The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1897-08-19

threatened them, but they prepared
to meet it with courage and calm
ness that lifted a heavy burden from
the fathers shoulders.
After drinking his coffee, Mr.. Cor
don put on his waterproof coat ant
went out again with the lamp in hi!
| hand.
He had not been gone many second,
when the ladies were startled by {
shrill cry that was taken up by othel
voices till it rose above the storm.
''The crevasse! The levee is gone ?
They caught these words, and they
heard the roar of the waters coming
nearer and nearer.
Mrs. Gordon threw open the door tt
call to her husband to return, but a
that instant he burst in shouting
"Come, wife Florence ennie-
to the boat"
They ran out after him and got into
the boat. Mrs. Gordon extinguishe6
the only light in the house as she left
and Mr.. Gordon's lamp had gone out
The shouting of the black people
-men, women and children-as they
made for the RATS, could be heart
ab{a are the bowling of the wind and the
roar of the oncoming torrent.
The darkness added to the horror
of the situation, as did the cries of th,
frightened cattle.
Nearer and nearer came the flood
they could hear it dashing against til,
house and feel it splashing fiercely OF
their faces.
The maddened waters reached til,
boat and shook it.
Then the frail craft began to ris,
with its precious freight and to tug al
the rope which held it to llve-oal
tree near The house.
Day came at length and revealed
such change as the dwellers in the
ark must have seen when they looked
out after 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 lake dotted with trees
that seemed yielding to the torrent
The cattle were gone. The quarters
of the laborers and the laborers them
selves were gone. The sugar-hous.
and the dwelling house were the onll
two buildings left out of hundmg
and up to their sides the waves
rising, and about them the ferr'"J'
ters roared. NTH
'.It looks as if the world wey aons
washed away" said Florence
"And that we were the
beings left on it," added JeS -
Mrs. Gordon had though yness ol e
a basket Of provisions in IS is lateIf,
that there was no dangGd wa are n
danger. of
''There is only ons.
miles that is not sthe paper -. 90
Mr.. Gordon in reaer annoySn er"ow "
ton. se,ssue.. 10 his w
''Where is
pause. hot9, sbe ask
plantation is AS ACHI De be ranl;e
and the leve ,,chl hs;x feet higher
state" aro the h
W&V0e o0Of
na misn. y, ~ claiming
uoluon' ). 10 1.etical, .thnot be well, /"
''T The ,e"vn "nas4; s sa will beghtfully, for
Gordon for u circle om?"
some tihe WI srra az le looked at b
ne s1iu' thout speaking
81 do not -,
.,,.,,,11 lx11.x- % aCKnOW -
situation, bu3reme God"' were he il
OF all timesln, and the tn % cannot 90
boat loose. athe DiviT No we m
20 On WIN s and, trusting
Mr. uoft 0e acknOhe current.
tooA ene 60 OF ain aon unloosened
slowly away md thalars, and the be
was caught o2 oternal. / from its moo
current, anQ ackn0by the white W
speea e';aa 'ha1 az, lnothe etiiA then it shot
Mr. s Gorann am love, ovas startling.
for once he e 4the g men falseI an"d i, !,
tion where b! er. ",'~a Himself
avail ana niS S.ro,sis great siren
it would h,1 Bower of % need to d
against thel 1kness 20 haen impossi
with it. fISction Of current SO tn.
There w;r1f handing
boat ? was Whites az as no trouble 50
neids' put Vie. I drifting over
long; beyo solemn this security C
WOODS; hss's I;si snro !. I'd pray Ind the field
fsvarahIa Svun J,a0a Ohich was ugh which IT !,
49, ,~h;af ~ - one anet to pass una
= y ,,.sl ,,st - dasb ~ erciful, circumstances,
Mr. Gords 4Rx BAhSe I'd s''
sa,a, ~ thin IN realized
we raust trS Ming aloud
to get int