Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1897-07-22

.vail and his great skill was useless.

There was no need to pull the oars
it would have been impossible to drive
against the current, so they had to go
with it.
There was no trouble so long as the
boat was drifting over the cleared
fields, but this security could not last
long. Beyond the fields were the
woods, through which it would have
been difficult to pass under the most
favorable circumstances, but against
which it now seemed that the boat
must be dashed.
Mr.. Gordon realized this, for he
said, as if thinking aloud
I'VE must try to get into the bayou;
there, at least, we shall be safe from
the trees.
1t is doubtful if he could have kept
the boat in the course of the bayou
had he succeeded in reaching there,
for the currents were rushing through
new channels, and the bayou had ex-
panded into an angry sea. By care
and the exercise of great strength, Mr..
Gordon succeeded in passing safely
the first line of timber, but it was
only getting deeper and deeper into
the inextricable tangle of dropping
branches and swinging vines.
They had not been long in this
maze when one of the oars was broken,
and the other became practically use
less. By reaching forward in the bow,
Mr.. Gordon succeeded in keeping the
boat from plunging against the trunks
of trees and so being dashed to pieces,
but no man could long keep up this
work.
After long hours they reached an
open space, an expansion of the bayou,
where the waters were comparatively
calm, and here Mr.. Gordon succeeded
in making the Loaf fast to the branch
of tree.
"Let US watt" he said, desperately,
"till succor or the end comes.
During the rest of the day they
saw the dead bodies of cattle and the
wreck of once happy homes drifting
past, and now and then caught sight
of boat floating by with the bottom
up.
The neyer-ceasing rain added to
their discomfort and kept one Of them
continually bailing out the water.
They abandoned their first attempt
to keep dry, and all were now as wet
as if they had been plunged into the
seething, yellow flood.
Shortly before dark they ate the
balance of the cooked food Mrs. Cor
don had put in the boat.
Night came-a more horrible night
than any words can describe. Sleep
was out of the question. All felt that
there was but one labor before them,
viz, to keep the boat afoat by con-
stantly using the tin dipper that served
as a bailer.
Now and then Mr.. Gordon muttered
against his hard fate, but not a word
escaped the lips Of his wife and daugh-
ters expressive of the tortures of mind
and body which they were so heroic
ally enduring; indeed, they tried to
speak a cheer they did not feel by as
suring him that succor would come on
the morrow.
The dawn of the second day found
them in the boat. All were famished
and broken down with fatigue.
The 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 and changed color Of his wife
and daughters that they could not
stand another day Of this suferieg,
yet, what could he do TO help them
If his OWL 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, when a sud
den, terrific gust of wind upset the
boat.
Floating debris was all about them,
and Florence and Jennie managed to
grasp part of the roof of shanty that
was swirling by them and struggled
upon it-holding on with that desper.
alton which lent them strength.
Mr.. Gordon and his wife clung TO
the upturned boat and 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