Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-06-23

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 50 little Of His other childrenin
Meanwhile, no remonstrance kept Al
bert Steele from donning his great-cnat
and hobbIing 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 q living soul
When the boys started they seized, in
stinctively, 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
'sHold on, Gus, Hold on, daddy!
Remember everybody, and the baoy."
shouted Andrew (the baby was Angus
tus's pet), as the younger boy gasped.
sandy, / c-a-n-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 fought
with ice-cakes, and water, and cur
rent; fought for the little figure that was
bobbing up and down. So near, and
vet 30 fart 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 q moment
"That was q pretty bad time, wasn't
it, Bub?" 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 food. 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. II was
standing, window-deep, in sea of snow
water, with ice-cakes humping at the
door every moment
sob, they are out. Somebody must
have thought of 'em. / know somebody
must argued Augustus, as they
tramped through the water-soaked
snow.
ANYHOW, well make sure of it. We
are the nearest to 'em, and if we didn't
think, who would? l declare, Gus, do
see how the river rises. It's mad
enough now, goodness knows, and do
believe the covered bridge viii boom
down and take the mill with it. - They
struggled on.
"See! see! the water is running in at
the windows this very minute Run,
Gus, run, or we can't get near the
house."
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.
sHesteri Hesteri" 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. I can't
spare you. Wait till somebody comes
along"
/" No time to wait. I 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 a viii when I give the
signal
"Good-bye, Andy" whimpered Gus.
shaking in his wet clothes. as his broth
er with the rope stepped into the cold
food.
At that moment . sash was raised in
an upper window, and 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.
She did not see the small figure stand
ing by the great tulip-tree across the
road, but suddenly Gus called ont:
ssOpen 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 mother?" was
the first question.
SIN 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 60 down too.
Go! Col" she begged.
81 am going, and You, too"
"Isn never leave my mother-neyer,