Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1897-06-05

tore they turned the bend leading to
Old Rsccoon, sswhat is that roaring
noise Can it be the water ~
II believe it is,' answered Jessie,
who was also listening intently.
Eyes, I am sure Of it The creek
must be up with vengeance r
Il should think so,'' cried the e.
der lady, as they came in sight of
the swollen food. aOh, Jessie, do
you think we can get over?'
Yes, we can now, or there would
be people here watching it, said
/ Jessie. "But / would not like to
try it an hour later"
do you know where to drive in?n
asked Mrs. Reed.
"Yes; there is log, you know,
and the ford is just above the log.
Let me see-is it quite covered? If
it is-no, there, I see it. We can
make it, / think. Tuck up your
dress, please I'm afraid the water
will run into the carriage this time.
So, Little Gray steady, nowl Step
careful, and in we go!"
| Cheering her horse with gentle
words, Jessie held him firmly, and
they went down into that boiling
/ flood-how great food, they did
not even dream.
| Before they had gone three yards,
Mrs. Reed shrieked out:
"The current, Jess the current
it is washing US down stream !"
"Yes, I see. Cling to the carriage,
and God help us Oh. Gray, hold
it steady, can't you? Try, little
fellow, oh, tryl One more pull and
we'll make it |"
The noble little beast struggled
and snorted, but the mighty swirl of
water carried him down, forced him
over the log, and there he g,held
by his harness, his head under water,
doomed, as Jessie saw, with no hu-
man aid in sight. The carriage had
caught against the log, and, unless
the straps gave way, would continue
so, for time, at least.
The two women were partially out
of the water, but Mrs. Reed had
tainted dead away, and Jess shrek
ed IN agony at the thought that she
would be carried helplessly from
her hold.
"Nol no she shall not perish !
will save Bert's mother if I die try
ing !" sobbed the noble girl and
there in the midst of that raging
food, she raised her eyes with one
despairing prayer to heaven, and
made what preparation she could to
meet the worst.
Clinging desperately with one arm
to the log, she reached out, grasped
the lines, drew them slowly in and
managed to loosen them. One she
fastened around her own body, for
the present ; the other, with terrible
efforts, she succeeded in tying
around the iDsensible form of her
friend, and securing her to the log.
But to keep her head out of the wa
ter she took from her neck long,
strong, silken scarf, and raising
Mrs. Reeds head and shoulders by
main strength, tied her underneath
her arms to the frame of the car
rage.
So exhausted was she by her la
bors that for few moments she
could only cling to the carriage and
moan for the help which did not
come.
As soon as she recovered her
breath she fastened herself to the
log with the line already about her
waist. And then, with an awful
thought of what if the log, too,
should be washed away, she closed
her eyes and tried to pray, with stiff
fened lips, that God should send
speedy succor.
Two long, dreadful hours passed
by. Jessie, too, had succumbed to
cold ard fright, and no longer knew
what she suffered, when there came
several men, among them Fred Wat
son and Bert Reed, down to the
creek, to see what the water was do
ing. and if there was any chance of
passing over the ford.
A loud shout went up as their
eyes fell upon the sight revealed in
the midst of that seething swirl-a
shout which changed into groans
and sobs as they recognized the
horse and buggy, even before they
did the women.
Quick hands brought strong ropes
and stout swimmers dashed into
that terrible current, reaching the
log, where, with tender and reEerent
touch, awed into silence at behold
ing what that one frail girl had done
they unbound the unconscious forms
and bore them back to the shore.
Coats were stripped off and wrap.
ped about the chilled frames, every
means resorted to, which the situa-
ton made possible, to restore them
to themselves, while some of the
men ran hastily for q carriage in
which to take them home.
Jessie was first to open her eyes.
Bert Reed was supporting her in his