Evening star., 1928-12-19
tJohn Gait. l77s-lssO, was an rgE Engglish, :,
man Of letters, author of The Annals OF
the Parish" '.Lawrie Todd" etc)

(John Gait. isryslSss, snoT If "sS The ~ Annals Of
the Parish" t.Lawrie Todd" etc.)
About daybreak it began to rain. and
continued to pour with increasing
violence all the morning; no one thought
of stirring abroad who could keep
within shelter. My boys and had Tor
task only to keep the fire at the door Of
the shanty brisk and blazing, and to
notice that the pools which began to
form around us did not become too
large; for sometimes, besides the ac-
cumulation of the rain, little streams
would suddenly break out. and, rush.
ing toward us, would have extinguished
our fire had we not been vigilant.
The site I had chosen for the shanty
was near little brook, on the top Of
the main rivers bank The rain con-
tinued to fall incessantly-it was hoped
that about noon the rain would slacken,
but in this we were disappointed. 1t
continued to increase. and the ground
began to be SO flooded, while the brook
S@A0A0A@N
might become necessary to shift our
tent to a higher part of the bank.
To do this we were, however, re-
luctant, for it was impossible to en-
counter the deluge without being al
most instantly soaked to the skin; and
we had put the shanty up with more
care and pains than usual, intending
Il should serve US for home until our
house was comfortably furnished.
About 8 o'clock the skies were dread
fully darkened and overcast. had
never seen such darkness while the sun
was above the horizon, and still the
rain continued to descend in cataracts,
but at fits and intervals. No man who
had not seen the like would believe it.
Suddenly sharp flash of lightning
followed by an instantaneous thunder
peal lightened up all the forest; and
almost at the same moment the rain
came laviShing along as If the windows
of heaven were opened; anon another
flash, and a louder peal burst upon us
as if the whole forest were rending over
and around us.
I drew my helpless and poor trem-
bling little boys under the skirts OF my
greatcoat.
Then there was another frantic flash
and the roar of the thunder was aug
cloven on all sides in whirlwind oi
splinters. But though the lightning
was more terrible than scimitarS, anC
the thunder roared as if the vaults o.
heaven were shaken to pieces anC
tumbling in, the irresistible rain wa.
still more appalling than either. have
said 1t was as If the windows Of HEAVIER
were opened.
About sunset, the ground floods wer,
as If the fountains Of the great deeI
were breaking up.
I pressed my shivering children II
my bosom, but could not speak. A
the common shanty, where there haS
been for some time an affectation o
mirth and ribaldry, there wSs nov
silence; at last, as if with one accord
all the inhabitants rushed from below
their miserable shed, tore 1t into pieces
and ran with the fragments to highe
ground, crying wildly:
THE river is rising!'
I had seen it swelling for some time
but our shanty stood SO far above tn
stream that / had no fear it woul
reach us. Scarcely, however, had tn
axmen escaped from theirs and plante
themselves on the crown of risin
ground nearer to us, where they wer
hastily constructing another shed, whel
a tremendous crash and roar wer
heard at some distance in the wood.
higher up the stream.
1t was so awful, I had almost sal
so omnipotent, in the sound, that
started on my feet, and shook m
treasures from me. For moment tn
Niagara of the river seemed almost t
pauSe-it was but for moment-fo
instantly arer the noise of the rendin
of weighty trees, the crashing and tn
tearing of the rooted forest, ros
around. The waters of the rive
troubled and raging, came hurting wit
the wreck of the woods, sweeping wit
inconceivable fury everything tbs
stood within its scope-a lake ha
burst its banks.
The sudden rise Of the waters Sooi
6owsyer. sVbsided; ! saw it ebbiq4 fas