National Republican., 1885-09-05

short time the water has covered the first
floor Up stairs | climbed, my clothes wet
and Clingiug to me like bather's suit, II
was Il horrible night; our house filled with
water, while could hear the wind aud
rain lashing amid the surrounding trees as
ii possessed with thousand demons. ]
tried to sleep, but the roar of the maddened
elements intcrminglcd with the bcllOwings
and distrcssful cries of the animals In the
barn, made my heart within me chill.
"Edith," ! said, 81 am going out into the
yard and see how the cattle are getting
on" ! seized the lantern and darted down
stairs, only to find the water some three
feet deep on the floor | knew then the
lmpossibillty Of doing anything for the AMI
mails, and so returned.
The hand Of the clock on the mantcl
pointed to /. The water was up even with
the second story of our house, and the
storm showed no signs OF terminating. The
minutes dragged slowly on. | thought of
my husband and friends. Horrible thought
to be drowned, and In my own house.
II was 2 o'clock when, on going to the
window to look out, l heard q noise as II n
boat was approaching. ! was not deceived,
for such It was. As It came nearer, a voice
called out and asked II were yet alive.
replied was and called for the occupant to
take me off.
The boat approached. l. with the aid Of
my lantern, recognized the man in II as Pal,
the negro boy. lie called out and told us
not to lose any time, but to enter the boat,
and we would be saved. My daughter en-
tered and | followed. Then the brave
youth seized the oars, and, with long,
powerful strokes, rowed away. lie uttered
not u word, and was too full Of thinking
for our safety to speak.
We rowed on FOR fifteen minutes when
cin
Pal, telling us to remain perfectly still,
moved forward to the bow, when suddenly
the craft gave lurch and saw the brave
youth go hcadlong overheard into the dark,
murky waters. | heard no cry from him.
II was few minutes before could recover
myself, and then ] cried out: "Pal Pal ~
but no one answered. The boat was tossing
about from side to side, and thought every
moment we would he tossed into eternity.
The oars had fallen overheard. and / knew
we were helpless. We, however, cold and
exhausted, huddlcd together in the bottom
Of the craft, which was now drifting we
knew not whittier ltwas agony. i cannot
tell how we suffered for the remainder Of
that night, but the longest must have an
end, and when the first welcome streak of
day appeared found we were only few
yards from shore. | managed to get the
boat on shore IN n short time, and we were
from our own home.
1t was not long before my husband was
with me, and MS told him of what hardship
We had just passed through, and how Pal
rescued lis from watcry grave, | saw q
| few tears tricklc down his checks. The
next day We went back to the old farm.
| The stock had been lost and crops almost
destroyed.
We found the lifelcss body of Pal washed
| up against the barn. We believed that
Pal had been seized with the cramps when
he had fallen overheard and been drowned
We buried him under large oak tree, and
erected neat monument TO his memory.
90 @
But this not all. Five years after that
terrible night our house was undergoing re-
pairs.
When the floor in Edith's room was re-
moved we found the long-lost ring. II had
fallen through crack in the floor.
showed it to John and Edith, and we all
thought of the wrongcd negro boy, Will,
John solcmnly uttered: "Judgc not"