Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1888-05-19

- -ioCito slept on. y OF ffOng after
midnight came hoarse rush and roar. as
though the fountains o. the kearth were
broken up then a crash against the
house, which shuddered and 1eeled. and
was torn from its foundation.
{ harley was reused from deep sleep
by the shock, and a glance through the
window revealed the horrors around.
Realizing that the worst had come. he
instinctivelv turned to the stairs for
hight, but the frightened cries of the
now awakened gf7fd recalled him to
himself. As he threw him self hack on
the bed beside her some wild, half
ttlfled cries from below reached his ears;
then all was still. save for the sobs of
little Ruth and that Kissing rush and
roar
Some moments of dizzy, whirlinc
motion ensued: then a violent cheek,
followed by a grating sound and the
| tearing and splintering of timbers. After
that rush of air. a dash of water, and
The bed to which they clung went float
ING through an aperture of the crushed
building, and was flung by the force of
the current into the forks of a half sub
merged tree
This tree was one of e group Of three
that, protected by q bend in the rlvc,
Just above, were spared. and were the
only ones left standing in sight from that
point 1t was against the first of these
! that the building had struck and gone
! to pieces, thus releasing the children
from living tomb.
Almost scnseless from the shock and
terror. the bov, with his left arm still
abou. the shrieking little girl, had
! clutched the tree Fortunately, they
had been cast into the crotch formed by
the junction OF one of the largest bouchs
with the trunk OF the tree. Very soon
I the chill Of the wind and water stung
him into full consciousness. and, sooth-
/ ing the child as best he could, he man
aged to draw himself and her to another
! position as safe rs that which he aban-
| doned, and further above the reach of
| the water.
The bed had been washed down the
; stream, but some fragments of a torn
coverlet had caught on branch. This
| he grasped, and wrapping part Of it
about the childs shuddering form, he
tore the rest into strips. with which he
lashed her securely to the tree. Then.
and not till then, did he try, through
the darkness, to take survey of the
scene, and then only did he realize the
| horrors of his situation.
The bank on that side the river being
lower than the opposite one, the water
had overfowed and spread so far beyond
that the trees now seemed to occupy the
middle of the stream.
Cut off by such dangerous expanse
/ of Gr,f
either shore, the chance of the deliver
tnce Of the two children, save Ivy death,
seemed but Slight The dead silence,
broken only by the hoarse noise Of the
flood and the grinding Of the drift, was.
TO be swept bare Of life, aud only those
two left stranded on that slender resting
point, to perish miserably, too
The wreck of happy homes and pros
porous farms went toatlng by. Now &
coop, upon which roasted its feathered
occupants too cowed and stricken 1c
make any sound Of life; then the stiff
fened bodies of dead cattle and sheer
rolled by with the sickening mass
Again, saddcst sight of all some stark
white human face, the hair around il
matted in the drift, would fash UP from
the foamlng. yellow water, as IN mute
appeal, then sink forever from morta
sight.
Perhaps the bows reason might have
forsaken him but for the presence of the
little creature thrown 50 entirely depend
ent upon his care This reused him tc
action Gazing eastward in the direction
o. the hills dividing the river from tn,
village, he d,scrltd figures moving
hls.,7 about with lanterns He lifted
his voice II wild shout and appealed
Tor help which he felt vas vain. Agar
and again he called. and thdn he saw tn
lanterns wave toward him. He nov
knew he had been heard, and that i
possible he would be aiied. This hop
he communicated to lis little sister. wht
wept AMI dung 10 him.
The village had been aroused and th
excitement was intense l. with m,
fr end, Dr. Wc.tan had arrived early o,
N" scene. and when again that despair
ing voice rang across the stream, | said
That IS Cha,lcv Moore in that tree
and the brave fellow shall be saved i
earthly power can do II
There's ~ possibility Of doing i.
said 4 hy>tan1er y ou've no way Q
rea h.ag then because every skiH ans
bateau, rs far aS can Be heard from ha
been carried OF hv the teod tven !
YOU had the boat ~ ore could max
way 1 ro~s II Snah current and with III
drfttunnlnc Ike this
If he beat could he found I woul
ventuIc 'i4e passage. -ald |
And added the doctor. vii civ
: twenty dollars t. any one who viii FL
~ ~, lt,..