her home in the door. She took the
children and ran back. As she neared the house the water came and forced
them up between the two houses. The only outlet was toward the mountain,
and she ran that way with her children. The water chased her, but she
and the children managed to clamber up far enough to escape. Thus it was
that an accident saved their lives. Only three houses and a school-house
were saved at Mineral Point.

A Dangerous Venture.

One of the most thrilling incidents of the disaster was the performance
of A.J. Leonard, whose family reside in Morrellville. He was at work,
and hearing that his house had been swept away determined at all hazards
to ascertain the fate of his family. The bridges having been carried
away he constructed a temporary raft, and clinging to it as close as a
cat to the side of a fence, he pushed his frail craft out into the
raging torrent and started on a chase which, to all who were watching,
seemed to mean an embrace in death.

Heedless of cries "For God's sake go back, you will be drowned." "Don't
attempt it," he persevered. As the raft struck the current he pulled off
his coat and in his shirt sleeves braved the stream. Down plunged the
boards and down went Leonard, but as it arose he was seen still
clinging. A mighty shout arose from the throats of the hundreds on the
banks, who were now deeply interested, earnestly hoping he would
successfully ford the stream.

Down again went his bark, but nothing, it seemed, could shake Leonard
off. The craft shot up in the air apparently ten or twelve feet, and
Leonard stuck to it tenaciously. Slowly but surely he worked his boat to
the other side of the stream, and after what seemed an awful suspense he
finally landed amid ringing cheers of men, women and children.

The last seen of him he was making his way down a mountain road in the
direction of the spot where his house had lately stood. His family
consisted of his wife and three children.

A Thrilling Escape.

Henry D. Thomas, a well-known dry goods merchant, tells the following
story: "I was caught right between a plank and a stone wall and was held
in that position for a long time. The water came rushing down and forced
the plank against my chest. I felt as if it were going through me, when
suddenly the plank gave way, and I fell into the water. I grabbed the
plank quickly and in some unaccountable way managed to get the forepart
of my body on it, and in that way I was carri