The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-04-22


been the Watervile dam that burst"
SECT your things, Hope, quick" !
said, rallying from my fear, while l
fix mother and Rob, and so it was that
Hope crossed the hall to our room, but
l never saw that pretty room again.
/ fastened Rob's cloak with trem-
bling fingers, while Celeste moaned:
"The Judgment dayl The Judg-
ment dayl You can't run away from
that, Miss Iris"
And even as she spoke the house
rocked again, and Rich, from the win
dow, cried out:
"Too latel The water is over the
doorstep"
We sat down speeches., listening
helplessly TO the waters surging around
the frail old house.
"I don't want to be drowned"
screamed Rob, clinging frantically to
mother. Then the mothers heart
broke forth in cry 80 full of agony
that it hushed Rob and quoted Celeste,
and brought Rich and Hope and me,
with our arms outstretched, to help her.
1t was the old cry of the disciples on
the Lake of Galilee:
Master Master! carest thou not
that we perish?"
And with the cry came the answer.
We heard the grating of a boats keel
against the house, and rushed down
stairs, only to find the water already in
possession of our pleasant home. But
strong arms lifted us into the boat,
while the house rocked and swayed
under us. All but mel l stood on the
stairs waiting for the arms that were to
lift me over what already seemed a
yawning gulf, when mother cried:
"Richl Iris, where's Rich?"
"Don't STOP" cried the boatman;
"we'll come back if we can, but we
dare not wait longer"
"My boyl my boyl" moaned mother;
81 can not leave him alone"
"I'll stay, MOTHER" said, stepping
back and motioning away the hands
already stretched to save me.
eco quick" l cried, while l stopped
my ears to keep out the sound of the
rushing water, and shut my eyes so as
not to see the boat shoot out from me
into the gathering darkness.
Rich! Rich!" called as l ran up
stairs, "where are your"
heard his slow, unequal step in the hall.
Oh, Rich, they've left u.s."
Left usl" he exclaimed, as white
and faint he leaned against the wall;
81 hurried as fast as / could"
But what made you 90 at all?" |
asked little sharply. l was still too
much under the shadow of those awful
moments to speak Grossly.
." wanted to get this for mother"
| looked up, and in the freight
looked into the eyes of my father.
Rich had saved his portrait.
"Oh, / am so glad" sobbed, "I'd
rather drown than live without it,"
81 brought this, too" he said, hold
ing up to the light aquaint East Indian
jar, an heirloom preserved through
many generations. The laugh with
which / greeted it helped to carry me
through that terrible hour of waiting.
Only an hourl but it seemed ages,
and somehow my arm crept around
Rich, and he laid his head in my lap,
and slipped his hand into mine, and so
we waited and listened for the scraping
of the boats keel on the wall.
AT last it came. the welcome sound
and springing to our feet we opened the
window. The water had risen so fast
that it was no difficult task for the
strong arms of our friends to lift Rich
into the boat, while he chung tightly to
his precious Indian jar.
The water, though rising steadily
was now quiet, and spread out over
fields and streets and gardens, till the
world seemed one vast lake. All the
hillsides were lighted up with fires
where groups of homeless people were
gathered, while the water was covered
with lights like fireflies where the boats
piled swiftly on their errands of saving
We landed on the grounds of the city
hospital, rising like fair, green islanC
from the muddy waters that rushed
past them. 1t was a strange scene tC
come upon so suddenly in the ever
tenor of our daily lives, with its hurry
ing crowds, groups of household goods
and tethered cattle, and over all thu
bright freight and strong odor of boil
ing coffee. "Oh, Miss Iris " wailet
Celeste, never thought to see you
again. It's like crossing the Jordan"
Here they be, ma'am," she said a
we reached friends house wher
mother had taken shelter; "here the,
be, just as if they'd rode in chario
of Ere.
"'On a chariot of fire they ride, they ride,
The angel Gabriel by their side.
On the Judgment day,
On the Judgment day"
So sang Celeste, though none listene'
but Rob, who stood entranced as usua
whenever Celeste opened her mouth
Then catching sight of the Indian ia
he began exploring the contents.
"See what Rich brought you, mother,
, | said, turning towards her the face W
all loved, while mother looked at
through her tears.
ooh, my boy, my boy!" she said
and the tone and the look would hav
, repaid us for many hours of danger an
peril.
4" But it was Iris, after all, )" said Rich
"for should have jumped into tn
: water if she had left me alone"
, " Yes, Iris is our heroine" mothe
, said, and she stopped to kiss me, Will
, Hopes arms were around me; but bel
la~ fhny oil nlx I'll 1. I,.-l L.