St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1882-01-28

that Joseph's own brethren put him into
pit! ., -. u
Paris was unmindful of Betsey, and when
she fell over log or stuck fast in
brier thicket, pulled her up or out and
draoced her ahead. Their rough little
hands stuck fast together
(which way are you?'' called Paris,
when the voice stopped, and they stood
hewildered in lonesome dark place
near the bayou.
Directly in front OF them they heard a
croaking exclamation for help.
"Hel p! Will somebody help me out?'
But lust here the children paused
LONGEST. That voice sounded strange.
The minute was SO silent they heard
only the breathing of the water and that
other respiration peculiar to woods at
night.
"Paris! Are you up there?' Didn'tI
To atone for his hesitation, Paris
| plunged down slope, and Betsey, hang
mo to him like faithful Gill, went
plunging after.
watch out there! Don't you come
anv nearerr' shouted their father.
..Don't YOU take another step!''
It was quite dusky in that hollow, but
when they were few yards away from
him they could see him standing down in
the ground and looking like a man who
had only waist, shoulders and head. His
hat was gone, his wamus unfastened,
and his hair and bushy beard made his
face look like pale blur. uat.' s.s*
80 papr' walled Betsy. = la ~
cts well you come, said the settler.
s.Tm sinking fast. Paris, get arail; get
lit as quick as you can. ''s ,, nd ii.
| The, nearest rail was probably more
+ than a mile away. Pars' thoughts few
to the stable, but while he went and
returned dragginga heavy rail, his faith
=: er might sink out of sisht'in that hole,
which seemed to remain in a gully
that had contributed all it's water to the
bayou. ga
"A limb of tree higher said Par
is, trembling. zu j.. ...s &. ,
"Get somethin' quick. I'm goin'
down so fast Idon' know whether can
pull myself out at all or not. y -
The children ran around on the slope.
Paris started for the CLEARING, but on the
way he tripped acrossa small log, and,
, jumping up UNCONSCIOUS that he had
broken a finger nail in the fall, dragged
it. and shouted to Bdsey to come and
help. "'"
Betsey had thrown her father some
chunks on which he was trying to prop
his elbows. She cams and tugged. Il
! was well for the Lane family that these
two children were used to exertion
Their stout muscles, strained and tense
: labored successfully. They tugged the
log like two buttenut-oolored ants
: struggling with forge many times
) larger than themselvs, and pushed i
S out to father. Then, with lungs pant
ing, and while he pulled himself up by
, his props, they hauled an uprootec
stump to him, then hoken limbs; they
u brought pieces of wo,d from the clear
ing; and while half hese things SUM
y y out of sight the settlr was able to bur.
l himself up by then, and finally t.
; creep out on the log and get on sole
u ground.
;, II left one of my ,oots in there n
II observed, breathing leeply as he felt th'
3 good earth under his naked foot.
q The three climbedup the slope ant
q started home. Like true Western set
% tiers, now that the danger was past
~ they had little to sly about it.. Inc.
Us came to where the lorses waited. scale
Il the load of wood ard rode slowly home
And all that the settler said to hi
u wife-when she cane to the door wit
candle and Ella and Hiram, an,
a saw this professionalism Safe heralc
d ed as friskily as if le was not too OF
a and lazy dog to bllow the horses ia
:, was this:
ID II got stuck ii quicksand, Owe
y there fernent the by-o, while we
as lookin' round fr the shoats, an
couldn't get out til the children helpe
me.n
a "He was in uI to his waist" r
marked Paris, incidentally.
"Its a good thig I sent them,'' sal
m Mrs. Lane. a"Yot better come in an
- get your supper ah put on some othF
NC clothes az soon as gu can" -
III Before the wagd creaked on. Betse
climbed down owe, wheel and wei
as into the savory-snslling cabin. So chill
as was the evening y this time, that Il
mother had bacflog as well as for
e. stick, with supertructure of brush al
NJ chunks, burning j the fireplace. Befo
pss this flame fatherand Paris were 500
]. q = 1.standing, like nture men Of difere
ea sizes; the homepade tea sent up
ed steam; the big-eed younger chiidrt
leaned against Besey, and she went
er- with the second prt Of the school-son
'ek "Soon shall we ieet again,
ed Meet neer tesever..
o1f Soon shall Peae wreathe her chain
Round us fo,ver.
nd -Wide-Awdke.
I'd.
mo- L c. .1..1,,4 aro tho 1,,hricati