CHAPTER XXXIV. THE FRESHET ...... 294
HE big snow-storm, which ushered in Thanksgiving day, lasted until the fifteenth, when the weather cleared away biting cold. Then, on the twenty-second, the cold abated, and a thaw set in, with peculiar characteristics which have marked it in history as a season not to be forgotten. It began to rain November twenty-fourth, and for twenty days successively it kept unceasingly at it, but every evening the stars would appear as bright as ever, and continue to shine until past midnight. At daybreak the rain would again commence to fall as furiously as ever.
With the ground frozen and a big body of snow, this warm rain brought such a freshet as the oldest settler had never seen. The ice in the Merrimack broke up and the swollen stream carried huge cakes on its turgid current, to the danger of lives and property.1
1 The snow melted and a freshet occurred in the Merrimack River, nothing like it having been experienced there for seventy years. At Haverhill, the stream rose fifteen feet, and many houses were floated off. — Perley's Historic Storms of New England.
At Cohas general alarm reigned, but at Namaske only one dwelling was threatened, and that was the home of Robert MacDonald, which unfortunately stood so low and near the bank of the stream that the water came almost to the door. Still the occupants, finding at last that it was rising no higher, hoped and believed that it would subside before doing them harm.
Archibald Stark called one afternoon to see if there had been any change since the previous day and very confidently told them he believed the worst over.
Accordingly, the inmates retired that evening without dreaming of further danger. But Norman had not fallen asleep, when a terrific roar and rumbling, such as he had never heard in his life before, awoke the night.
Springing off his couch, he had barely begun to dress himself before another crash was heard, and then a sound like the thunder of Namaske, increased tenfold in volume.
A loud rap at the door quickly followed, and a stentorian voice called out:
" Quick ! your lives are in peril! "
It was the Woodranger, and he showed his impatience by renewed thumping against the log wall of the cabin.
The next moment Norman was down on the lower floor, and found Mr. MacDonald already dressed, while Rilma appeared the following minute.
Norman had already opened the door, and the Woodranger came in as Rilma appeared.
"The river has broken over its bank ! " exclaimed the forester. " The ice dammed the stream and — hark! — we must get out o' this amazement if we value our lives. Lassie, let me carry you. Lad, follow with your grandfather. Let there be no delay."
While speaking he caught the trembling Rilma in his strong arms, and strode out of the door. Clasping his precious burden close to his breast, the Woodranger swiftly passed the little valley lying between the doomed dwelling and the higher land.
Norman would have kept beside him, but his grandfather, in his excitement, stumbled and nearly fell, just as the rushing water seemed upon them!
" Hurry, grandfather! " cried Norman, helping him to his feet. "The river is making a channel around our home ! "
" The horn!" exclaimed the dazed Highlander. "I maun hae the auld —"
Without stopping to hear more, Norman bounded into the house, seized the horn, and an instant later was back beside his aged companion.
But that moment lost was fatal to his hopes. So swiftly had the river risen and swept down on its new course, that the wall of water was in plain sight as Norman regained the side of his grandfather.
Seizing him by the hand, and half dragging him along, he sped in the direction the Woodranger had taken.
But Mr. MacDonald seemed bewildered, and he did not move with the necessary haste. Midway across the narrow valley Norman saw that it was hopeless to think of escaping, though he pulled harder than ever upon his aged companion in the endeavour to get him beyond the reach of the rushing stream. Alone he might have escaped.
The Woodranger, who had borne Rilma to a place of safety, gently put her down and sprang back to lend his assistance to the others. Seeing their peril, he would have rushed in to save them at the risk of his own life, but he was too late.
Sweeping everything in its pathway, the watery column reached the hapless pair. Fortunately for Mr. MacDonald, the current struck him in such a way that he was tossed toward the high ground, and dropped almost at the feet of the Woodranger, who quickly caught hold of him and dragged him away from the surging flood. Then he turned to look for Norman.
At that moment Mr. Stark, his boys, and half a dozen others appeared on the scene, having come to warn his friends of the peril threatening their home.
Norman was caught by the swirling waters and borne away at a fearful speed. He tried to save himself, but a cake of ice struck him on the head, and that was the last he knew until he lay in the arms of the Woodranger and the words of Mr. Stark came into his ears :
" Mark how he loves the boy."
Opening his eyes, our hero looked around in a bewildered way, a wild, strange roar of rushing water ringing in his ears. He saw about him a little knot of anxious watchers, the nearest of them the forester, upon his knees, bending over him.
" Father, I thank thee, thou hast seen it well to spare him. Lad, speak, and tell me that my ol' eyes do not deceive me. Thy life has been spared."
" I think I must be living, Woodranger," replied Norman, "but it does seem queer. Perhaps my mind is not clear yet. Where are Rilma and grandfather?"
" Safe, lad. At least the lassie is safe and well cared for. Your grandfather did get a serious amazement. It may have been a chunk o' ice struck him, but he has been taken with the lassie to the home o' Mr. Stark."
" Where the boy must be taken without further delay," said that kind-hearted man. " Let me help you lift him on my sled, Woodranger."
Mr. Stark was the owner of a big hand-sled, which had been covered with warm fur robes. Norman was placed upon the sled, and willing hands drew him to the hospitable home, where the party was met by Mrs. Stark.
He was then put on a comfortable bed, a warming-pan placed at his feet, some herbs put as hot as he could bear to his head, and that was the last he knew until morning.
Norman awoke feeling very much improved, and under the motherly care of Mrs. Stark he soon declared that he wanted to sit up. But that she would not allow.
" I promised Woodranger he should be called as soon as you awoke. He seems as uneasy as a fish out of water. Here he comes now."
| T |
HE big snow-storm, which ushered in Thanksgiving day, lasted until the fifteenth, when the weather cleared away biting cold. Then, on the twenty-second, the cold abated, and a thaw set in, with peculiar characteristics which have marked it in history as a season not to be forgotten. It began to rain November twenty-fourth, and for twenty days successively it kept unceasingly at it, but every evening the stars would appear as bright as ever, and continue to shine until past midnight. At daybreak the rain would again commence to fall as furiously as ever.
With the ground frozen and a big body of snow, this warm rain brought such a freshet as the oldest settler had never seen. The ice in the Merrimack broke up and the swollen stream carried huge cakes on its turgid current, to the danger of lives and property.1
1 The snow melted and a freshet occurred in the Merrimack River, nothing like it having been experienced there for seventy years. At Haverhill, the stream rose fifteen feet, and many houses were floated off. — Perley's Historic Storms of New England.
At Cohas general alarm reigned, but at Namaske only one dwelling was threatened, and that was the home of Robert MacDonald, which unfortunately stood so low and near the bank of the stream that the water came almost to the door. Still the occupants, finding at last that it was rising no higher, hoped and believed that it would subside before doing them harm.
Archibald Stark called one afternoon to see if there had been any change since the previous day and very confidently told them he believed the worst over.
Accordingly, the inmates retired that evening without dreaming of further danger. But Norman had not fallen asleep, when a terrific roar and rumbling, such as he had never heard in his life before, awoke the night.
Springing off his couch, he had barely begun to dress himself before another crash was heard, and then a sound like the thunder of Namaske, increased tenfold in volume.
A loud rap at the door quickly followed, and a stentorian voice called out:
" Quick ! your lives are in peril! "
It was the Woodranger, and he showed his impatience by renewed thumping against the log wall of the cabin.
The next moment Norman was down on the lower floor, and found Mr. MacDonald already dressed, while Rilma appeared the following minute.
Norman had already opened the door, and the Woodranger came in as Rilma appeared.
"The river has broken over its bank ! " exclaimed the forester. " The ice dammed the stream and — hark! — we must get out o' this amazement if we value our lives. Lassie, let me carry you. Lad, follow with your grandfather. Let there be no delay."
While speaking he caught the trembling Rilma in his strong arms, and strode out of the door. Clasping his precious burden close to his breast, the Woodranger swiftly passed the little valley lying between the doomed dwelling and the higher land.
Norman would have kept beside him, but his grandfather, in his excitement, stumbled and nearly fell, just as the rushing water seemed upon them!
" Hurry, grandfather! " cried Norman, helping him to his feet. "The river is making a channel around our home ! "
" The horn!" exclaimed the dazed Highlander. "I maun hae the auld —"
Without stopping to hear more, Norman bounded into the house, seized the horn, and an instant later was back beside his aged companion.
But that moment lost was fatal to his hopes. So swiftly had the river risen and swept down on its new course, that the wall of water was in plain sight as Norman regained the side of his grandfather.
Seizing him by the hand, and half dragging him along, he sped in the direction the Woodranger had taken.
But Mr. MacDonald seemed bewildered, and he did not move with the necessary haste. Midway across the narrow valley Norman saw that it was hopeless to think of escaping, though he pulled harder than ever upon his aged companion in the endeavour to get him beyond the reach of the rushing stream. Alone he might have escaped.
The Woodranger, who had borne Rilma to a place of safety, gently put her down and sprang back to lend his assistance to the others. Seeing their peril, he would have rushed in to save them at the risk of his own life, but he was too late.
Sweeping everything in its pathway, the watery column reached the hapless pair. Fortunately for Mr. MacDonald, the current struck him in such a way that he was tossed toward the high ground, and dropped almost at the feet of the Woodranger, who quickly caught hold of him and dragged him away from the surging flood. Then he turned to look for Norman.
At that moment Mr. Stark, his boys, and half a dozen others appeared on the scene, having come to warn his friends of the peril threatening their home.
Norman was caught by the swirling waters and borne away at a fearful speed. He tried to save himself, but a cake of ice struck him on the head, and that was the last he knew until he lay in the arms of the Woodranger and the words of Mr. Stark came into his ears :
" Mark how he loves the boy."
Opening his eyes, our hero looked around in a bewildered way, a wild, strange roar of rushing water ringing in his ears. He saw about him a little knot of anxious watchers, the nearest of them the forester, upon his knees, bending over him.
" Father, I thank thee, thou hast seen it well to spare him. Lad, speak, and tell me that my ol' eyes do not deceive me. Thy life has been spared."
" I think I must be living, Woodranger," replied Norman, "but it does seem queer. Perhaps my mind is not clear yet. Where are Rilma and grandfather?"
" Safe, lad. At least the lassie is safe and well cared for. Your grandfather did get a serious amazement. It may have been a chunk o' ice struck him, but he has been taken with the lassie to the home o' Mr. Stark."
" Where the boy must be taken without further delay," said that kind-hearted man. " Let me help you lift him on my sled, Woodranger."
Mr. Stark was the owner of a big hand-sled, which had been covered with warm fur robes. Norman was placed upon the sled, and willing hands drew him to the hospitable home, where the party was met by Mrs. Stark.
He was then put on a comfortable bed, a warming-pan placed at his feet, some herbs put as hot as he could bear to his head, and that was the last he knew until morning.
Norman awoke feeling very much improved, and under the motherly care of Mrs. Stark he soon declared that he wanted to sit up. But that she would not allow.
" I promised Woodranger he should be called as soon as you awoke. He seems as uneasy as a fish out of water. Here he comes now."
posted by Don at 8:17 AM
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