The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1909-05-07
The Day the River Rose.
By Margaret Whitney.

Lets go fishing when we finish
this job" said Fred 10 Joe one day.
when they were plowing corn down
by the river. which ran along one side
: OF their fathers farm.
THAT is just what I was thinking
( of" said Joe. This is a good day
for fishing. and we can stay several
hours, for supper will be late because
father and mother will not be home
early"
The boys had been alone all day,
for their father had some business 10
attend 10 in the city about FIVE miles
away and their mother had gone with
him. The boys had nearly finished
the field they were plowing, and their
father had told them that they need
not try TO do anything else until he
could help them the next day.
Fred was past sixteen and Joe was
about two years younger. They were
strong, active, wide-awake boys, and
could look out for themselves on most
occasions. Their home was pleasant;
they had games and books for their
|
who sympathized with them in their
plans and were training them to be
useful, happy men.
AS there were no girls in the fam
lily the boys had been taught to work
in the house as we'll as in the field,
and when their mother was gone for
day now and then they could very
| h,s
what they had done to-day. but their
mother would be home 10 get the
supper, so they had nothing TO do
after the corn was finished but to fish
or do anything they liked.
| When the horses were unhitched
and put in the barn the boys looked
up their poles and lines and started
for the river. The banks of the river
were grown up with trees covered
with wild grape vines in places, and
between the trees the river could be
seen sparkling in the sunlight The
river was quite wide, and while It
spread out over fat land, yet there
were places where 1t was ten or
twelve feet deep.
Both boys could swim like fish. so
their parents never felt any alarm
when they went TO the river, and they
had gone fishing by themselves for
years. They went down where their
boat was tied but Fred said he was
going TO have a swim before he began
to fish Joe took the boat and pad
| died up stream for a little distance
to sheltered place rather out OF the
| current of the river and then threw
| out his line He had no luck at first
but soon the fish began TO bite, and
he caught several fine ones. He sud
denly noticed that the water was
very muddy and was rising rapidly.
was being borne down stream by a
strong current, while branches Of
trees, rails and an occasional log
went by.
Joe knew what this meant, for sew
eral times since they had lived along
this river there had been heavy rains
farther up the water course, and the
river had one time risen ten feet In "A
few hours. II had gone rushing and
tearing along with a muddy, swollen
stream, while along its lower course
there had been no rain. After several
attempts 20 use the oars he found
that they were useless. for he was
borne along with the rapid current.
and before he was aware he had
passed the place where Fred had been
bathing.
Fred was on the bank dressing,
and saw Joe 20 by. Joe did not see
him. for he was occuuied in trying
TO keep the boat steady lie knew
there was danger Of the boat running
against a log or Of log humping
into the boat and upsettIng Il. He
was powerless 10 help himself and
hoped that the boat might be driven
into some bend in the river where the
| current was not so swift, and then
he could use the oars 20 reach the
shore.
When Fred saw Joe float past him
he called TO him, TO let him know tnat
he would help him, but Joe had been
too much occupied in keeping the
boat straight, and did not hear him.
Fred hardly knew what 10 do, but
he thought a rope would be a good
thing 20 have. so he ran 10 the barn
as fast as he could % get a long
heavy rope which they used for vari-
Gus purposes. and which was lying
on the floor. Then. before jumping
on the horse, which he planned %
ride along the road 70 a place where
II ran parallel with the river. he
wrote a short note 20 his father and
mother, telling where he had gone.
and put II where they would find Il
as soon as they got home. Then
with coil Of rope on his arm he
mounted the horse and galloped
down the road.
All this took some time, and his
/ great fear was that Joe might be up-