The Red Cloud chief., 1881-12-22
TnE SrORy 0F FLOOD.


netghboF. tor father aad mother hal
gone Ia the town ot warr. tAsisg the
baby With them. sni suu.i not D. back
before the nest night. al KaPsTL Mar
gcry ard little Nancr. krn IN each 9th
srs oompsny. we're prspSnng without
n shadow Of fear Ia smu.c themselves
IN their own fashion. Two big Jumps
II lead were really to he melted. aud
then pourci INTO water. there 10 as
sumo hunired, IL quaint hitle shapes
the ehestnuta. carefully matched anil
named. were hopping "a ~ about on
the fireplace. and hall a dosea rsy-
checked apples fioatcd tsntalia,ngly sna
tub of water. waiting tor = coaragroa.
diver.
his no use, Nance said her sister,
YOU will never get one. u yon Keep
on soaking yourself all night Let us
sec now who wall be married anil who
will die. Rupert. yOu ~ into the gar
den. and bring me In some earth on =
plate. while ! get the ashes and wa
ter"
The boy took . dish os yellow stone
ware. and went out to dig up the noli
!, vas \ clear night. but blowing hari.
and Wild scraps Of cloud came dying
before the face Of the moon whtis IA
his left he saw the white banks of the
river Lea. and could hear the rush of
the waters n they swept angrily by.
How high the nycr lookcdi thought
Rupert, watching 10. truwcl IN hand.
and how loudly IL sounded lie had
never seen ar heard IL like that before.
and for \ moment he stood wondering
what hal csu-cd this sudden rise.
Then MaFgcry's voice calling for the
earth made him forget al abnut H. and
in another minui. lac VA. back ia the
warm. Bright ki,chcn. withou; .
thought OF IA. foamins torrent outside.
While the children were busllY "a
gagged IN this new game little Nance
called out.
Look, Margcry. look the foor Is
all wetr'
With n bound the boy sprans - the
door and opened IL Nothing bat waller
met his c~}cs-wa,cr n yet but n couple
OF inches deep. but which was softly.
steadily rising in the moonlight. while
the rush 81 the river sounded nov as u
il were close by his side. Ia an instant
he realized what had happened. The
I ~ NNpitth Wv HftNN tbtirs ubi VffA"
flowed its banks. and tho water was
gaining on them fast. Already IL had
entered the room where the frightened
children stood. only half understanding
their great danger.
go uu stairs" shouted Rupert Ia
his sisters; land IL the food rises tha,
high. we will climb ont ON the roof.
Go quick"
But Maryery stool still. her brown
eyes filing with tears. "Oh. Rupert"
she cried. 1.-THE poor little baby ducks
and chickens, They Will MI be- drowned.
and wha, ever will mother say when
she IN back?'
Rupert never needed her. The water
by this time reached 10 their ankles.
and 10 close the door was impossible.
Thoroughly alarmed. he drew the little
girls up the laddsr-iike ~staircasc into
their low attic. IL would not take long
Tor the waves To mount that high. and
their only hope Of safety lay in climb
ing on To the steep sioping roof Open
ing the Window. he crawled cautiously
out. and then helped Nance and Mar
gerry tn follow him. Side by side stool
the three children. and saw the sullsn
waters. white and foaming Ia the NOON
light, surge and sway around them.
Where could they look for help Their
father gon Their ncighbors ynoran,
that they were sione In the house. and
perhaps IN the general terror forgetting
great peril. with only n boy OF twelve tn
aid and save themi
Poor little Nance sobbed and shivrred
- -
Margery. bewilderei with fright. stood
n il frozen into stone; but Rupert. with
fast beating heart and n dcspairing
light in he biue cye.. watched the cruel
waters ~ they rose. and tried IN think
how best 10 act for his sisters sake and
for his own He could hear in the dis
lance cries and shouts and could see
bon6res blazing on many roots-.igpsls
Of the common danger. lie knew tia;
along The outskirts os'o~n. and through
the scatsred parish 81 Ware. relief
boats were even now rowing frUtn house
tn house TO save those who lived in co:-
iayes too iox io shelter them he
called until be VA exhausted. bu; the
only ansver WAS the suli~n roar ~ the
Lea and the beating II the waves around
HIM Already they we're lapping against
the attic windows Something must BE-
done and quickly. II he would save la.
sisters from perishing.
"Maryery." he sasd n last. "woaId
you be very much afraid 10 stay hers
alone with Nance, while ] Try and get
some heIpY'
.Oh. Rnrerr' shrieked the child.
throwing her arms arosnd him. "Joa
would surely he drowned and SO would
We. What can you do IN such an asfai
food!'
II could Try and swim TO the manor
farm" .aid the Dor. III h D more
than half a mile OF at furshes,. sad
there are p,eaty of floating boughs and
fences IN the wzser to rest me- II I tire
oaf Margery. ! mHst go. OF we shsI
III drown together; and soo know." be
added. with q sob. II promised father
thu; I wonlt take care IL yoa- /
but TO leave us here alone, Oh.
Rup-rt- / should de
Bg: Rnpeu's mind vaz made up.
1t mast be done NJ once" he ssid.
'or il viii be no late. Marycry. ny
and be . irsfie brave. and keep fixh.
bcfore I can come back Please God.
I wiii save Jon ye<" Thea throwing
OF his shoes snd jacket be said once
more "Rsmemser % keep tight bod
Of Nance" and plunged into he seesh-
IND waters. in vhich no maa could bope
% live
MargsrJ's shrek did into silence.
and. c1ufehing her hssie sister. she
watched the slight squire tsssed o. the
cruel bilIows - the boy s<sm brzseiy
On How long could his young ssrengsh
avail against their mighty pousrs
In . minute he wAs sweeps ogs of
sight md. with N awful feeling Of
ioneiiccss. she crouched On the rood.
holding Nance u her axrnk Each mo-
meat passsd slowly - N boar. vhsse
The wares creps ever higher ard
higher. until they vasbsd sGninzs tie