The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1891-12-16
-,D -G 6.NV2

SHARPLY " A." u,
as strapping young fellow'of eighteen
wears sprang into the midst of the
party and, taking in the situation at a
Glance, threw off his hat, coat and
boots, and dashing with a mighty leap
into the seething hell of waters, swan
with giant strokes to the rescue. Be-
fore him stretched, not the peaceful
summer brook, which forty-eight hours
previously had rippled like thread OF
iiiouid silver through the lowland mead
ows, but foaming, raging flood full
half mile in width, covering to great
depth and from hill to hill on either
side, the lately smiling valley, and
bearing on its bosom a gruesome pro-
cession of wrecked barns, houses,
bridges and fences, all intermingled
with uprooted trees, grain and hay
stacks and great whirling logs-among
which foated scores of cattle, sheep
and swine, all either already drowned
or struggling madly for their lives
On the high bank stood group OF
farm laborers with their wives, all of
whom for the last five minutes had
beenringing their hands and screaming,
crying, praying in impotent anguish,
as they saw little six-year.old Charlie
Vance sitting astride piece of board
already hundred yards from shore
and being rapidly carried farther out
toward the turbulent midstream cur
rentwhere he could not have maintained
his hold for moment
Not man of the party could swim a
stroke, an d, indeed, it looked as if GER
tain death must overtake even the
strongest swimmer who should be fool
hardy enough to brave the debris-en-
numbered torrent now sweeping along
with resistless force toward Lake Erie.
twas while in this state of helpless
terror that one of the women had called
for John Lee, hardy, young Main e
sherman, then busted furthe, down
stream, whose verdancy in all farm
land ways had heret ofore exposed him
to not little ridic ule-good-natured
enough on the part of all, except Mrs.
Vance, the mother of the imperiled
child, whose sharp tongue and pungent
vii, inspired by some unaccountahe
dislike, had well-nigh rendered his life
aburden.
But John, although he had often
threatened to "get even" with his
prosecutor. thought of none of these
things now, as he saw the deadly dan
Ser of her only son, who, it seems, had
slipped unobserved from her side, gone
some distance upstream and, boylike,
set himself afoat on fragment of
bridge plank.
The little fellows fate was appar-
emily sealed, and that of John seemed
hardly less certain, sturdy swimmer
though he was, for only by miracle
might he hope to escape being crushed
or disabled by some one of the thou
sand grinding and ever-cl ashing objects
through which he must pick his peril
Gus way. Meantime, adding an ele-
ment of pathetic horror to the scene,
little Charlie, quite unaware of his
own jeopardy, laughed aloud and
shouted with glee as his frail raft,
borne high on the face of the warm
June food, danced merrily along as if
it too, enjoyed the sport.
The poor people on shore watched
Johns progress in agonizing suspense
as the current fairly caught and hur-
RED him two feet downstream for
every one he made across
But the gallant youth knew too
much to waste his strength in attempt