Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-07-13
Mary Gonterman, Cedar
Greek Flood in
1910
Dear Juniors:

lCfV
Dear Juniors:
AS I have not written to the JUNO,
page for long time though I woul
tell you about flood that occurred ID
the year Of 1870. On Cedar Creek, ID
Jefferson county between my home
where I live and Fairfield there lived
German man by the name of Joseph
klinkenbeard and he was one Of those
original characters found in every
community. But more especially con.
: spicuous in the early settlements whert
man could permit his real character
to show itself without restraint. He wal
very rough and fond Of whisky. And
when under its influence his peculiari.
ties were very marked.
He swore like a pirate when affairs
went roughly with him. But he could
pray, and did pray when frightened
into it. Klinkenbeard was miller by
trade and had wife and children and
built long cabin for them on the
banks Of Cedar Creek where as a mill.
er he would naturally be at home alons
the water course.
4. In August, the year 1910. tremend-
uous floor fell upon Cedar Creek and
: its valleys but no great harm was done
to any one except the miller who had
built his cabin very close to the
,stream- On this memorable August
) night while the windows of heaven
We're open and the rain was descending
he retired with his family He did not
dream Of the ocean Of waves that were
!; accommodating from the tributaries that
! poured into Cedar Creek above the
old cabin. The family was awakened
from their sweet dreams Of peace by
sudden heavy blow against the side Of
the cabin Of some object that struck IL
+; with ali the violence of batterins
,,es,,x. 49, =
their notcres This afterwards proved
to be Al immense log Of driftwood car
iied before the flood.
i KlinlS opreng out Of bed into the
water tba: had silently stolen into the
cabin to tie depths Of three feet. AS the
water rushed up around his surprised
limbs he lot out howl that would have
done honor to dog rib Indian. Poor
Klink and his wife took IN the situation
and at once began to lug the children
and what few garments they could find
floating around in the eddying water
up the ladder to the loft Of tho cabin.
AS the water RAPIDLY rose and fallen
trees and logs Of driftwood struck the
i: cabin with a boom that sounded like
young thunder the unhappy Klinken-
boards sought refuge IN the loft Of
their cabin hut there was not standing
room betwec,, the loft and the roof
they had t. arrommodats themselves
to the strs-,io1. The flood ragged and
roared witl,or, and rose higher and
with his naked legs hanging down the
ladder hole. BY and by Klink felt
something touch his toes and tickle the
soles of his feet. With string Of oaths
the use Of which had made him con-
spicuous as the "Hickedest man" in
Jefferson county, he jeri<ed his knees
clear to his chin. then Strengthened
him cole all hA
commenced moving the clapboars in the
roof above in order to escape thereon.
Old Klinkenbeard worked away until he
had hole large enough to put out his
shocky head to take a look at the situ--
alton. But on account Of darkness
flashed and revealed to his terrified
gaze the extent Of the ocean OF water
that surrounded his cabin.
Just then the cabin began to tremble
to its very stills and the surging water
rocked it to and fro. The water had
reached the loft and was lifting the
boards on which they had taken refuge.
Klink got out on the roof and lifted
his wife and children after him and
anchored them as best he could while
he himself straddled the comb Of the
cabin and braced his naked knees
against the cold slippery clapboards.
AS the flood surged madly on the
IucOHlcu CdUlH QuiVcTeQ IOr TN ln4lAut,
loosened itself from the earth, and
swung around and was swept onward
with the raging tide like Noah's ark
while the unwilling voyagers chung to
the clapboards tooth and toenail Now
old Kinks better nature had aroused
him as he viewed the situation Of the
awful peril ne was in and the recollec-
ton came to him at this moment thet
there was a power that ruled the
storm and to that power he turned for
relief. He cougbed his heart out Of his
throat and as the Eloquent flashes Of
lightning revealed the lines of anguish
in his horror stricken face. he offered
the following brief petition for relief to
him that rules the universe:
20 Lord, old Klinkenbeard has been
very wicked man in his time, but he
sees the folly of that wickedness now.
He has used up mighty sight Of corn
Juice too. hut it is all washed out now.
But Lord, you promised you would
never again destroy the world with wa
ter but with fire. Old Klinkenbeard can
stand heat, but neither he nor his fam
lily can swim and II you come in the
night when we are all sleep, with an.
other old flood. II you can't have
any mercy on old Klink have mercy on
his family"
Klink prayed on and onward floated
the frail cabin with It's living freight,
in the dark waters of Cedar, till sud-
denly rude shock stopped the pro-
gress Of the cabin, nearly dislodging the
Kinks on the roof. When daylight
glimmered in the east and the clouds
began to break away old Klink saw
that providence had heard his rude
prayer and that his cabin was tasty
wedged between two trees that grew
on the banks Of the stream. When the
neighbors discovered the perilous stu
alton of the miller and his family they
fastened to convey them, weak and
shivering. in canoes to their own
homes. where the family was provided
for until the father could look about for
a new building site. While looking for
a sight he chose a knoll on which to
locate, remarking that he would build
so high this time that no floods could
get at him.
Mary Gonterman. age 10,
Batavia. a. r. No. 8.
Harold Gray, Story
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