Year: 1874

Our home was on tue Louisiana


or western shore Of the great river


and the mansion was a mile or more


from the negro quarters Of the large


plantation. aa a..i..i


My husband was absent on bust


ness in New Orleans, and had no,


returned when the prolonged rains


of that autumn began. As the rain


storm was y general one, extend


ing through States far to the north


the Father of Waters began to rise


with more than ordinary rapidity


From the upper porches aud win


dOws Of the house l could plainly


see the vast volume of yellow water


as it widened over the opposite Mis-


sissippi flats, where there was no


levee. The quantities of drift.wood


coming down, and tho peculiar way


in which the river seemed convex


and clear of drift in the middle,


while the apparently lower margins


we're thick with the spoils of the


forest, showed me that it was still


swelling to higher rise, and was a


veritable flood. When the stream


is falling the suck Of the lower cur.


rent draws the drift to the middle,
and keeps the portion next the bank
quite clear. But at that time the


main channel was only marked by


the smooth, waveless rush of mud


dy tide, and the ear caught only
that low growl of the relentless
giant asking for its ocean bride. l
at once summoned every available
person on the estate, and made the
details to build fires at intervals on
our levee, 30 as to keep watch all
night. Also directed the gangs with
spades and axes to be ready for any
break Oh our front, or any call for
aid from neighboring plantations.
Every precaution seemed to have
been taken which was necessary for
safety. Low places had been elevat-
ed, washed places mended, and
points where the current set with
great power had been strengthened
by felled timber. At one point,
just above the house, which seemed
to have been the old channel, the
river made great bend, and the
sullen water met the obstructing
shore with u defiant lash of its
yellow, CLASSY rollers, and then
turned away to it's open course.
This point had been strengthened
by a double thickness of embank.
ment and by piles lined with heavy
timber. ........


Two days went by, and allseemed
so secure that the night.fires and
watchers at every quarter of a
mile were discontinued, and l felt
serenely confident of the approval
of my husband, and that he would
call me his "brave little wife," for
possessing nerve aud judgement to
great plantation in the |
face of the highest food for many |
years.


One of the planters, three miles
above, had not been so careful as
we, and small crevasse had been
made on his line. 1t was not dan.
gerOus, as it was on the side of q
shoot or current of the riv.
er, and not in the face of one. Still,
we did what was usual, and sent q
|arge force to pr event possible dan
or and inunda tion to some of our
lands. That night there was a bright
moonlight, and the most of the
house-servants had asked permis.
zion to attend dance at the "quar.
ters." Thus it was that 1 went to
)ed with no one in the house save
ny old colored servant, who had
once been my nurse, and was now
fifty years old. 1t is customary
with us to give titles of affection to
;hese faithful old servants, and we
,aIled her Aunt Sarah.


1t must have been near midnight
hat I was awakened by q harsh,
grinding sound. It was not loud
'ut deep, as if some Titantio mill
# the gods had chosen to grind up
! forest for grist. l arose in my
,ed and listened, atfirst thought my
husband was come, and it was the
'Ound Of wheels on the gravel. But
t was too deep and heavy for that /;
Ind then he could not easily land
With the water so high. Then be.
,an to distinguish a more gentle
'ound, like the half-subdued wash
If water, or the soft lap of tide
lpOn beach. As the horn had not
,een blown az a signal of danger,