Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1901-08-01

"But ] was married. and so was she,
And that was the end Of the romance"
! THE rollicking humning of these
words attracted my attention
as / sat in the cushioned seat OF
Pullman attached to the Overland
Flyer, west-bound for Denver. We
we're passing through the "sandhill''
region and the time was dragging
heavily Furthermore the singer. If
SO he might be styled, was a pleasant
! appearing man and then. anyway.
acquaintances are easily made on a
train. So | leaned over towards him
and remarked
That's a catchy sort of tune you
are singing. What is the rest of it? ?"
The laughing eyes whirled over me
and their joeoseness became more
humorous.
"Oh, the rest of it is a story" he
aid, and, led on by his infectious hui
aor begged him to while away the
me BY relating II. The readiness
gith which he complied showed the
amount Of pleasure he obtained from
the recounting, which | shall attempt
in his own words, SO far as possible.
Remember we passed through
village called Silver Creek hundred
miles back? Yes; WELL that is the
scene of the story, and every time I
pass through that place cannot help
repeating that refrain. which | con
ured as the finale of little incident
happening about seven years ago.
Il arrived at Silver Creek one after
noon late, intending to cali on some
farmers on the south side Of the
Platte. Getting up bright and early
the next morning. / went to the livery
and engaged a team, which was to be
hitched while I ate my breakfast
Never thought to tell the liveryman
where I 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 doomed
up on a knoll not four miles away
but across that COMPOUNDED Platte.
While ] was mumbling something I
would not care to have the ladies
hear the liveryman asked why I did
not swim the team across.
"Can il be done?' asks I. And he
answered yes. with team Of bron-
chos he had in the stable. though IL
had not been done since the seventies.
when bridges were not common in
these parts and fording was the fash
ion. So I 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 I
wanted 70 call, went on and made
day Of it, It was about five o'clock
when I arrived again at the south
bank Of the river, and it struck me a
change had taken place but I was not
sufficiently impressed to make a eau
tious survey.
but I soon found out that a change
had taken place, and decided one at
that. II was 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.
[ started into the water at the exact
point where / had driven out M
sloping sandy bank, quicksand, Of
course. but affording footing for the
nronchos II they moved quickly
When I started in. however. the rise
had Slowed around to that side Of the
river and instead Of going down a
sloping bank. as I expected. my bron-
chos took a sudden plunge and were
swimming for dear life. The buggy.
which tioated like a cork. was svirlin-
down stream. and turning their heads
10 The westward. or up the stream.
and they had al they could do TO
keep from being washed down by the
force Of the current against the dash
roard But they made II after
great deal Of putting and snoring. and
I shouted a jolly 'hurrah' as they
landed on bank Of quicksand. about