St. Landry democrat., 1889-08-10
A Dangerous Boat Voyage.

From my fathers house in Vermont,
| green fields, covered with flowers used tc
slope gently down to the Onion River, a
few miles from Montpelier the capital of
the State 1t is beautiful but dangerous
river, and my mother had strictly for
hidden me to play by tie water side
was about six or seven years old, and,
like some other little people, sometimes
| forgot my good mothers wishes. One
day | went down to the river alone to play.
found little boat there which was used
| for crossing to the other shore. What a
fine thing it would be-" | thought, Ito
have a ride upon the river ust like the
big boys"
The water where the boat lay was very
calm and smooth, and so, getting into the
boat, | united the rope and pushed off from
the shore. As | pushed off, the boat
| rocked to one side. Fearing it would be
overturned, l sprang to the opposite side,
when the boat tipped the other way, and
over went into the water which was
nearly up to my neck. | managed to climb
back into the boat, but found it was about
half full of water which had poured over
the side as | was getting in.
Well, was in sad plight, a helpless
little girl, in wee boat drifting rapidly
down dangerous stream. Now | began
to think what a naughty girl had been to
disobey my dear mother, who had strictly
charged me to keep away from the water.
And now the boat began to go faster and
faster | saw no way to reach the shore.
could not help myself, because | had
lost the paddle when | fell overheard.
Faster and faster still and, not far below
was a terrible rocky gorge down which
the river plunged with a roar like thunder,
and foamed and tossed it's cruel, angry
waves all ready to dash my little boat in
pieces, and then-ah what would become
of me?
Then I was sorry | had disobeyed my
mother, and began to pray to the Lord
to forgive me and deliver me, and | prom
ised him that l would never do SO again
And the Lord who watches the little birds
and takes care of everything, took pity on
the poor fatherless girl who prayed to him,
standing in the wet boat as it tioated
down the hurting river. When it had
gone about an eighth OF mile it struck on
sand bar with such shock that it threw
ME fiat on my face towards the forward
end of the boat. | instantly sprang out
on to the sand, and took hold of the boat
to drag it up towards the river bank
Just then | heard an awful voice from a
field near by, aad saw q man coming on
the run, swearing and scolding at me for
stealing his boat. This frightened me
more than ever, for / did not know but
that the boat was public property. gd, told
him Il wanted a boat ride, and so got into
the boat" He soon taught me better
manners so thoroughly that | never med
died with his boat after that.
He drew the boat to shore, and | went
home, soaked and dripping with water. l
have forgotten what my mother said or
did to me presume she gave me whip
ping. If she did not, think she ought to
have given me one But one thing |
never forgot, how, when prayed to the
Lord, he heard me and delivered me from
my troubles. You may be sure it was a
long time before 1 tried any more voyages
on that river in boat alone,-Harreet
Barnett Hastings.