Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-10-03
HUMBLE HEROISM.
An Incident Of the Flood in the
Alabama River.

Negroes frequently exhibit a Won
dertul degree OF heroism in times OF
danger. An instance of this ! wit
messed in the spring of 1886, when a
tresket in the Alabama river caused
the country on each side to be over
flowed by water for many miles.
The negroes on the river planta-
tions were the greatest sufferers
Their cabins would be under water
almost before they knew that danger
threatened them, and hundreds of
them were sometimes found huddled
together upon some knoll sufficiently
elevated TO be above the water. There
they often remained two or three days
and nights without food and exposed
TO a soaking rain. Fortunately, the
weather was not cold.
Many relief expeditions were sent
out from the neighboring towns to res
cue them. These consisted OF one or
more boats. manned by expert oars
men and swimmers, and filed with
cooked provisions. blankets, etc. One
day the news came that the negroes on
a certain plantation had sought refuge
upon a corn crib. around which the
water was rapidly rising, and so rem
Ge-ing their condition exceedingly
precariouS. Two boats started out at
once to their assistance. In one OF
these ] went. accompanied by another
white man and a negro.
An amusing occurrence took place
not long after our starting. In the
middle of submerged field, about one
hundred yards to our right. We saw a
little. woody black head. with a
frightened black face beneath it, pro-
jectlng from the water. We
rowed hastily towards il and drew
out o! the muddy water a negro boy
about eight years Old, perfectly naked.
and held him up among Us,
Here, Moses" cried one. holding a
lin cup with whisky in il to his mouth.
'.here, take drink"
Take bite of this bread. Noses
cried another, trying to crowd the
bread into his mouth.
mo: let Moses have some of this
fried bacon. It'll do him the most
good. said the negro oarsman.
Bat Moses shook his head and turned
aside from all the offered food.
i sc erbleeged TO yer, marsters,
he said, while his white teeth shone
and his eyes rolled wildly. II Sc
erbleeged ter yer. but hain't sot down
IL two days, by tryin' TO keep my head
out 4 de watah. an all wants, eff yer
please is 10 set down"
He WAS promptly wrapped in
blanket and set down. where for an
hour he sat without moving, enjoying
the perfect rest of his new position
AT the end OF that time he began 10
eat | draw a vail over his perform
ance in this line. We feared we had
rescued him from a watery grave to
kill him with corn bread and bacon.
although the negro oarsman insisted
that he never heard of a ..niggah bein'
hurt by too much TO eat" Meeting
returning boat soon after, We put
never heard of him again. but presume
he survived both his unusual bath and
banquet
We resumed pur journey, and just
before dark sighted the corn crib.
upon which a mass Of black hu-
mainly clustered like a swarm OF
bees. 4 heavy rain was now falling.
and daylight beginning to fade away,
their condition become most distress
ing. as they sat in perfect silence
watching our approach.
But we did not appreciate their ex-
IRENE peril until, as the boat struck
against the frail Lighthouse. which was
in the water to the edges of the roof,
it visibly shook and totte-ed. The
poor creatures began to Chamber hur-
riedly down TO the boat
Stop / cried. The women and
children first"
The men obediently resumed their
seats. We took in first the children
and then the women. getting them all
in safely. and were about to push of.
telling the men We would hurry back
for them as quickly as possible or send
the first boat We met. when a very old
woman q noticed she was the last to
get in the boat and had done so re-
luctantly) seized lie corner of the
house. and. looking anxiousiy into my
face, said:
.'Aarster. amt you gwine tale my
ole man?"