one who would venture to help him across the raging torrent to their aid. The utmost sympathy was felt for him, but nothing could be done to assist him in a rescue. The poor fellow sat all night on a rock opposite his house and, between the paroxysms of his grief, sent words of encouragement across to his dear ones. The behavior of Mrs. Fitzpatrick under the circumstances was very remarkable. She evidenced the most extraordinary coolness and courage and was heard to express her willingness to abide by the decrees of Providence, manifesting a composure in the face of death, which could arise only from a consciousness of her having lived a good life and from a well founded hope of happiness hereafter. Interminable appeared that autumn night to the anxious watchers in the town and few, even of those who had nothing at stake, thought of sleep. At length the dawn appeared and, from marks left by the water it was seen that the river had fallen a few inches. Joyful news this was to all, but people of experience in such matters were far from being relieved from all anxiety, as it is well known that the turn of a flood is the most critical time for a building that has been exposed to the action of the current. As soon as it was clear daylight the attention of many people was directed to the house of Mr. Samuel Williams--the same gentleman that was taken prisoner by John Brown's men at the rifle factory--situated on the very bank of the river, near the ferry crossing to Loudoun, in which it was known that not only the Williams family but those of Messrs. John Greaves and James Anderson were imprisoned. The last two resided in small buildings near the house of Mrs. Williams and they and their families had barely time to escape to his more substantial residence, when their own houses were swept away. As soon as there was light enough the endangered people were seen crowding to the windows and gesticulating wildly, but their voices were lost in the roar of the rushing waters and the reason for their great excitement at this particular time was not fully understood until they were rescued in the afternoon, as will be narrated hereafter. At that moment nearly the whole side of the house fronting the river fell in, and very naturally caused the hapless prisoners to give up all hope. Of course, nothing could be done for them then, as the water had fallen but a few inches, and, as the other people in the town were not aware of the catastrophe to the river side of the house, there was not as much anxiety felt for them as their situation really demanded. Besides, two trees that grew near the end of the house, looking up stream, had gathered a vast pile of drift, and the sleepers and other timbers of the railroad that had been wrecked on the previous evening, still connected by the rails, had swung about and surrounded the house, collecting a great deal of miscellaneous rubbish which broke the force of the current and materially protected the building.