Beadle's Dime Novels No. 35: East and West — page 59: what you’re looking at

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

ANOTHER CATASTROPHE. 59 Mrs. Willard and Minnie could not so well conceal their feelings, The formerresumed her mending, it is true; but sobbing sighs and frequent tears told of her grief at the catas- trophe. Minnie retreated to a window and wept secretly, while she gazed at the clouded moon. “Father will work himself to death!” she whispered to Constance, who followed to console her. “He never will give “up this fatal mill-business.” It was growing late, yet no one seemed disposed to sleep. The exciting events of the day, and the doubt which yet enveloped the immediate future, banished all idea of repose. Minnie and Constance took an observation from their “ loft,” and could plainly see the advance which the watgMhad made toward their home; in fact, they were already surrounded, except Where a long narrow ridge ran parallel with the creek down in the direction of Frank’s house. Along this ridge they could discuver some one approaching, who, they imme- diately guessed, was Frank himself, come to see what had sent his horse home alone. Minne ran to meet him at the door, with the news. 3 “ Bad enough, Minnie, but not so bad as it might be. Ive got worse news than that. Zhe landing is gone down the river !” _ “My God!” exclaimed his two male hearers; while the women, huddled close together, could only ejaculate, “Oh, Frank!’ “ Why, Frank!” “Oh! oh!” “Many people lost? How did you hear?” “Can't tell how many are lost—it happened about dark. One man found his way through the woods and water to my house. He says there’s a good many, he thinks, groping about on the prairie; and some will likely get drowned in the sloughs. I came up to take the men and boats out to see if We could save any.” . “TI doubt if the water is deep enough on the prairie to use the boats,” said Mr. Willard. “Oh, yes it is, on the other side of the creek ;—there’s Plenty of water there to navigate in! And it’s getting deeper all the time. This strong wind is blowing the water out of the river all over the bottom.” “Tt’s time to be doing something then. You shout to the they can hear you over this cursed wind !” comlcbooks.com