The Grenada gazette., 1889-01-31

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ness than that OF sickness seized hi:
heart. Almost lying upon the neck ol
his steed. with the reins loose and fly
ing, he spurred him on, and encour,
aged him to yet greater exertionsi
and the noble beast, as though com.
pretending the cause OF his masters
furious haste, and sympathizing in his
agony, glanced furtively down upon
the wild waters rushing past him, and
quirkened This already lightning like
speed.
Three factories lay between the up
per village and William Preston $
house; and scarcely had he passed the
first, when the tumbling floods were
down upon its dam, sweeping it away
like stubble, and timbers, planks and
wood came surging along on the top
of the waves. that strobe mercilessly
down the valley, gloating over the de-
struction they wrought, On they
came, like al infuriated populace, leap
ing and tumhling, and clapping their
hands in demoniac glee and the dam
of the second factory yielded to their
fierce assault. On they rushed, the
victorious waters, with increased force
and volume. and like the very spirit OF
mischief, seemed hurrying to destroy
the poor dwelling Of the husband and
father, who was running this fearful
race with the waves, not for his own
life, but for the lives OF those dcarer
to him than his own.
On he flew, in the darkness on, like
the wind. Now the road was low and
oyrrhowed and now it wound up
higher, and he could look down upon
the dreadful current that threatened
destruction to those SO dear to him.
At last oh, what an eternity did it
seem to him since he started,-he car0o
within sight of his dwelling; all was
still and quiet; its inmates evidently
were not alarmed How eagerly Will
lam Preston strained his eyes in that
direction. A bright thought darted
into his mind and for an instant his
heart grew lighter. "Pcrhaps." he
said to himself, MARY was alarmed,
hnd went to her sisters to pass the
night. Oh. Heaven, ! thank thee"
But no-he looked again-the faint
light of the night-lamp strcamed from
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there, in danger, and unconscious. AS
the frantic man saw the dim lamp
light, he goaded on his already flying
beast and. rising in his saddle, he
shouted, like one mad: "Mary' Mary,
for Gods sake, wake, bestir yourself.
you're lost, Y0u're loSt YOU'RE LOST"
But his shouts were drowned by the
din Of the waters that We're pressing
on his footsteps. The poor man looked
back over his shoulder, and saw
mountain Of white waves leaping down
into the valley; and, like a pack Of
hungry wolves, they seemed yawnlng
to devour the dear ones he was hasten
IHs W lt@CuI' / lic udtu VI tut ltot
factory was gone, and the remorseless
element. with accumulation Of force
and volume, was Just upon the little
cottage and It's slumhering inmates.
But William Preston was also within
a few rods of his home; his horse,
white with foam, blood squirting from
his n0stril5, was not to be distanced
even bv the reiuess, bridle)ess, hungry
waves. A few more mad, wild plunges,
and he gained the front gate; Il word
from his master, and low fence was
cleared, and they stood, the horse and
his rider. at the door With one thrust
Of his foot, one heavy throw Of his
athletic form against the door, il fen
in, and he few to his wife'S room. A
few words, and, more than all, his
wild, frcnzicd looks. told the story.
Tip, Mary up, for the love o!
Heaven quick quick. there's no time
TO loose; the dam is swept by the
board, and the house is going" Catch
ing the boy in his arms, while the
mother folded the babe to her
bosom. they hurried from the doomed
cottage. into which the waves were be-
ginning to enter. Partly leaplng,
partly lifted Mary was seated in the
saddle, and sei2ing the horse by the
bride, while both master and animal
rallied their exhausted strength for a
last effort they climbed up the steep
bank to the first dwelling, aud looked
back to see the white floods pouring in
at the doors and windows OF their de.
serted home
Thank God! thank God Mary,
you're safci you're safe Knock at the
door, and arouse the folks; for it is
all dark around me--l can not see my
way' and the voice Of the OvertaXed
man died away, and he sank upon the
ground, in a protracted swoon.
But the men who had followed him
from the village were soon with him,
and shelter and every comfort We're be-
slowed upon his wife and children that
their circumstances demanded. An at.
tempt was made to save some Of the
stuff from the watery ele-
ment; but the waves were waging so
violent n war upon the dwelling that
it was abandoned as hazardous and
impractcable. When the morning
dawned broad river rolled through
the valley, while not a ve5tige of Will
lam PrestOn's house was visible.
II have run races, in my lifetime,
Often,' William Preston would say,
when concluding the story we have re-
lated. Il have run races on foot, when
a boy, with my playmates, for marbles,
hoop or an apple; and have raced
on horseback, when man. for purse
Of money; but the toughest, most ex-
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