Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1893-04-21

eAA0 o0~o S1s0t 00 ub0 always u0opA90SAs
presumed to think. even, Of such q
thing was uncomfortable.
ant to marry my daughter. do
you? Well, I'll be id if you do.
Then he raved and swore. and ended
it all by ordering Marshall out of the
house. never to return. which he vas
very glad to do in order to free him
self from the odor of birthstone He
sought his love in the wood and told
her all that had happened. They talked
long. and she tearfully, and at last
they parted.
When Rachel arrived at home she
was told by her father to see Marshall
no more. told in language that was
not Of the choicest and. as she made
no reply. her father was probably un-
der the impression that she would
obey. Girls are wilful creatures,
though Thus matters stood on Mon
day.
On Tuesday it rained, hard and un-
ceasingly, Wednesday likewise; by
Thursday. the deluge not abating. the
people began TO look solemn, shake
their heads and tell thrilling flood
stories down at the store-the mascu-
line part of course. The women, Is
usual. stayed at home. minded their
own business and content to let the
Lord regulate the weather.
Nevertheless the situation was get
ting serious. The little river that ran
through the town was up to the TOP Of
Its banks and still the rain ceased not
1t was the usual spring freshet, a little
more severe than it was wont to be.
On Friday the people were very
much inclined to seek the hills and
high places and much disposed to
envy John Lindsay in his home on
one of the highest hills around.
If they had really known where he
was. though, they would not have
wanted to change places with him.
The day after his interview with the
ecclesiastic he had taken his daughter
and gone to one of his farms in the
bottom. intending to remain a week or
two. He took Rachel with him to
keep his eye on her. When it lad
rained for two or three days the men
had left him with the parting injunc-
ton to go to place much warmer and
drier thar the farm then was, and he
and Rachel were left alone.
On this exceeding damp unpleasant
Friday night both she and her father
retired early, and he was soon fast
asleep.
About II O clock he woke up with a
start He could not tell what woke
him. He heard the noise of the wind
and rain outside and concluded that he
would get up and see how things were.
He sprang out of bed and landed in
water.
With the agility Of monkey he
jumped straight up on the bed and
crouched down among the coverings.
Then he called Rachel, called her
like she, and she alone, could save
him. Pretty soon he heard her COM
Ing. the water making a swishing
sound as she walked The sound
struck terror to his heart.
'Oh. Ray. what shall we do?"
He was even too scared to swear.
Rachel spoke, her voice hard, metallic
and merciless.
If the water rises much higher I
suppose that we will be drowned"
Her father almost howled in his
despair. Then a noise was heard at
the window and voice called loudly
for Rachel She made her way to the
window as rapidly as she could and
threw it open. Outside was Marshall
and man in a skiff. Before she
could say word beyond a glad,
startled exclamation. she was drawn
through the window into the boat
But my father; you cannot leave
him"
Never mind; I'll tend to him.
Mr.. Lindsay. your daughter and are
going down the river to be married.
Will you come to give US your Bless
ing?"
Not by a id sight. I'll stay
here and drown like rat first
well, we can call and get it when
we come back; that is; if you are here
then" And Marshall smiled angel
ically and took up the oars. -
Come back herer' roared old
Lindsay. Course you can have my
daughter. Anybody that's got as
much cheek as you can have half Of
what l got" And swearing in an
amiable. sociable way. he crawled in.
And so they sailed away.