Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1897-07-30

Rouge Will he over the levee ana
the place will be gOne.'
Mrs. Gordon set before him some
supper and a hot cup of coffee, for
which he seemed TO have bat little
appetite. AS he stirred the coffee
lie said, without looking up:
i think, wife, it would be we'll If
you and the girls would put on
warm clothing and have your
waterprOOfs ready, with any light
articles you may want TO save.'
do you thing the danger is as
great as thatP asked Mrs. Gordon,
pressing her hands to her breast
and trying to speak as if his words
had brought her no alarm.
TJis better to DO prepared, my
DEAR said Mr.. Gordon, with en-
forced calmness. Il have had RATS
made to carry off the hands if the
food comes IN, and the boat has
been carried TO the door
In times of great peril wo en-
are more apt TO be cool and un-
complaining than men. Mrs. Cor
don and her daughters realized
tnat "A great peril threatened them,
bat they prepared to meet IL with
courage and calmness that lifted
heavy burden from the fathers
shoulders.
After drinking his coffee, Mr..
Gordon pat on his waterproof coat
aud went out again with the lamp
in his hand.
He had not been gone many
seconds when the ladies were
startled by shull cry that was
taken up by other voices till u
rose above the storm.
'The creyassel The leyee is
gone"
They caught these words, and
they heard the roar of tue waters
coming nearer and nearer.
Mrs. Gorden threw open the
door to call to her husband to re-
turn, but at that instant he burst
in shouting;
Come, wlfe-P iorence-JennleI
to the boat!
They ran out after him and got
into the boat. Mrs. Gordon ex-
tiuguished the only light in tue
house as she lefl, and Mr.. GOrdOn's
lamp had gone out.
The shouting of the black peo.
ple-men, women aud childien-as
they made for the RATS, could be
heard above the bowling of the
wind aud the roar OF the OncOming
torrent.
TIE darkness added to the horror
OF the situation, as did the cries OF
the frightened cattle.
Nearer and nearer came the flood;
they could hear it dashlng against
the house and feel it splashing |
iercely on their faces.
The maddened waters reached
the boat and shook it.
Then the frail craft began to rise
with its precious freight and to tug
at the rope which held 1t to "a llye-
oak tree near the house.
Day came at length and reveal
ed such a change as the dwellers
in the ark must have seen when
they looked out alter the waters
had been pouring down for weeks
and the fountains Of the great deep
were broken up.
Where fertile fields had been
there was now a lake dotted with
trees that seemed yielding to the
torrent. The cattle we're gone. The
quarters of the labOrers and the
labOrers themselves were gone
Tne sugar.hOuse and the dwelling
house were the only two buildings
left out of a hundred, and up tol
their sides the waves were rising,
and about them the flercs waters
rOared.
1T looks as if the world were
being washed away said Florence.
Mrs. Gordon had thOughtfullj
placed a basket OF provisions IN the
boat, so that there was no danger
of immediate hunger.
There is only one place within
sixty miles that is not und ;r
water,' said Mt. Gordon in reply
to his wife's question.
'Where is haiti she asked, after
a panse.
Judge RleI's,' he replied. That
p antation is six feet higher than
this. and the leYees are the best in
the State
Might it not be we'll, said MIS-.
Gordon, thoughtfulIy, 'for US to
try and teach hImP
Tho unpsfton seemed IN atartla