Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1899-08-30
Johanna.
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f1ft by iOitY emDunkfnentS, lOr inc
i,tcr ls not always quiet and peaceful.
There nre times when heavy rains
have swollen its waters. or when the
tiicl covering Of ice. which 1t has
borne through the winter, brcaks ar
l,t with " sudden thaw.
such times are bad FOR these fat
chores. for IL the rush OF waters Is
rs powerful the river breaks down
ne entertainments and lays under
N'ltcT the whole country FOR miles
Ground. und even sweeps away before
Il houses and cattle.
II IL terrible sight whom the river
taa thus become n broad hike and
enc cau only Gee the tops OF the trees,
tic chlnreys OF the houses and the
towers and roofs OF the churches
ttanding out above this wilderness of
waters, One may well ask at such Il
tIge: What has become OF the poor
people who dwelt there? Were they
saved in riAlc, or has the Rhine buried
Ihelu In its toods;'
lie winter Of 1899 WINS q severe
one. The Rhine was coated with ice
no ,Aick that even heavily laden
wagons could pass over H. In the mid
die OF January there came thaw. and
the Rhine rolled down the mighty
masses OF ice over each other aud
against the entertainments.
Above the town OF Cloves the epl-
bankmept gave way, and the food
oyerfowed the whole country.
In many villages the people sat on
their roofs. The women and children,
bcnumhed with cold. cried for help.
Their cattle were drowned, their store
of provisions destroyed and the waters
We're undermining the foundations OF
the houses, so TINT every moment they
expected them to fall in and bury
them in the floods.
Some who had seized branch or
floating piece Of furnture.swam round
and round till benunbcd with cold.
they slipped of and sank in the waters
sud were drowned.
Boats, manned by brave watcrmon.
indeed, rowed about and strovo to save
some but they could not cope with the
floods. and not few of these. too.
persisted through the upsetting of the
D9nts.
Not far from Cleves stood the house
Of n widow named Sebus. She, her
ornyc daughter Johanna and the Wild
s.w yan Geek. with her three little
ienildrcn. dAyelt there.
Johanna was a girl Of II years Of
1ge, strong In body. of n handsome
eouptenanee, but. what Is worth more
Ian al, OF pure heart and conduct.
-Aill Of true love and unfeigned faith
- Christ her Redeemer.
Though tile water had risen high
ret the women did not know their
sanger. They could have saved them
selves had they foreseen that which so
fccn and suddenly came upon them.
4. rush of water. which hnd been in
CLOSED by barrier OF Ice. higher up.
ihrrst iuto tie house of the Widow
laehrs, and dread seized the women.
johanna alone retained her presence
% Gird and her trust IN God Without
+ u s-omeut's delay SIZE seized her Ole
i.cthcr, who was helpless through
tcircr, and, wadlng through the water.
gle borc her on her back TO hill about
200 PAGES distant from the house,
u tower OF refuge.
When the courageous maiden bud
,fryod hcr mother she said to her;
l"Ncw will hasten back to the rescile
1t Widow Van Beck and her children.
rEpp ! will bring our goat, so that
zoe may not want icr milk. dear
laethor,'
stop, child stop! 1t Is too LATE
knlplored her mother. but Johanna was
dc2f 20 her cntrcaties.
81 must snvc theni.,' cried the noble
gin as she dashed boldly through the
fcGnng waters toward q lilllocii some
distance off. Therc Widow Van Bees.
eLd her children had taken refuge. but
ever which the Hood was rapidly ris-
tng. Johanna struggled With The
wGters-at last abe rcachc1 tile hill.
= But, alas. now hsr sorrowing mother
eecs TINT a return from thence Is nc
torger possible. for the food IL incre1s-
tug so fearfully that now. were size
10 leave the hill. the waters would ha
over her head
Widow Van Beck sank Into despair
when she beheld death gradually anil
swiftly drawing uigh. Covering her
bead and ehe beads OF her children Il,
Weir clothes, she c,st herself with
them headlong into. the wild. raging
Waters.
johanna STOOD there nlorc, calm and
Htill. with eiasped banda. One glance
site cast over TO wnarc her beloved
another was wringlng Her bands Au-
ether glance she raised up 10 that
kcayen 10 whiei she so soon hcped ID
30. Her bps moved In prayer as a
htighty wave dashed over the earth
hlIlooh Oh Which she stood md hurieA