the tree was over, despair
again seized upon them. In VAN Henry
tried to quiet Their fears, Great sobs
would well p in spite of their childish
efforts to be brave.
II was in truth an appalling situation.
Faster poured the exercising flood; and
now the ice cakes AMI great diff logs
We're smashing in the lower windows.
Nothing was left of the stock-yarls.
sheds and barn; but here and the
some OF the retched cattle still kept
their heads above water; and more d s.
heartening than everything else were
the poor creatures mournful lowlngs.
There was no help for them. Their
drowning was but the question of an
hour or two everything was going
down beneath the black rolling torrent.
And well might the children EEL thank
full if even the great elm withstood the
battering of the ponderous ice-cakes
which came grinding in among the
scattered trees of the grove.
Henry's heart almost failed him. It
requ red his best efforts to keep from
breaking completely down and giving
way to his fright and grief. But mas
tering these terrors at length, he
earnestly set to work to make every
tn ng upon the platform secure. He
felt, too, that he ought to save the bed
ding and the most valuable OF the !.
househo d furniture; fc9 he saw that the
most OF it might be hung upon the linn
of the elm, if only he hal dared to de-
scend after it into the shattered and
rocking building.
But the creaking and grooming Of the
timbers, commingling with the hoarse
gurglings OF the water, appalled, him.
The house seemed on the point of be ng
swept away; and sadly he watched it
heave and sway as each fresh mass of
ice came plnnging against it.
Fearing to trust the little sisters upon
the frail platform unsupported. he tied
them securely to limbs above, leaving
the ropes slack enough to allow o their
moving about. Once, for a moment,
he almost made them smile by calling
them his 81 tie ponies picketed out to
grass. :" He even tried to tell them
stories, and kept courage in their little
hearts by the assurance that ..pa and
ma would soon come and take them
away in a big boat.
Thus the hours wore on. The house
still stood, but the waters crept higher
and higher, till at noon the river ran |
nearly even with the tops of the w.n-
dows. Still the old tree gave no evil /
dence Of yielding; and at length the
pangs of hunger making themselves
felt, thev ate hearty meal in spite of /
their strange and almost desperate stu
alton.
The afternoon passed. Once they /
thought they heard distant shouts: but /
the tops OF the trees prevented them
from look ng Off clearly. Nj hit drew
on; and still the house stood. wonder
fully. as it seemed to Henry.
As night closed darkly in, the little /
2 rls cried themselves to sleep, pillow
ing their heads in the lads lap; and
thus through all that long and tedious
night, never once closing his own eyes
IN sleep, he sat and held them.
Not long after dark Henry heard a
terrific crash, and ind stinetly saw the
house melt away amidst the mad waters
beneath him.
When at last dav dawned there was
1ot familiar landmark to be seen save
The trees; an many of the smallest of
,hese had been broken down by the
masses of ice. It was a bitt r awaken
ng for little Izah and ennie; and it
vas long be ore ienry could again ac-
custom them to the terrible dreariness
If their situation.
But help came shortly after daYbreak.
Even before the pangs OF hunger had
brought them to think OF breakfast,
,heery voices were heard shouting from
he river above. The n ighbors had
.spied them on their platform. through
he lea less branches.
!. Il was a strange sight and one that
you'd have inspired less resolute hearts
O attempt their rescue The young,
N ious faces exreciantly looked out