The Opelousas courier., 1889-10-26

boys and girls in every game. She could
outskate them; not a boy dared to
challenge her to a race or the ice for fear
of the defeat he knew would await him.
Her happy laugh rippled everywhere.
Not a boy but would have risked his
life for her. Not a girl but fed to her
in time of trouble, for she was ever to
them a champion equal to every emer-
gency. TO all she was simply "Nan''-
kind, loving, mirthful "Nan."
About tho time Joel's school closed,
The river. which had been frozen all
winter, began to break up, and the ice
gave signs of going out. Here and there
great seams appeared, and q warning
roar sounded through the valley.
Some of the older boys who had ex-
plored the stream higher up, very sagcly:
predicted that there would be trouble
before night; but this brought to Joel's
mind little fear. He thought the stream
might rise, and carry away the ice, but
that would be all. He knew nothing
about the fearful gorges which sometimes
damned the river, and flooded the entire
country for miles around.
AT loon the report came that a gorge
was forming a short distance above the
school house. There never before had
been such a pile of ice crowded into that
part of the river, and water was be-
ginning to flow over the valley. A heavy,
rain set 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 ii
best for them to wait until the storm be-
came less terrible or their parents came;
for them. This latter thing happened'
sooner than he had thought likely, and
some of the sturdy yeomen came for their
little one quite a while before the usual
TIME for their dismissal, and gravely adj
vised Joel to close for the day, as they
feared trouble from the gorge up the,
river.
At length the young man, impressed
more by the anxious faces of the chill
dren than by any thought of real dan,
ger, told them to go, and quietly pro-
ceeded 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 being a terrible n
Joel's heart reproved him for not let
ting the children go sooner when he
opened the door and heard the sullen'
roar which came from the gorge
He listened sharply.
Yonder came a man on horseback,
riding rapidly.
What was the matter.
The rush Of waters smote his ear. The
truth flashed over him.
The ice gorge had given wayl
The young mans face grew pale as he
drew the children back into the house.
and shut the door. He could not let,
them 60 now. 1t was too late.
A few minutes more and a wide cur
rent of water swept around the build
ing, cutting off all hope of escape on
foot. It was now plain that they were
hemmed in.
The horseman waved his hand toward
them, and then wheeled away to seek
other means of reaching the school
house. 1t was a trying place for the
young teacher, and some courage was re-
quired to look calmly into the faces of
the awe-stricken children and try to-
quiet them.
But in this he had a helper in Nan.
The girls face showed nothing of the
terror Joel expected to see in her. The
woman seemed to have suddenly GOMEZ
in place of the rollicking girl. ShGAs
here there, everywhere, cheering the
younger ones in a most motherly way.
How this crisis had transformed heri
Joel noticed more than ever now what a
strong face she had. He had always
thought her pretty; now alook had come
upon her features which indicated the
spirit which makes women heroic. She! }
had become a calm, self-possessed woman.
While Joel was thinking of this,
through the dusk came a boat, manned
by two farmers. It slowly pushed its
way through the current, fighting hard
wind, ice and drifting wood; but +
it was not long before the rescuers reached
the imperiled house. Joel could no
open the door without letting In a
little ocean. Tiny ~rivulets were spread
ing over the floor. The only way to get
The children into the boat was through
an open window.
Not more than half the number were
to get into the boat. The rest must
wait.
"Hadn't you better get in now, MFR.
Professor?" asked one of the men when
The boat was ready to push off for the
bank.
sNot as long as there is any n else to-
go, Zeb, was Joel's firm response, as he
gave the boat o steady shove away from
the house.
A. half-hoar of suspense passed. Then
Ihe dim outlinessdeth The boat appeared
through the; gloom again.
"TheG~Jat is full enough said Joel,
Is he tucked the last one of the children
into the boat. nThe load would
be too heavy and trouble might come of
t if ! should get in. / hope the worst
$ over anyhow. Even if the water rises
,wo feet more, I can still find q way to-
Keep out of it until morning, perhaps.
.'Tain't just the thing to leave you!
said one of the men, hesitatingly.
Jet in, and we'll get through all right, I
aNo." was the quick response. "Go
head. If you can come for me, all
light. II not"
He paused. Something in Mans eyes