The Worthington advance., 1901-03-22

the recounting, which I shall attemp,
in his own words, so far as possible.
"Remember we passed through 4
village called Silver Greek q hundred
miles back? Yes; well, that is the
scene of the story, and every time
pass through that place I cannot helr
repeating that refrain, which I con
jured as the finale of little incident
happening about seven years ago.
II arrived ut Silver Creek one after.
noon late, intending to call on some
farmers on the south side of the
Platte. Getting up bright and early
the next morning, I went to the livery
and engaged team, which was to b<
hitched while I ate my breakfast
Never thought to tell the liverymau
where was going, until got back to
the stable. Well, was pretty much
stumped when the liveryman told me
the bridge had been washed out by
the last spring flood, as were all the
others between Columbus and Grand
Island. A quick calculation told me IL
was 80 miles around to get to the
farmers whose outbuildings loomed
up on = knoll not four miles away
but across that confounded Platte.
While was mumbling something ]
would not care to have the ladies
hear, the liveryman asked why I did
not swim the team across.
"'Can it be done?' asks I. And he
answered yes, with a team of bron-
chos he had in the stable, though it
had not been done since the seventies,
when bridges !were not common in
these parts and fording was the fash
ion. So said: Let her rip
"Arriving on the opposite side !
quickly drove to my destinations, and
then recollecting several other places
on that side of the river where ]
wanted to call, went on and made q
day of it. 1t was about five o'clock
when I arrived again at the south
bank of the river, and it struck me q
change had taken place, but I was not
sufficiently impressed to make q eau
tious survey.
"But soon found out that a change
had taken place. and q decided one at
that. It Twas June, and during the day
one of those sudden rises which come
down the river from the westward,
occasioned by the breaking through
the canyons of melted SHOWS from the
mountains, had reached this vicinity,
I started into the water at the exact
point where I had driven out up q
sloping sandy bank, quicksand, OF
course, but affording footing for the
bronchos if they moved quickly,
When I started in, however, the rise
had slowed around to that side of the
river and instead of going. down q
sloping bank, as I expected, my bron.
chos took sudden plunge and were
swimming for dear life. The buggy,
which hoated like a cork, was swirlinp
down stream, and turning their heads
to the westward, or up the stream,
and they had all they could do to
keep from being washed down by the
force of the current against the dash.
board. But they made it after q
great deal of putting and snorting, and
1 shouted q jolly 'hurrah' as they
landed On bank of qriclssand, about
q third of the way acxoss. I drove
them around bit on the quicksand-
had to keep them moving. you know
until they got their second wind, then
started for the second pole, I mean
stretch, OF deep water. They plunged
In and were getting along swimming.
ly-no pun intended, I assure you
when suddenly I was startled by q
Looking up the river I saw a boat
coming towards newell, somehow
beut for ,election-you know the say
ing-and swirling around in the rapid
current until it made me think I had 4
regular New Years Jag. Then I no
tieed tAers we're no oars and. looking