Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1882-09-13
A Flood Sufferer.

DO YOU attend 10 out of town mat
| tors" asked tall. carelessly dressed
/ individual, walking into the city editor
/ room and assuming stained glass"
attitude against one of the tapestry hung
walls. "Now and Them said the city
editor, ''what is your troubleP"
"Well. you see, just arrived from
the South" said the visitor, helping him
self to an Eastlake chair. and stretching
/ his feet out comfortably on one of the
Turkish rugs. IL own--that is, fused TO
own-a plantation not far from New
4 Orleans. Now, own Lake"
"Then you come from the flooded dis
trictsPh said the editor, growing inter-
ested.
Fright from the very middle Of 'ein, A."
said the visitor, curling one long, thin
limb over the other; and proceeding TO
shave off a chew of tobacco from very
black looking piece of plug. II tell
you, sir, it's dreadful down there, and
the thing came on US so sudden like.
Why, | woke up one morning and found
ducks sailing around my bed and our
pet hog perched on the mantelpiece puff
ing like a steamboat on mud bank.
How that hog ever got up there lays 'em
out. Well, the water was rising and a
rising, and before long we had to take
to the roof and there we stayed for fifteen
days.
Fifteen days !" said the editor, in
surprise.
Eyes, sill; fifteen days, and we
couldn't get anything 10 eat for the last
five, except the moss that sprouted up
atween the shingles Well, my wife got
: awful thin like and so did the children,
and kinder fell away myself"
"Well, | should remark" said the
editor, grimlJ
Eyes, you see moss diet amt no
way film" said the visitor.
"Why didu't you swim outP" asked
the editor.
There was the trouble" said the
visitor. you see there amt no plan
tation nigh onto ten mile from ours, and
| calculated that would be too much of
pull for me. l reckon I'm a good
swimmer, but | didn't care TO tackle
that ten mile. Well, we'd got down to
our last single, and there wasn't a
smitch o moss on that roof big 'nough
to wad shotgun with. Our youngest
had been given the last bit, and he set
there on the chimney chewing it up and
lookin' like hand-organ monkey down
in his luck, when see a little cloud way
across the the water. didn't say nothin'
for moment, but knew pretty well
what that could meant, and watched it
like niger would a coon. Well, she
grew larger, and | made sure it were
steamboat Then kinder whispered il
quiet like to the old woman. Well, she
took one look and then Topped over in
a dead faint, and afore could grab her
she rolled down the roof into the water.
Well, that was the last of her."
you don't mean TO say you let her
drown?" said the editor.
"Well, you see, boss, said the visitor,
was so weak knew it was death for
both on us for me to 60 after her, and to
make matters worse she pulled i'm our
youngstcr with her tell you we we're
having tough times down our way. At
last somebody on the steamboat saw us
and they took rs aboard, but lost every
thing, not to say nothin' about part of
my family. Well, they took us up to
New Orleans and | scraped ND cash
enough TO come North, and here am"
But what did you come North for?"
asked the editor.
Well, you see they put me on q Re-
lief Committee, and I'm on here to raise
funds for the sufferers"
80, you are" said the editor, edgiug
his chair back and looking sharp at the
visitor.
Yes, | see you newspaper fellows
was THROWN out lots of sympathy for
us, and / just thought I'd tackle the
press first, and then work down through
the other professions"
:" Very thoughtful in YOU" said the
editor.
- Yes, after I've got your contributions
I'll Just see whether the churches are
good for anything said the visitor.
Wait Il moment said the editor,
walking over to the telephone, and then
he called the instrument " Connect
Eagle with police headquarters" but
the relief committee didn't wait for the
reply. -Brooklyn Eagle