Beadle's Dime Novels No. 35: East and West — page 54: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

- 54 THE BEAUTY OF WILLARD’S MILL. The spot where the house stood, and all along this bank of the creek, was a ridge, which was supposed never to have been overflowed. No apprehensions of even a wetting troubled the minds of the residents at the mill-place. There- fore, when no more could be done, a boat was placed on each side of the creek for ferrying over ; and the hands retired to refresh themselves with a game of euchre in the mill-room. Minnie and Constance had been a long time up-stairs watching the slow and silent approach of the dimpling waters—dimpling into little wavelets in the strong wind. “This reminds me,” said Minnie, “ of ‘Oh, Mary, go and call the cattle home.’ ” “Why, have you read that exquisite poem?” asked Con- stance, delighted. “Such was my good fortune,” returned Minnie. “A stranger who once stayed over night with us, left a copy of Alton Locke here, very providentially.” “Yes, murmured Constance, thoughtfully, “ this 7s like the ‘creeping tide’ that ‘came up along the sand—as far as the eye could see.’ But what a suggestion! Do you know, Min- nie, that I am afraid? I wish uncle would have the flat- boat moored here—at the very door.” Minnie laughed. “ How can we get it to the ‘ very door,’ unless the water comes first ?” . “* Well,” said Constance, joining in the laugh, “it might be brought to this side of the creek, and made fast to the house by a long rope. I mean to go and ask uncle if it may not be done.” ; f Used to similar scenes as Minnie was, she could not help being somewhat influenced by the evident alarm of her cousin, and joined, at last, in arguing that it would not do any jarm to comply with her request. “T am not quite convinced of that,” replied Mr. Willard. “ We are on the highest bank OF the creek. On the other side are all the workmen, and the cook, besides the cattle, and Frank’s horse. The cattle can swim, if the water rises high enough to throw down their pen. But the horse is locked up in the stable, and the men will be asleep in the mill. Do you think it would be fair to keep more than one boat on our side ?” comfcbooks.com