Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-21
THEN READ THIS


WHEN morning broke, the clouds
w were still charging the snowbanks
with lances of the rain. Lightning
ripped across the gray dawn. and
z thunder changed above the hills. Thus
Nature announced the ominous chang.
ing of her winter mood
1t was that phenomenon OF the
northern ATTITUDES that the weather.
wise term "a January thaw." Most
winters exhibit one such freak, but
usually the winter takes prompt and
new grip, and the rains freeze in the
skies and the north winds blow the
clouds away.
But this was more than the ordi.
mary thaw.
The south winds held. The clouds
remained low-hanging in the skies and
were such saturated masses that their
skirts dragged upon the tops Of the
doned hills.
That dread event was beginning
5 which is on the records of the north
as "the great flood Of the St. John
Valley"
There are times when Nature seems
to make long and careful preparation
4 for an orgy Of damage. This year she
had piled the snow, layer after layer,
: covering the fences. fiufing it in drifts
on the hilltops. packing it in the
ravines, q CONCEALED flood that the
inf ha1 do
that the rains now freed for mischief.
Aldrich found a discouraged sheriff
when he entered the mems room OF
the tavern in the early morning. The
county's officer was rasping stubby
fingers through his beard and looking
out into the storm.
The highway was a wallow Of soft
snow. Streams were dashing down
: the gullies and eddying across the
I bridges and the culverts which were
in sight from the tavern.
ut might be done on stills or in
. balloon" said the sheriff. but not
with a horse or on our feet. We've
got to stay here"
It was weary waiting for an officer
who had his duty to perform. and for
prisoner who longed hercely to face
the charges of the law and i'd him.
self Of the burden Of shame and the
anxiety Of delay.
Night came down on a drenched
landscape, and the rain was still fall.
ing. During the long black hours II
roared on the roof over Aldrich's head
The first news Of trouble came In
the morning. A man had managed
to struggle that far with a sack OF
mail. He said that the Ice was begin
ming to let go up-river where the
waters were swifter and the pitch Oh
the river sleeper.
The rain did not cease. The soutf
wind held. Old January's white beart
was gone, and the water streamet
down his bare face. The rlvuIets
grown to torrents. rushed from tn,
hills upon the ice of the river. Th,
chill was gone from the air. The ic
was softened.
When night came on again hollow
sounds rumbled from the breast o
the river. They were the premonitor,
srowlings OF chaos getting ready {
burst fits bonds.
Aldrich knew the ST. John Valley a
few men Of the section understood 4
He had Jared along the rivers bank
in all seasons and had studied tn
rivers moods. He listened there unde
the roof in the night. and knew tn
menace that hovered above the littI
houses OF the long road.
where the roads climbed the hig
banks the houses would be safe.
But the main settlements, the clu
fers OF houses, were in the lowIand
close to the river. on the alluvial mea
ows where the country was level an
the son was rich. With vision MAD
ciairvoyant by his fears he could b
hold what must be happening. tt
t, risfne waters were cutting OF Il
eettlements from the hills. Meadow
would become islands, isolated fro
lie main by raging torrents tn
would sweep the base of the hills. Me-
would hope. would hesitate to bra
the elements. and would delay to drs
fhelr women and children out OF Il
!. K kheltsr Of the houses. That was mo
a. nat Gallo nature Of constant hol
"a of dilaAory optimism which wal
<oo long before It acts.
"a hard the grind Of the leo caiS
/. 1nsu ~ esarted IN the night J