The Opelousas courier., 1897-12-11

1870
visited every other state and territory
1t is a country level as q prairie, We
covered with mighty forests, who's
i~nterlocking live oaks and Expresses
make grand arcades of eternal solitud,
and silence.
The roads in this land are few ant
short-the only means of communica
ton being the deep, canal>like bayous
that are usually currentless and stag
nate in the shadows of the bordering
trees.
The plantations along these bayous
are famed for their sugar and cotton
and they would be the most valuable
in the world were it not for the great
sums of money expended by the plant.
ers in building ~levees, or heavy arti
fetal banas, to keep the bayous from
overfowalg in time of high water,
which usually comes when the ice Is
melting in the upper valleys of the
Missouri and Mississippi.
But, though the precaution taken to
shut out the floods is great, it is net
always effective. Heavy falls of snow
In the winter to the North mean heavy
floods when spring comes to the
plains of the South.
The floods in the spring of 1883
will be long remembered as the most
severe that yer swept over the plan
tations bordering the bayous. Rich
plantations were ruined, forests lev
eled, embankments swept away, homes
borne off to the sea, herds drowned
and scores of human beings persisted
in the food or of hunger.
The plantations of Judge Riel aud
MIR. Gordon were on opposite sides of
the Bayou Rouge, about so miles south
Of the point where the Red river enters
the Mississippi.
These gentlemen, though neighbors,
were not neighborly. They had had
a quarrel when young men at college
"a foolish, causeless quarrel, and,
though 25 years had passed since, they
had never spoken. Both had married
! n the meantime, but their families
held no intercourse.
Judge Riel had two sons, n %,
the other a year or two younger; and
MI. Gordon had two daughters, Qged
respectively 10 and II.
Florence and Jennie Gordon were
pretty, accomplished girls, and, though
they loved their parents aud their
quaint, solitary home, it was but nat
ural that they should now and then
Yearn to know something Of the great
world outside the water-girdled plan
tation.
They often saw the sons of their
neighbor-of their fathers "enemy,"
as they thought Judge Riel, rowing
past in their graceful boat, and they
always acknowledged the salute of the
handsome young men, but beyond
this no courtesy was interchanged.
What news, John?" asked Mrs.
Gordon, as her husband came into
the house about midnight with a dim
lamp in his hand and his rubber gar
ments shining with water like a recent
~ polished stove.
"1t is still raining as if it had not
been at it a week." replied MI. Cor
don, with something like a sigh.
"And the l~evee?" asked Florence,
who, with her sister Jennie, had been
waiting up for the report on which
and perhaps life depended.
Every mar on the place is patrol
ling and watching to prevent a break"
said Mr.. Gordon, throwing off his
coat and running his fingers nervous
ly through his damp, brown hair.
And the water is still rising" said
Mrs. Gordon; "still rising; three
inches more and Bayou Rouge will be
the levee and the place will be
Mrs. Gordon set before him some
aud a hot cup Of coffee, for
which he seemed to have but little ap-
As he stirred the coffee he
said, without looking up:
II think, wife, it would be we'll if
you and the girls would put on warm
and have your waterproofs
'eady, with any light articles you may
want to save"
"Do you think the danger is as
great as that?" asked Mrs. Gordon.
PRESSING her hands to her breast and
,rying to speak as if his words had
brought her no alarm.
"It is better to be prepared. nv
said Mr.. Gordon, with en-
creed calmness. II have had RATS
made to carry off the hands if the
lood comes in, and the boat has been
sarried to the door"
In times of great peril women are
nore apt to be cool and uncomplain-
ng than men. Mrs. Gordon and her
daughters realized that a great peril
them, but they prepared
o meet it with a courage and calm
.ess that lifted a heavy burden from
be fathers shoulders.
After drinking his coffee, Mr.. Cor
put on his waterproof coat and
'ent out again with the lamp in his
and. =.
He had not been gone seconds /.
hen the ladies were startled by a
brill cry that was taken up by other I
olces till it rose above the storm, {
1.-The c%revasse! The levee is gone =, s
They caught these words, and they
card the roa of the waters coming
carer and nearer. {
Mrs. Gordon threw open the door to
vi to her husband to return, but at t
lat instant he burst in shouting: :
Come, Wife- Flcrence-Jennie- t
the boat" =
They ran out after him aud got into S
le boat. Mrs. Gordon extinguished a
q only light in the house as she left.
Mr.. Gordon's lamp had gone out. a