Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1898-07-20

SSG.HNt EA wheel ever since
/9SeNA the early night de-
9D scended, something
70 suddenly loomed
dark and high, before me. So silently
and unexpectedly did the huge, blaci
bulk confront me, like some monster
stretched across the road, that
stopped inyoluntarily, my heart beat,
ing thiek and fast. Then, as
strained my eyes to make out the na
ttire of the obieetin my path, Its black
outlines gradually resolved themselves
into the shape of covered bridge,
raised high above the road nits stone
piers. With an exclamation of JOY, J
dragged my " heel up the sharp pitch
of the roadbed and out of the icy
water, into the welcome dryness and
shelter of that refuge in a flooded
wilderness.
For two days the rain had been
pouring heavily and steadily down up
on that deep valley in the backwoods
of Maine, through which lay the route
which 1 had chosen for my bicycle
tour. Thinking that the storm would
soon wear itself out, I had kept on my
way, penetrating deeper aud deeper
into the wilderness. The road, in
spite of increasing mud, had proved
fair for wheeling, aud not until the
Afternoon of the second day Of rain
did i encounter sufficient standing
Mster to- make 1t necessary for ne to
dismount and wade. I had hdtpassed
u house since early in the morning,
but kept hoping I should yet chance
upon some isolated back kwoods farm
ere fhs night feKs The valley kept
sinking in level, however, and I soon
realized that I must be approaching
its lowest point, where there would be
little likelihood of finding habita-
tion. One always shrinks from turn
ing back, however, while there is q
possibility of going forward, so kept
on until I came to the bridge. There
was, at least, solid satisfaction in hav-
ing q roof over my head and dry
boards under my feet. though the
doors of my house stood somewhat too
widely open to the chill night air for
perfect comfort.
However, I was disposed to make
the best of q situation which might,
surely, be worse, and leaning my
wheel against one of the stringers of
the bridge, I sat down and proceeded,
first of all. to remove nv soaked shoes
and stockings and replace the latter
with dry pair from my luggage bag.
When I had changed my shirt also,
and wrung about quart Of water
from my coat, felt so much better
that I began to whistle. Every
pickle" said I to myself, "has the
elements of adventure in it; and BIZ
cycle trip lacks its chief charm if not
spiced with adventure.
Fortunately, had the remnants of
o lunch in my bag, and having de-
voured the cold bread and meat and
lit my pipe, Twas still further disposed
to take philosophical view of the situa-
tio.l. T was, at least, sheltered for the
night, and might be able to snatch
some sleep by lying close to the string
ers of the bridge, at its center, where
I would be comparatively out of the
wind. AS soon as daylight came, I
could review the situation and make
up my mind whether to go forward or
turn back.
When my pipe was smoked out, [
took walk the whole length of the
bridge, using matches to light my way.
The structure proved to be only about
fifty feet long; an old fashioned cheap
" constructed affair, such as one al
most always finds in sparsely populated
sections, when it has become neces-
sary to bridge stream of any size.
The river, now overhowing its banks
so widely, was evidently, in ordinary
weather, quite narrow; though, drain
ing so large section as it did, it was
doubtless deep and carried a large
volume or water.
AS + lay down to sleep, with my
head resting against one of the trans
verse stringers, heard the rain still
beating fercely against the side of the
bridge; and, during my ftful slum-
bers, this was always the sound that
greeted my ears on rousing to con-
sciousness. At about o'clock in the
morning I became SO chilly could
sleep no longer, and SO got up aud
beat my arms until the blood began to
circulate more freely. Then 1 went to
the end of the bridge to see If the
water had risen any higher. was
amazed and startled to find that It was
nearly Oh level with the floor CT IL
bridge, and was surgirg by with dis
tinct gurgling and tapping sound, that
showed there was considerable force
to the current. Iswas, I knew, only
q question of time before the bridge
must yield to the undermining power
of the food, and yet dared not leave
it, for realized by this time the water
on the fiat must be over my head.
Returning to my wheel, as if for
silent companionship, 1 sat down,
lighted another pipeful of tobacco, and
waited. 1t might have been half IN
hour later-my pipe was not yet
burned out--when L heard o sound
like heavy breathing from the end OF
the bridge I had lately visited, and
then distinct splashing, over and
above the gurgle aud lap of the water.
Presently, as my eyes were fixed on
the spot whence the sounds seemed to