Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-09-10
ROMANCE OF THE FLOOD. Brave Girl Saves . Mans Lifo, and
 Then Marries Him..

John Prowley, young fisherman, whose good habits have made him popu- lar Tor many miles along the Susauehanna rlver, walked into the Perry County court house the other day and asked for a mar rage license, writes Harrisburg (Pa. ] correspondent His face was not SO brown that 1t did not betray his blushes when he announced the name of his prospective pride, but 1t was not because she had ever been guilty of wrong-doing that he flushed. The girl was Mary Yerger and he was very proud of her. They had lived within ten miles of each other for years, but 1t was not until the recent great flood in Pennsyivania that they were brought to an acquaintance.
 John Is carpenters son, and he indus trlously aided his father to provide for 8 large family by fishing and plotting fishing partles from the big towns around the river. Most of the time was spent along the Susquehanna, near which his parents lived When the June flood came people from all parts of the country hurried to the river to see it's sights. Mary Yerger and a boy, son of the farmer with whom she lived, loitered on the waters edge until dusk of the day when the water had reached it's highest mark. Few per sons had tarried so long, but she and the boy forgot the time while looking out on the swift waters at boom-log catcher. He was standing in frail skiff, hooking the big booms with long pole and towing them to land on the opposite side of the river Boom after boom was thus secured, and he oper- ated with such vigorous regularity that it seemed his strength would soon be exhaust ed. He had just landed one of unusual size, which took all his strength, and Mary thought he would rest awhile before going out into the troublesome waters again. But he didn't, and, wiping the precipitation from his brow with @ part of his torn shirt-sleeve, he quickly rowed out and was headed to- ward a large walnut log Before he reached the coveted prize his boat had been caught between mass of the booms, which ground 1t to pieces like thing of glass. He es- capped most miraculously from instant death by Climbing over the logs and reaching the water. He tried to swim for the shore, but It was plainly seen that he was too much overcome to get even half the distance. The current was swift, and he was beginning to go down with it.
 Mary Yerger knew that he would drown unless she saved him, for nobody else was in sight. It was ,perilous att tempt, but she did not hesitate. She was not the kind Of woman to see a human life thus sacrificed without at least an eff
 
 strength she dragged into the water a row. boat that had been pulled up on elevated ground, safe from the rising water. When she reached the man he was so nearly ex- hausted that he could not climb into the boat without her assistance. That night from the same table at which John Prov ley ate his supper, Mary Yerger's meal was also taken. It was at Johns home, and the two sat around the table long time, telling their experience of the early evening to Johns parents, and their other children. Mary was always thereafter a welcome guest at the Prowley home, and John spent much of hIs time in her company.
 It was with a proud satisfaction that John related this circumstance while the clerk was filling out his marriage license. John and Mary are marrled now, and they ex- pect to get pretty good start toward housekeeping when the Lumberman's Fix. change, of Williamsport, pays for the logs which John caught