Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-11-01

1t" iV'c' III Nan. Whatever she did
was So frank that !ocls rcproof was
tempered by strange feeling which
caused him to forgive the spiri, which
\ prompted Mans action-a feeling hc
knew not how to analyzc.
i Once, when she had pcrpriratcd some
especially annoying trick on him, and he
Jhad met her ont of school hours on the
way home, her pretty smile and look of
respect iad driven every spark of anger
from his heart, and he broke out
''oh, Nan! Why will you--"
| But she had pulled her hand out of his.
amt lied before the words were out of his
mouth. e.
\ And Nan-shc was tho same Thought
less girl, as far rs Joel could see rs the
lwceks sped quickly by and brought them
ncarcr the end of the term. She led the
boys and girls in every game. She could
ontskatc them; not Il boy dared TO
chalcngc her to II race on the ice Cor fear
of the defeat ho know would await him.
Her happy laugh ripplcd everywhere.
mot boy but would have riSkcd his
life for her. Not IL girl hut fed To her
III time of trouble, for she was ever to
}thcm II champion equal TO every cmcr-
gcncy To all sho was simply "Nm"-
kind, loving, mirthful "Nunn
About The time Iocl's school closed,
the river, which had been frozen all
winter, began 10 break up, and the ice
gave signs of going out. Here and there
great seams appeared, and warning,
roar sounded through the valley
SOME of the older boys who had cx-
plorcd The stream higher up, very saycly
predicted that there would bc trouble
before night; but this brought 10 Jocl's
,mind little fear. lie thought The stream
might rise, and carry away Tho ice, but
that would he all. lie knew nothing
nbout the fearful gorgcs which sometimes
damned the river, and flooded The entire
country for miles around.
AT noon the report came that Il gorge
was forming II short distance above the
school house. There never before had
been such pile of ice crowded into that
part of the river, and water was be-
ginning to flow over the valley. a heavy
rain sci it, falling for hours in torrents
Still Joel had no idea what danger was
impending. This was his first experience
with the river, and when some of his
pupils begged To go home, he Thought il
came less terrible or their parents came
. for them This latter thing happened
sooner than he had Thought likely, and
some of the sturdy ycomcn came for their
little one quite IL while before the usual
time for their Dismissal and pravcly adj
vlsed joel to close for the day, ns they
feared trouble from the gorge up the
river.
At length the young man, impressed
, more by the anxious faces of the chill
drcn than by any Thought OF real dan
ger, told them To go, and quietly pro
cecdcd TO help them get started for
home.
Night was dropping down over the
valley. The storm king was abroad in
all his fury. The night gave promise
; Of hcing terrible one
Jocls heart rcprovcd him for not let
opened the door and heard The sullcn
roar which came from The gorge.
lie listened sharply.
Yondcr came II man on horseback.
: riding rapidly.
| What was the matter.
The rush of waters smotc his ear. The
truth flashed over him.
+, The ice gorge had given way,
; The young mans face grew pale as he
drew the children back into the house
and shut The door. lie could not let
them so now. II was too late
; a icw minutes more and wide cur
rent of wafer swept around the build
) ing, cutting of all hope Of escape on
foot. 1t was now plain that they were
hcmmcd in.
The horscman waved his hnnd toward
} them, and then wheeled away TO seek
other means Of reaching the school
house. IL was n trying place for the
young teacher, and some courage was re-
quircd To look calmly into the faces of
the awc-strickcn children and try TO
: quiet them.
But in this he had helper in Nan.
: The girls face showed nothing of the
, terror Joel expected to see in her The
woman seemed to have suddenly come
in place of the rolicking girl. She wns
here there, everywhere, cheering the
; younger ones in most mothcrly way.
How this crisis had transformed her i!
) Joel noticed more than ever now what n
strong face she had. He had always
Thought her pretty; now Il look had come
upon her features which indicated the
spirit which makes women heroic She
had become Il calm, sclf-posscsscd woman.
: While Joel was thinking Of this,
through the dusk came boat, manned
; by two farmers. 1t slowly pushed its
; way through the current, fighting hard
against wind. ice and drifting wood but
; it was not long before the rcscucrs reached
the impcrilcd house. Joel could no
longer open the door without letting in II
little ocean. Tiny rivulcts were spread
: ing over the floor. The only way 10 get
the children into the boat was through
an open window.
Not more than half the number were
able TO get into the boat. The rest must
wait.
: 'TIadn't you better get in now, Mr..
Professor" asked one OF the men when
the boat was ready 10 push of for the
bank.