Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-10-16
WOULD NOT BE PARTED.
INCIDENT OF THE FLOOD IN THE
ALABAMA RIVER IN 1886.
Old Aunt Lyddy Wouldn't He Rescued
without Her acknowledgements on the
Old Submerged Crib-A Little Colored
Moses who Only Wanted to Sit Down.

Moses Who Only Wanted to Sit Down.
Negroes frequently exhibit wonderful de-
gree Of heroism in times OF danger. An in
stance Of this witnessed in the spring OF
1886, when a freshet In the Alabama river
caused the country on each side TO be- over
flowed by water for many miles.
The negroes ON the river plantations 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 10 rescue them. These
consisted Of one or more boats, manned by
,xpert oarsmen and swimmers. ard filled
With cooked provisions, blankets, etc One
lay the news came that the negroes on a Ger.
ain plantation had sought refuge upon a
sorn crib, around which the water was rapid
ly rising, and rendering their condition
exceedingly precarious. Two boats started
out at once 10 their assistance In one of
these ! went, accompanied by another white
man and negro
IhEh CALLED HIN MOSES"
An amusing occurrence took place not long
ifter our starting In the middle OF a sub
merged field, about 100 yards TO our right,
We saw little woody black head, with a
frightened black face beneath il, projecting
rom the water We rowed hastily towards
L and drew out Of the muddy water "a negro
boy about years old, perfectly naked, and
held him up among us.
Here. Moses, cried one, holding tin cup
with whisky in IL to his mouth, there, take a
drink
Take a bite OF this bread, Moses, cried
another, trying 10 crowd the bread into his
mouth
mo; let Moses have some OF this fried ha.
con tn do him the most good" said the
negro oarsman.
But Moses shook his head and turned aside
from all the offered food.
Use erbleeged 10 Yer, marstersn he said
while his white teeth shone and bis ewes
rolled wildly. Use erbleeged TO yer, but |
hain't snt down in two days, err tryin' 10 keep
my head out'n de watah, an all wants, ef
yer please, is TO sat 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
To eat. | draw n veil over his performance
In this line. We feared we had rescued him
from a watery grave 10 kill him with corn
bread and bacon, although the negro oars
man nisis'ed 'nAt ne had never heard OF
nlggah BEN hurt by too much 70 eat. "
Meeting a returning boat soon after, We put
Moses IN u ami sent him 10 town l never
hearu OF MN AGAIN out presume ne survived
ooth MS unusual oath ana banquet
We resumed our Journey, and just before
dark s'shted the corn crlo' upon which mass
OF oi"ch humanity clustered ike swarm OF
beeS. heaVy ram was now falling, and
dayhght oesihhihs 10 iade away, Their con
dition become most distressing, as they sat In
perfect silence watching our approach.
But we anu not appreciate their extreme
peru unth as the boat struck against the frnil
log house, which was In the water 10 the edges
oil the roof 1t visioiy shook aud tottered The
poor creatures began 10 Chamber hurriedly
down 10 tue boat
stop! cried Inc women and children
hrSt
Tue men ooediehtiy resumed their seats.
we TOOK IN hrst the children and then the
women getting them all IN safely, and were
ABOUT 70 push on 'sihhs the men We would
hurry oacN Tor them As quickly as possible
OF send 'he nrst boat We met, when very
QUO woman u noticed sue was the last to get
IN 'ne p'at ana nan done 50 reluctantly
sened the corner oil tue mousse ana looking
ahh.ousiy INTO my race SAID
"a'S''i' "'n you g"ihe tAke my ole
'nai.l
w. auir,e' a"s"eiel, tne ooat Is TOO
tull now. ne must walt TIL we come back. !"
"CLINGIS' To DE ARK
The words were hardly out of my nouth
when with "A sudden snrino sba vvas nv, Cd
ON the roof again II shooR o. sha go, 49,
- IN - -, :. -, -, = $500 . ',o'eH
~, 90 ~" - az 'oOA "e' scat oS
''~o' "iu "'oNH man. "uoso nahu
she seized anu heid as II she was afraid we
would tear her away from him.
Come, auntle," / cried, this won't do
We can't leave you here and We can't wait
any longer on you"
'Go on, marster," she answered 81 thanks
yer, en- pray de good Lawd 10 fetch you all
safe home, but gwine stay hyah wild nv ole
man. Ef Simon got 70 git drownded, Lyddy
gwine git drownded too. We dun bin to
gedder too long to part now.n
And we had to leave her. after throwing
them some blankets and a lot of provisions
As we rowed of IN the rain and night a high
falsetto voice. tremulous with age, came
across the waters from the crib where we left
the almost certainly doomed group in the
blackness Of darkness They dared not have
light, for fear OF setting fire to their frail
support. We stopped our oars TO listen 70 the
song. IL came, clear and distinct First
Lyddy's trembling voice and then a cboru>
of dozen or more Of the deep bass voices Of
ths-f2en:
SSiges Si.oxin' 20 Go ~xS.---
i'I as ~ "a, Is sI us m
T.t.. 80. l..
Do de flesh i DO en- weak