Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-06-27

played necessarily, then it ceased, and
crash followed crash of thunder till the
earth seemed to tremble beneath the
mighty reverberatiens. Then IN the far
distance a rushing, roaring sound came
to Ned's cars, borne by the wind.
Louder and louder ii grew till, when
he rode into the farm-yartl, he was, so
alarmed by the rushing sound that hs
only paused to throw his bride reia
over a convenient post, and, withor.
ceremony, rushed into the house.
The Mox}y family We're CLAIMED by
the rushing sound, and Bessie, as she
recognized her lover; flew to his arms.
The next instant there came 4 tearing,
crashing, grinding sound; the house was
lifted, as if by great haqds. from its
foundation and tossed. a mass OF
wrecked and broken timbers, on the
bosom of the seething waters.
The lovers We're whirled round and
round by the surging waters, now sub
merged, now floating on the surface.
barely avoiding some huge timber as it
went whirling past. vThey We're borne
rapidly down the stream. Ned whs a
good SWIMMER, but encumbefel as he
was with heavy clothing ana his sweet
heart, he found it almost impossible to
make Roadway in the angry, eddying
waters.
BY n flash of lightning, Ned saw a
building drifting along only a few
feet away. Toward this he swan,
and by the next flash he saw he was
| close enough toErasp it. In a,moment
more he had placed Bessie in a place
OF comparative safety.
AS he was about to Chamber up IN
the rude raft, Ned felt.something strike
his shoulder from behind, and he could
hear the bones crushing under the press
ure as his breast was forced against
the edge of the floor by the heavy tim
Der. He chung to the floor with his free
hand, but the pain was terrible. He
felt his strength leaving him, and I'M
less the pressure ceased in a moment so
he could gain the raft, he knew that
his end was near
Goodbye, Bessie, love-" he called
family, Il am" but here the pain had
proved too much to bear, aud he
tainted.
Bessie saw his peril and, leaning for
ward, firmly grasped his collar, and the
log, swinging around in the current,
released his body.
Fortunately Bessie was a strong
young lady, and in spite of the sudden
test her strength vas put to, when the
body OF her lover was thus suddenly
released, she was able to maintain her
hold and her position on the raft.
After a hard struggle, she succeeded
in drawing Ned's body up on the old
floor beside her, and then, utterly ex-
hausted by the effort, she fell half
fainting by the side of her insensible
lover. When she came back to
consciousness the raft had anchored
in some tree-top along the bank of the
river.
The rain had now ceased, the clouds
were breaking away overhead, and the
moon shining down through rift in the
clouds, lit up a fearful scene of desola-
ton and ruin in that little valley, a few
short hours before filled with prosper
Gus homes.
Ned was still unconscious and Bessie
knelt owe him alternately kissing the
cold lips and brow, or chatting the hands
and temples and calling on him to
arouse and speak to her.
Hours passed by and at last the gray
dawn of morning appeared in the east.
Soon searching parties appeared and
one Of them came to the raft and car
ried Bessie and Ned to aplace of safety.
Besides the grief for her lover, there
was the uncertainty as to the fate of
her parents, who were swept away in
the flood. She could not sleep, and sat
by the side of her lover or aided the
physician in his efforts to bring the
young man back to life. At last his
eyes opened once more on the things of
this world, and the doctor declared that
he would recover in spite of his badly
crushed shoulder.
The next day, when the waters had
subsidized, the bodies of Mr.. and Mrs.
Moxly were found where they had been
swept by the flood. They were clasped
in each others arms, still clinging to-
gether ever in death. After q year had
passed, and time had cured the deep
grief Bessie felt at the loss of her par
ents, she and Ned were quietly married.
Yet he will carry the marks OF that fear
full night with him to the grave.
~