Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-04-25
JACKEY'S LESSON.

Jackey, and. above all things, don't let
the baby 60 into the yard for the water
is rising so fast that no one knows what
might happen"
"Can we go out as far as the fenceP"
"You mustn't leave the house,
Jackey settled back in his cha r with |
a 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 fathers
fears that the waters might cngulf 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 out by the flood, but no such
danger had occurred. If his parents
feass had been groundless year before,
WHY should they not now be without
fouadation? There can't be any harm
if We only go to the barn." said Jackey,
with what sounded very like whine.
81 promised Mabel that would show
her the specklcd hens nest"
"You can show her that some other
time," said Mrs. Crowell, in tone that
showed she believed no further con-
vers alton on the subject TO be necessary.
"A i you have to do is to take care of
Mattel while we are away, aad remain
in the house."
JSqkey's father and mother were
abolt 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-
viol.s 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 Ms. Crowell left
the house, with the intention of beng
awGy 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 Chic
River could be seen, as they dashed on,
forced by power superior 10 Their own,
to seek the lower country. and seeming
~ eager to devour everything; but
Jacl:ey simply looked at them rs so
much muddy water. He had seen them
quite as near his home before, and he
could not believe that they were threat
eniDg him.
m was real mean of mother TO tell
me that | muslin 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 10 come into
the yard, and as for our moi going INTO
the barn-why. that's just foolish, that's
what it is. y
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 apprehended from the
river He fancied that his parents were
so cruel that they simply wanted TO de-
prive him of a harmless pleasure. and
this fancy grew into a belief so strong
that he came to think he would be
perfectly excusable if he should d sre-
gard anything that had been said to
him.
Its a shame that you shouldn't see
the hens nest" he said to Mabel, who
was having such a pleasant time with
her dolls that she seemed to have no
care for anything else. "Mother hain't
any right TO tell me- not to GO out of the
house, and I'm just going to take you
into the barn, without caring what she
said"
Of course it IS very plain to be seen
that it was ia KEY, not Mabel, who
wanted to find the peckled hens nest,
and, that being the case. il WIS not long
before he reconciled his conscience to q
total disregard of his mothers words.
Acting rs if he believed that he was
working simply for his sister 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 of
the fence, could reach them. Once in
the barn, a place he would hardly have
cared to visit If his mother had not for
hidden him TO do so, he tried his best to
en- oy himself; but the effort was a dis
NAL failure. He found the hens eggs.
jumped from the hay-mow, made nest
in the straw, and did everything he
could think of, but without having even
the slightest approach to a good time.
He managed, however, TO have what he
tried TO believe UGs good time, until
the shadows warned him that night was
approaching very rapidly.
Taking Mabel tenderly by the hand,
trying very hard to believe that he had
simply been giving her en- oyment, he
opened the barn door. and there was
the water which he believed a few
hours before could not rise as high.
The yard was full of water 1t was
impossible for him to get to the house,
even though he was not burdened with
Mabel, and he drew back in guilty
alarm. almost fancying that he was
doomed TO immediate and sudden death
by drowning as punishment for what he
had done.
But such was not to. be Jackey's fate.
Holding Mabel clasped tightly in his
arms, be saw the water rise above the
barn floor, and then toward the NOW as
he climbed higher, until at last it ap-
peared to him as If he was 5Oat on q
pile of hay in the midst of a river, SO
| augrily did the waves beat against the
crazy old barn, rocking it TO and fro
until it seemed each uoment as il it
was about to leave its foundations.
IF we had only staid in the house,
If we had only.done as mother told us
to dor' walled Jackey, as he clasped
Mabel tightly in his arms and rocked
himself to and fro; while the speckled
hen, from her perch on one of the
ratters. cackled and scolded much as
II he believed Jackey was the cause of
all the trouble.
The waters surged to and fro in the
building, causing the timbers to creak
and groan, until at length. with sud-
, den lunge, the shakY old building
doated away, Jackey catching q
glimpse of the house as they sailed
along on the pile of hay. II he had
eyed his mother, he and Mabel
would have been in comparative safety.
sven though the river had risen so high.
for he knew that the house could not be
moved as easily as the barn had been.
Ja key was never certain how long
he sat on the hAy.mow before he and
Mabel were rescued. u seemed y 4