The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-07-02
am afraid we shall never see them

again. +'-'
"Why, I never thought of the Pratts.
They are right in the heart of the flood
Their house must have been surrounded
early this morning. May the Lord for
give me for thinking only of my own,
and so little of His other children!"
Meanwhile, no remonstrance kept Al
bert Steele from DOMINIC his great-coat
and hobbling about on his crutches, IN
the vain effort to see down the stream
to the mite of house on the river-bank
where sweet Hester Pratt spent her
young life in caring for her insane
mother, who was too weak and too help
less to harm living soul.
When the boys started they seized, IN
stinctively, a coil of rope from the mill.
As they crossed the bridge they made
the two ends fast, and chung each to the
other, or rather chung to the rope, one
end of which Augustus carried, while
Andrew held the other.
On the further side of the bridge they
plunged into the rivers overflow, and
were again and again nearly forced to
go down with the current.
"Hold on, Gus! Hold on, daddy!
Remember everybody, and the baby!
shouted Andrew (the baby was Angus
tus's pet), as the younger boy gasped'
candy, l can't get on! I'm going
DOWN." he shrieked. He lost his foot
ing and went under, carried down BY
the current, but still clinging fast to
the rope.
In that moment, Andrew Steele be
came dozen boys in one. He tough
with ice-cakes, and water, and cur.
rent; fought for the little figure that was
bobbing up and down. So near, and
yet so far! But he felt the strain on the
rope, and it gave him courage.
There was no human eye to witness
the strife, as he got to his brother and
struggled with him to the firm land, on
which the boys sank for moment.
"That was pretty bad time, wasn't
it, BubP" said Augustus, as soon as his
eyes and ears were clear of water. 81
don't want any more of that
"Oh, we. pulled out firstrate; and now
we must hurry, or there won't be stone
left in poor Hester's chimney, for don't
see how the house is going to stand up
before this flood. Maybe it is gone
now"
But the house with the stone chimney
was not gone, and presently it came into
view.
"Good gracious!" cried Andrew, as
he took in the sight. The cottage looked
lower and smaller than ever. 1t was
standing, window-deep, in sea of snow
water, with ice-cakes humping at the
door every moment.
"Oh, they are out. Somebody must
have thought of 'em. I know somebody
must" argued Augustus, as they
tramped through the water-soaked
snow.
Anyhow, We'll make sure of it. We
are the nearest to 'em, and if we didn't
think, who wouldp 1 declare, Gus, dc
see how the river rises! It's mad
enough now, goodness knows, and l dc
believe the covered bridge will boom
down and take the mill with it.. They
struggled on.
"See! see! the water is running in al
the windows this very minute. Run,
Gus, run, or we can't get near the
h USE"
They lost no time, poor wet lads, in
getting to the highway and to the verge
of the running water that came up the
road. The little house lay below the
road, between it and the river, but well
above the touch of any ordinary freshet
"Let us call OUT" said Andrew.
chester! Hester!" they screamed.
All was silent within.
Nobody there" thought Gus.
"But suppose they are drowned in
there. I'm going in," announced An.
drew.
"Oh! Andy, Andy, don't. 1 CAM
spare you. Wait till somebody comes
along"
"No time to wait. 1 must find out, .
urged Andrew.
Even as he spoke, he ran to the stout
est tree by the roadside and swung q
rope-end about it, made it fast, and said
to Gus:
"You stand by, whatever happens,
and you pull with will when give the
signal -
"Good-bye, Andy" whimpered Gus,
shaking in his wet clothes, as his broth.
er with the rope stepped into the cold
flood.
At that moment sash was raised in
an upper window, and a pale, agonized
face glanced up the river, and from that
to the clouds.
Gus saw that it was Hester, and that
she was praying, although no word es.
capped her lips. v
She did not see the small figure stand
ing by the great tulip-tree across the
road, but suddenly Gus called out:
"Open the door for Andy! Andy is
at the door. Let him in, quick!"
The sash was left up; the face disap-
peared. Never did feet descend steps
with more willing speed to admit sue
cor. As soon as Hester could get away
the packing at the sill, the door was
opened, Andy climbed in, and the door
closed. The water went in with him.
Hester! where's your motherP" was
the first question.
"In bed; and oh, Andy! I've had
such hard work to keep her from know.
ing. She thinks we've moved down by
the sea, and she likes the waves so much
Oh, Andy, you mustn't stay. You must
go right now, or you'll go down too.
Go! Col" she begged.
81 am going, and you, too"
"I'n never leave my mediterranean,
Andy Steele"
"Of course not. Do as tell you
L