A Woman's Experience.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11902, 11 December 1893, Page 3

A Woman's Experience.

The Napier Telegraph tells the story of Mrs Ward's night experience at Olive as follows: — Imagine a woman standing on a dresser shelf all night, her only support a handkerchief suspended from a ring in the ceiling, and you will havo just a slight idea of how this unfortunate sufferer spent a night of fearful suspense and ngony. She is a widow, the Eole ocpupant of her cottage at Clive, and therefore had no one at hand to in anyway Arender her assistance. At nine o'clock ' she retired to bed. It was two hours apd a-half afterwarda that she says she heard a dreadful noise, as of some MIGHTY AVALANCHE . sweeping past with dreadful rapidity. " I cannot deEcribe the noise; it was so fearful." We do not press her. But bofore she could realise her position she found her bed under water, and articles of furniture floating about the room. Compelled to jump on the table for her own safety, she found that she would have to gain a higher point if she wanted to get out ofipka reach of the watery elements. The dresser shelf suggested the eafeßt spot, and on this she climbed. But still the water rose, as if anxious not to permit its victim to escape. Placing the lamp in the safest place, so that she might not be in utter darkness, she fastened a pocket handkerchief to a ring in the ceiling. And so she BIOOD All NIGHT ON THE DBESSER-SHELF supporting herself by the suspended handkerchief. '! Had that given way, 1' she pathetically declared, " and 1 would have gone too, bnt I pray to God, for 1 knew that if the water came any higher there was nothing for it but to drown." Jn the anxious moments, before suspendipg herself from the" ceiling, she had taken tho precaution to empty a box, and placed a jug in it so that she might jump in there if the worst came to tho wcret. The jug was put in so that it might be used as a bailer. All of a sudden there came a crash at the door, and some huge beast —a cow or a horse —floated into the room. Any woman with less self-possession would perhaps have gone frantic, but Mrs, Ward held on to the handkerchief like GRIM DEATH. • The beast was in great agony, and its ecreatns could be heard for miles away. At last, with the dawn of day, came relief, and after being seven hours in such a painful position, help arrived. But all the doors and windows had been securely fascened, and she was left wonderinp how anyone could reach her, or let them know the plight she was in. Then somebody *■ smaehed in the window, 6aw her suspended from the roof, and immediately rendered aid. She jumped into a boat, and was safely landed at Farndon. Again reflecting on the beast which had effected an entrance during the night, Mrs. Ward shuddered, as she remarked, " I can picture the beast bursting in the place; I would soonbr havo betn drowned than let it get near me."