Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1897-07-16
LA PLATA, MARYLAND, JULY IS, 1897

ally enduring; indeed, they tried 10
speak cheer they did not feel by as
suring him that succor would come Oh
the morrow.
The dawn of the second day found
them in the boat. All were famished
and broken down with fatigue
Tho waters were higher than the
day before, and still the cruel rain
poured steadily down.
The wind howled and the waves
dashed about them, threatening every
moment to swamp the boat.
Mr.. Gordon saw by the pinched
faces aud changed color of his wife
and daughters that they could not
stand another day of this suffering,
yet, what could he do to help them?
If his own death could save them he
would gladly have yielded his life, but
neither his aid nor sacrifice would
avail
The afternoon was wearing on, and
the night fast approaching, whena sud
den, terrific gust of wind upset the
boat.
Floating debris was all about them,
and Florence aud jennie managed TO
grasp part of the roof of shanty that
was swirling by them aud struggled
upon it-holding on with that desper-
alton which lent them strength
Mr.. Gordon and his wife chung TO
the upturned boatand were borne away
by the rushing food.
Darkness now lent horror to the sit
uation. The poor girls were about to
resign themselves to the fate that
SCENE inevitable, when, from out of
the deep gloom they heard faint
halloo. They answered with all their
might.
After waiting few minutes aud
straining their eyes in the direction
from which the sound came, they caught
the CLEAN of torch, and the next iu-
slant boat shot up to them, aud in
it were Judge Riel and his two stall
wart sons, Paul and Leon.
The brave girls assured them that they
were in no immediate danger, and i'm
plored the Judge and his sons to search
for their parents-teli ing them that
they were clinging to the boat after it
had been capsized and hal been
swept away, but the girls still hoped
that the boat might have become en-
tangled in the flooded forest and that
their father and mother might yet be
saved. But the Judge insisted upon
Florence and Jennie getting into his
boat The stout boat was then driven
forward in the direction pointed out
by the girls MS that in which they had
last seen their parents. At interva s
the young men united in shouting and
waving their torch, but the bowling of
the wind for time drowned their
voices.
During slight lulI faint cry was
heard, which was answered by the
united shouts of all in the judges
boat Soon they were enabled to dis
tinguish from whence the cry pro-
ceeded, and few strokes of the oars
brought them to a clump of submerged
forest trees, and there, clinging 10 the
branches, they found Mr. Gordon aud
his brave wife. Their rescue was but
the work of a moment, and soon they
were safely seated in their 'enemy's''
boat
''Mr. Gordon" said Judge Riel,
"your hands are all safe at our place,
and we have been searching all day
for you. Our plantation is still above
water, there is a fire on the hearth and
a welcome awaiting you"
Thus was the last yestige of animos-
ity between the two men swept away.
At Judge Riel's the fire aud the
welcome were found, |, and Mr.. Gordon's
family were welcomed as if there had
never been aught but the warmest
friendship between him and the Judge.
The old men soon learned that it was
a misunderstanding that parted them
in youth, and that during all these
silent years each had retained the
greatest respect for the other.
The foods have shrunk into their
beds along the Bayou Rouge; the
levees are rebuilt; the cabins are up
once more, and the old home is stand
ing. But Florence Gordon is per-
manent resident at Judge Riel's, she
having recently married Leon, aud
the gossips say that Paul Riel will
take up his home in the fall with Mr.
Gordon as the husband of Jennie
The old men are never happy apart,
and Mr.. Gordon often whispers to his
wife:
eyes, my dear, we lost a great deal
by the flood, but / sometimes think it
was blessing in disguise.
And Mrs. Gordon agrees with him