Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-07-27

erations should begin right. The water
was pretty high, owing to the late rains,
hut the sun had dried the stones, and
spreading a shawl on a nice hat one TOT
Eddie. MI. Binkley let off few OF the
BIGGEST crackers, and giving them some
more iniunctions to be very careful, ne
went off, thinking that everything was
going beautifully.
Pop-pop-pop, went the crackers:
What mapniticent fun! Each boy and
rirl had some ..punk," and Uncle Har-
rvs GREAT bundle seemed inexhaustible.
Horace and Cyrus would hold tnelr
crackers till the last minute, and then
toss them right up in the air to go on,
after which they would fall gracefully
into the river, quite despoiled OF any
power for doing mischief. but LIZZIE was
SO timid and threw hers SO soon after
lighting them, that half OF them faHed
to go OFF. -,
you're afraid, you little goosie!'
cried Cy, good-naturedly picking up his
little sisters unexploded treasures 1or
the twentieth time. You re Just wast-
ing them, lizzie Binkley. Better let me
have all yours and I'll fire .em for you.
"No,'' said lizzie, stoutly, IL guess
it's just as much fun for me my way.
as it is for you your way; and II wanI
to throw 'em without popping en- 1
guess / can" :,
This was a new view, and they all
laughed.
That's what mother says, when
father saws we waste potatoes and
things by leaving them on our plates,
said Susie Bell. .'Mother-says: If they
had eaten them, Mr.. Bell, you wouldn't
have called it wasting, would you? ana
what the difference?' and then father
saws: What reasoner!' You're great
reasoner, Miss Binkley."
Miss Binlzley'' made them all laugh.
They were very happy, and ready 10
laugh at almost anything.
Suddenly the brook seemed to give
great leap, and the pale little faces,
turned up the stream, saw some OF the
timbers of the old dam shooting down
toward them. Then there was crack
ling and crashing; while great wave
broke over the stones where they were
standing, almost sweeping them of
their feet. Then they all took to their
heels; when suddenly they all thought
even to little Izzie-of Eddie, little
Eddie, helpless and drowning, and with
one accord they turned back, shouting
his name.
..Get up on the bank!'' yelled Cy,
s.I'll get Eddie!'' and at the same mo-
ment. Horace screamed: I'm getting
Eddier' while little Eddie, white,
rigid, almost fainting with terror, was
drifting away in the great wave-so
great they knew that the whole deep
mill-pond was coming as fast as it could.
Horace reached him first and dragged
him up on the bank, thankful that there
h,1 For hn tn
spread. Cy was helping Susie and
lizzie, while Bert scrambled along by
himself. 1t seemed to them about fif-
teen minutes from the time the brook
'.leaped up'' till they were safe on the
bank, a wet and frightened little crowd,
but it wasn't probably more than a min
ute and a half Then the last of the
rotten timbers of the dam went down,
and the water rose over the alders and
willows and came chasing after them as
they hurried up through the meadow.
Their mother had heard their shrieks
and cries, and came running down to
meet them, almost beside herself with
fright She was little near-sighted,
or else she never could have asked the
questions that she asked as she met
them.
.sOh, my dear little children!'' she
cried, care you burnedp Are you on
tire?''
And the children. every one of them
drenched and dripping, burst into a
hearty and reassuring laugh.
q guess we're the first children.
MOTHER said dear little Eddie, still
shaking with the shock he had had,
Is that ever got most drowned letting
off fire-crackers. - Christian Union.