Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1908-07-22
p,scus Of Capt John H. Ford and
Two Boys

,3' =, Hand T." of Millwond, rs reprinted
i.Sm, i.g' the issue of Ociober -. 1870.
Snch as are familiar with the
-, Sbo,l Mill and its surr"rnd-
-. can readily understand 'hr
- ,;r,l condition of Capt. John Ill.
T,rJ thc proprietor. on the day
,hc late disastrous Hood.
ri, on the mprning ut The
"A the Capt. fearing danger,
n,,mpnccd work with the a>>ist-
.. of his son. ,yon'a nn'ut
:,b,e.n. AMI nephrw..s boy
,+.iyc or fourteen years "f sge. I"
',,,e everything they could handle
sr.m the first so tbe second floor
the mill. having previously
aiken the precaution To Il" boat
n,Lc front door, the watcf being
,.esd, around the mill. Feeling
.lns sreure. hc continued his labor,
49,. dreaming OF danger, until he
r,nnd himself suddenly wadins III
ter on the first floor, then going
- tho door. he found his boat gone
s,l g, furious current eight "r ten
so. hioh between him aud the
sbore not quite hundred yards
"A and current carrying bv
o~orv conceivable kind of drift.
hiking it impossible TO swim; this
Loweyer he would not do and
leave the boys in the mill. This
snncarance of danger at once
brought out the Captains family
lrhe dwelling house being near by)
IN ouite a state of alarm, the Cap
tain supposing things would get no
worse. requested them to remain
ouiet. and again, busted himself
win things in the mill: but IN this
he was mistaken, the water was
lust beginning To- rise IN real
earnest. The Captain and his
boys we're driven 10 the steps.
then. step. by step. TO the upper
floor. there from the window he
could see his family IL terrible
state of alarm, unable TO render
him any aid. and hc unable TO
oriet them. To increase their
terror. at this time the cooper
shop, building standing some
distance from the mill. was lifted
from the ground and floatod off.
Messengers were now dispatched
TO the nearest neighborS; others
anticipating high water went TO
gratify curiosity. Soon guile a
number had collected. IL was ut
once determined TO build "A boat,
and il possible rescue the Captain
sad the boys. that being the only
possible chance. and that consld-
cred doubtful. ia consequence of
,ne rapid current and heavy drift
now running between the mill and
shore. But there was no time 20
be lost. Among those assembled
we're two good carpenters, MIR.
Jenkins aud Mr.. Grubbs. who
made all possible speed TO Mr.. l..
IsnSuckcr s, one of the nearest
neighborS. who-is also "A mechanic
having on hand ample supply of
tools and lumber. In all the his
tory of boat building one was
never perhaps built in so short a
time, yet it required time, and IL
was during this time that danger
was rapidly increasing with the
Captain. The In ger part of those
assembled remained when the car
pcnters left, to watch the progress
OF events and render assistance If
any opportunity presented itself,
hut contrary 60 all their hopes
danger only Increases. The mill
was now more than half submerg-
ed, there was now but one window
uncovered, and the water fast APP
preaching that; at this window the
Captain was standing calmly, cool
ly. bravely looking on, we say
bravely, for with the same cool
ness that ever characterized him
when he was leading his gallant
command to the charge, did he
stand there. watching the course
OF events, every minute now in
creaslng the danger, the mill al
ready beginning to tremble and
reel under the heavy pressure. At
TINS critical moment terrible
crash is heard high up the river
and every eye is instantly turned
IN that direction. To the horror
ot all, powerful drift is seen
rapidly approaching, bearing down
everything in its course, uproot-
ing or breaking off trees, they
turning over on the huge mass
AIDING new strength to a power
already sufficient to crush doZer
mills IN the same situation.
The calmest of the spectator.
endeavor to divert the attention oI
'he females from this new danger
whist the others are watching it:
approach with horror! but one
solitary tree stands in its path
tnat a grand old sycamore that Ina:
wlthstood the storms of more thar
century, and that but a littl,
way above the mill. On it comes
u'e old tree looks a tower O
strength sufficient to withstand
Tue shock, it approaches, the ex
ended arms of the tree snap lik'
strawS, 1t strikes the trunk, th,
Old tree ,ro,>lio, - -