The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-01-24

the bedding and the most valuable of the
household furniture; for he saw that the
most OF 1t might be hung upon the limbs of
the elm, IL only he had dared to descend
after it into the shattered and rocking build.
ing.
But the cresking and grooming of the
lings of the water, appalled, him. The
house seemed on the point of being swept
away; and sadly he watched il heave and
sway as each fresh mass of ice came plung-
ing 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 of their NOV
ing about. Once, for q moment, he almost
made them smile by calling them his "little
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 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 windows. Still
the old tree gave no evidence of yielding;
and at length the psngs of hunger making
themselves felt, they ate hearty meal in
spite of their strange and almost desperate
situation.
The afternoon passed. Once they thought
they heard distant shouts; but the tops of
the trees prevented them from looking off
clearly. Night drew on; and still the house
stood, wonderfully, as it seemed 70 Henry
AS night closed darkly in, the little girls
cried themselves to sleep, pillowing their
hes DIS 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 te--
rife crash, and indistinctly saw the house
melt away amidst the mad waters beneath
him
When at last day dawned there was not
familiar landmark to be seen save the
trees; and many of the smallest of these
had been broken down by the masses of ice.
1t was bitter awakening for little Izsh
and Jennie; and it was long before Henry
could again accustom them to the terrible
dreariness of their situation.
But help came shortly after daybreak.
Even before the pangs of hunger had
brought them to think of breakfast, CHEEKY
voices were heard shouting from the river
above. The neighbors had espied them on
their platform. through the lesfless branches.
1t was a strange sight, and one that
would have inspired less resolute hearts to
attempt their rescue. The young. anxious
faces expectantly locked out over the
dreary waters, and watched with hope and
delight the efforts making to save them. 1t
was an hour that they never would forget.
Cold and hungry, but safe and happy,
the gallant boy and his little charges were
taken aboard boat manned by the faith
full Rudolph and several other young men,
who had worked with energy, but in vain,
on account of the floating ice, to reach them
the day before.
Mr.. and Mrs. Wilson we're delayed longer
than they had expected; and not returning
till evening of that day, they learned MOTH
ing of the danger to which the children
had been exposed till after they had seen
them safe at the house of a kind neighbor.