The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-05-22
A LESSON TAUGHT BY THE FLOOD,


"Now be sure not to leave the house,
Jackey, and, above all things, don't let
the baby go into the yard. for the water
is rising so fast that no one knows what
might happen.
''Can we go ont as far as the fence?'
"You mustn't leave the house,
Jackey settled back in his char with
little sigh of disappointment He had
heard his parents when they had been
talking of the rapid rise of the river, but
he had by no means shared his father
fears that tie waters might engulf their
home. During the year previous, as
nearly as he could remember, the river
had risen nearly as high, and then his
father had feared that they might be
driven cut by the flood, but no such
danger had occurred. If his parent s
fears had been groundless year before,
why should they not now be without
foundation? There can't be any harm
if we only go to the barn, +" said Jaekev,
with what sounded very like whine.
81 promised Mabel that l would show
her the speckled hens nest.
"You can show her that some other
time, " said Mrs. Crowell, in tone that
showed she believed no further con-
versation on the subject to be necessary.
IS All you have to do is to take care of
Mabel while we are away, and remain
in the house,
Jackey's father and mother were
about to visit sick relative. Nothing
less imperative would have taken them
away from home at time when the
river was rising so rapidly that Mr..
Crowell would have believed his house
to be in real danger of being swept
away, had it not been that during pre-
yious floods the waters had ceased to
rise within few feet of the house.
Without having really made Jackey
promise to do as they wished, but vet
believing that he had agreed to observe
what they evidently intended should be
command, MIR. and Mrs. Crowell left
the house, with the intention of being
away but few hours, and Jackey was
left alone with his little sister Mabel.
From the windows of the sitting-room
the angry-looking waters of the Ohio
River could be seen, as they dashed on,
forced by power superior to their own,
to seek the lower country, and seeming
ly eager to deyour everything; but
Jackey simply looked at them as so
much muddy water. He had seen them
quite as near his home before, and he
could not believe that they were threat
ening him.
sit was real mean of mother to tell
me that mustn leave the house, he
muttered to himself, as he leaned his
chin on the window-sill, far more anx-
ious to see the speckled hens nest than
Mabel could possibly be. "There
hain't any sense in saying that the river
could rise high enough to come into
the yard, and as for our moi going into
the barn-why, that's just foolish, that s
what it is" 4
The more Jackey thought Of the mat
ter, the more he thought he was an
abused boy. and the less danger did he
believe was to be apprehendedf from the
river. He fancied that his parents were
SO cruel that they simply wanted to de-
prive him of harmless pleasure, and
this fancy grew into belief so strong
that he came to think he would be
perfectly excusable if he should disre.
gard anything that had been said to
him.
''It's shame that You shouldn't sec
the hens nest" he said to. Mabel, who
was having such a pleasant time with
her dolls that she seemed to have nc
cage for anything else. mother hadn't
any right to tell me not to 60 out of the
house, and I'm just going to take yor
into the barn, without caring what she
said.n
Of course it is very plain to be seer
that it was Jaekey, not Mabel, who
wanted to find the speckied hens nest
and, that being the case, itw&s not long
before he reconciled his conscience to :
total disregard of his mothers words.
Acting as if he Believed that he was
working simply for his sisters pleasure
he led her across the yard into the barn
thinking as he did SO that his mother
was more than foolish to believe that the
water, which then was at the edge O.
the fence, could reach them. Once il
the barn, place he would hardly have
cared to visit if his mother had not for
hidden him to do so. he tried his best tc
en-, oy himself; but the effort was a dis
NAL failure. He found the hens eggs
jumped from the hay-mow, made nesf
in the straw, and did everything he
could think of, but without having ever
the slightest approach to a good time
He managed, however, to have what ht
tried to believe Cas good time, unit
the shadows warned him that night wal
approaching very rapidly.
Taking Mabel tenderly by the hand
trying very hard to believe that he hac
simply been giving her enjoyment, be
opened the barn door, and there was
the water which he believed few
hours before could not rise as high.
The yard was full of water. 1t wa:
impossible for him to get to the house
even though he was not burdened witt
Mabel, and he drew back in guilty
alarm, almost fancying that he wa
| doomed to immediate and sudden dealt
by drowning as punishment for what ht
had done.