Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-01-26
THE FLOOD.

Not NOAns, out one eQudiiy as us
astrous as far as it went, as they know
in Minnesota.
Lucy Fanchen, standing in her broth
er.in-law's doorway. looking out over
the snow at the figure of a man who
had Just turned and waved his big hat
to her, had no idea it was coming. Her
black eyes we're bright and her dark
face warm with rich color.
"Lucy," called her sister from the lit
tie bedroom, "who was that man at the
door"
"Charlie Roscoe" said Lucy, defiant
ly.
"What is it to you, Colomb ?"
"What is it to me I'll teach you,
miss, when Peter comes you shall 60
home and marry Joe Aim, as you have
been told. You're not Yankee girl,
if you have been to their school, and
YOU shall do as you are told. I'll ask
old Gautere to go for Father Chevalier
when he comes into the house"
II don't care" said Lucy. still more
defiantly; "you may get a dozen priests,
if you like; I'll not marry Joe Aim, If
he has thousand cattle. Charlie is
better with nothing"
$50 foolish you talk! What do you
know? You are to listen to what is
told you, and you are not to talk alone
with men at my door it is not decent.
You should go back to France, miss,
and learn manners, and not to talk of
your priests SO unexpectedly. Fix the
fire and come and take the baby, and
let not Charlie Roscoe come here once
more"
Lucy filled the stove with corn. The
railroads had brought but little wood
yet, and that was 50 dear they still used
corn, as they had done during the
blockade. When she had done that
she took the baby and sat by the win
dow, rocking it and looking out on the
snow where Charlie had passed out OF
sight. Old Gautiere had come in from
the barn, where he had been to take
care Of the cattle and horses, and Co.
lomb was telling him through the open
bedroom door of Lucy's rebellion. The
old man muttered and Colomb scolded,
but Lucy looked only more rebellious
and defiant thar ever, aud gave them a
sharp answer now and then, tossing her
black braids about with every scornful
movement of her coquettish head.
The old man munbled and muttered
about the black night, and that some
one had told him the river was rising
above there, but Lucy paid no atten-
ton to his words, and after once more
renewing the fire lay down on the
lounge near the door to answer any
call during the night.
Sometime in the night, she did not
know how long she had been asleep
she was awakened by a terrible crash
ing and grinding about the house. She
could not tell what it meant she had
never heard anything like it. Colomh
WAS screaming, and old Gautiere stood
on the stairs, half-dressed and wholly
terror stricken, muttering about the
river.
The water had begun to pour in I'm.
der the door, and almost while Lucy
looked it rose ankle-deep. She rushed
to her sisters bed, and called to the old
man. She had bound many an acre
of wheat; and her arms were not weak
and with the help the old man could
give her they dragged off the bed with
her sister and the baby upon it, and by
much pulling and pushing got them W
the narrow stairway.
The grinding and crushing continued
they could hardly hear each other
speak, and the water rose rapidly
Lucy could see it rising higher and
higher on the stairs. She had hurried
back and snatched the lamp from the
table as soon as Colomb was safe w
stairs She had to wade through waite
to do it, and noticed that even then i
was rs high as the chair seats and wa:
putting out the fire. She watched tn,
water as it crept step by step up those
stairs, and soon saw they would not b'
safe there. The only place of escape
left was the attic, and that was yer,
small and low one; but they must tax,
refuge there; she set her wits at worl
to plan a way to reach it. The chambe
was unfinished; only few loose board
lay on the beams overhead. Old eau
tiers bed stood near, and an old rick
ETY. table beside it. She placed the Ia
bic on the bed and got The old man VI
on the beams; then she reached up be'
clothes and feather bed, and directed
him to arrange bed on the loos
boards; finally she lifted Colomb I'll
she had her where the old man coul'
take hold of the quilts about her an,
pull her up.
They were not a minute too soon
for just rs soon as she reached up TIN
baby and prepared to swing herself NJ
from the old table, there came anothe
and louder crash, the house rocked t,
E.. Al.
down with a crash, there was a rusl
and sweep of water, and they felt the,
were moving off. Colomb was shrek
ing, and the old man fairly bowling i,
terror. Lucy put her hand down be
tween the beams below them; it strucl
into the water. 1t was as high as tina
then; it would soon be over at tina
rate. She thought of Charli e-wher
WAS he. He had gone straight on dow