Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-12-04

Horrlneu 10 see the TWO feeble old peas
ants who had uttered the shrek of terror
overtaken and engulfed in the torrent
Sod alone is uncOnquerable, dear
Gaspard!" murmured Marie. "Never
mind, dearest, if you can't save me- I'm
not afraid of death. and it will be SO
sweet to die in your arms"
raised my loved burden higher on nv
breast and pressed it against my face as
| ran. 1t seemed as if l were carving
an armful of sweet shrubs and wild flow
ers. so deliciously fragrant to me was
this burden OF mine, SO feathery light,
so unlike anything of earth. My kisses
fell on her hair and arms and hands as l
bounded along with the flood a. my heels
| l wasn't frightened, l was strangely
calm. l knew that could reach Father
Roubieu'S farm house before the waters
could get there, and once l halted in
pure bravado and muttered an oath as |
looked over the long stretch of inundated
fields; but soft hand closed my lips.
ave are only helpless children, Gas
pard, unless God gives us strength"
said Marie.
In few moments l had reached the
farm house, and as l set my burden
down in the hallway, the waters burst
into the outbuildings, and the piteous
cries of the drowning cattle were heart
rending
Father Roubieu called out to us to
join the others on the floor above. The
ever rising flood soon forced us all to
take refuge on the roof. There were
twelve of US in all, Father Roubieu and
his brother Pierre and their sister,
Agatha, Roubieus son Jacques, with his
wife, Rose. and their three children;
first, Aimee, Cypren Bonissons wife,
who was the mother of two little chill
dren, Roubieu's great grandchildren;
the second, Veronica, unmarried, and
the third my betrothed, the gentle and
beautiful Marie, so unlike them all as to
seem to be the angel of the household.
There was terrible but beautiful
grandeur about this picture, as these
weeping women chung to and knelt about
the patriarch Roubieu, while the flood
beat against the sides of the house with
ever increasing fury, climbing slowly but
surely towards the roof
Suddenly it occurred to someone that
the servants were not on the roof with
the family, and the women broke out
with wild lamentations as the truth
dawned upon them that these poor crea-
lures had been surprised in their quar-
tiers.
The water had now risen to within a
yard of the roofs tiles. Cypren deter
mined to abandon the farm house, and,
accompanied by his wife and two little
ones, to make his way across the inter-
vening roofs and reach the church. for
through the gathering gloom voices
reached US, and we were all agreed that
they must come from the church 5elfry.
Cyprien, with his wife and children,
had 81 fnlV aVprSnl narly rho u-hn1a
distance, when roof upon which he
alone had mounted was swept away with
crash. and he was left clinging to a
projecting beam.
"Merciful heaven" cried, "he's lost;
but we must not stand here and see his
wife and children swept away. To the
rescue."
We had scarcely reached the next
house when anyther roof was unfiXed by
the food and torn away almost beneath
our very feet. Further advance was i'm
possible. Slowly the rising waters en-
quilted the wretched Cyprien. His hold
loosened and he disappeared. The wom-
en- hid their faces or stopped their ears
to shut out the agonizing cries OF Aimee.
The night came on apace. She and her
children were lost in the darkness.
At this moment the roof of some other
house came drifting along. and, throwing
myself at full length on the tiles. and
calling out to the others to hold on to me,
l seized the floating mass, drew it in and
made it fast.
Courage, i will carry us ALL" l
cried out. and the work of transferring
the women to this improvised raft was
quickly accomplished We succeeded in
getting clear of the farm house. and all
seemed to promise we'll for our chances
of reaching the church. when we were
suddenly seized by IA counter current
and dashed back against the farm house,
In the shock Agatha and Jacques and
Rose had been hurled into the seething
food. The awful gayety of despair now
seized upon Father Roubieu.
ats useless, my children" he eXclaim-
ed, with hollow laugh that sent a chill
to my Utmost soul; ave must stick to the
old house until death or the relief party
comes to the few left Of US"