Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1890-01-11
HUMBLE HERO
An Incident OF the Flood In the
Alabama River.

Negroes frequently exhibit q won-
derful degree OF heroism in times of
danger. An instance vf this / wit
pessed In the spring OF 1886, when a
treshet In the Alabama river caused
the country on each side TO be over
howed 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
10 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
moro boats, manned by expert oars
men and swimmers, and filed with
cooked provisions, blankets. etc. One
day the news came that the negroes on
q certain plantation had sought refuge
upon a corn crib. around which the
water wes rapidly rising, and so rom
dering their condition exceedingly
preearious- Two boats started out ai
once to their assistance. In one OF
these went. accompanied by another
white man and a negro.
An amusing occurrence took placo
not long after our starting. In the
middle OF submerged field. about one
hundred yards to our right we saw q
little, woolly black head. with q
frightened black face beneath 1t. pro-
jectlng from the water. We
rowed hastily towards IL and drew
out Of the muddy water a negro boy
about eight years old. perfectly naked.
and held him up among US.
Here. Moses. cried enc. holding q
din cup with whisky In 1t TO his mouth.
.'here. take a drink. !"
Take bite OF this bread. Moses, /"
cried another, trying to crowd the
bread into his mouth.
''No; lot Moses have some of this
fried bacon. It'll do him the most
geod,h said the negro oarsman.
But Moses shook his head and turned
eside from all the offered food.
Use erbleeged to yer, marsters,"
he said, while his white teeth shone
and his eyes rolled wildly. .Tss
erbleeged ter yer. but | hain't sot down
In two days, by tryin' TO keep my head
out a de watah. an all wants. ef yer
please Is TO set down"
He was promptly wrapped In q
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
cat. ! draw a vail over his perform
ance In this line. We feared we had
rescued him from a watery grave "a
kill him with corn bread and bacon,
although the negro oarsman insisted
that he never heard OF .'niggah bein'
hurt by too much TO eat" Meeting a
returning boat soon after. we put
Moses In IL and sent him TO town.
never heard OF him again, but presume
he survived both his unusual bath and
banquet.
We resumed our journey. and Just
before dark sighted the corn crib.
upon which mass OF black hu.
manity clustered like a swarm oi
bees. A 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 OK.
treme peril until, as the boat struck
against the frail log-honse, which was
In the water TO the edges OF the roof.
Ii visibly shook and tottered. The
poor creatures began to Chamber hur-
Fiedly down to the boat
..Stopm 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
Tor them as quickly as possible or send
she first boat We met when q very old
woman q noticed she was the last to
ret in the boat and had done so re-
tuctantly) seized the corner Of the
house, and, looking Anxiously into my
Iaee, said:
'Marster, amt yeu gwine take my
sis mani"