The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-09-26

| stood about them, and in between two a
these staunch supports the house had
drifted and was firmly held. The fog lifted
slowly, and by and by the faithful blue oil
the sky smiled down upon them, and billy
shores came into view, with glimpses OF
cultivated fields and budding woodlands,
! The Bum family had moved into the
country at lastl
AS the cradle stopped rocking, the chill
dren awoke, and clustered about the small
gable windows quite stupefed with wonder
at the strange scene around them.
Just at this moment there came ringing
| over the waters wild scream. Mr. Bum
pushed the children aside and leaned out
of the window. Just emerging from the
| lingering fog up river, foated a remnant
of small country bridge, and clinging to
it was a little girl in a red cloak, who
| again screamed with terror as the tossin 2
planks almost submerged her in the cur
rent. Mr.. Bum had not grown up beside
river without knowing how to swim. In
fact Little VIOLIN some of its sequestered
nooks-had been his bathroom for many a
summer. His shoes and coat being already
off, he plunged down from the window ane
struck out for the red cloak like a hero.
The current was bearing the fragment of
bridge straight toward him. but the blanks
were separating and the child was abou3
to sink as he reached her. She made a
! frantic clutch at his neck, but he held her
off with one hand and swan as best bs
could back to the house, which seemed the
nearest landing point.
Mrs. Bum had, with practical prompj-
ness, tied two sheets together and let then
down from the window Mr.. Bunn stead+-
ing himself upon floating timber, fasten,d
the sheet about the waist of the hat
drowned child, and any number of hand
pulled her up and lifted her through tn
window.
snow Pm in the water" shouted Mr..
Bum, 81 may as well swim ashore and ssg
! where we are Keep up yoIr spirits, my
jewels, there's the shore just bit beyond
the house."
Mrs. Bum leaned from the window until
she nearly fell overheard, then seeing that
he had reached wading depth, she turned
and gave all her attention to the little
dripping mite who sat on the floor in the
midst of the small Bunns, crying con-
vulsively. Mrs Bum took of her wet
clothes and wrapped her in blankets, warm
! from the trundle bed, and soothed her with
many a pitying word. For awhile the
child could only sob and gasp in her
attempts to speak, but finally she made
known the fact that her poor little
| lambs were down in the lower pasture,
and she had been out TO see if they were
all safe, and her papa had told her not
| to go on the bridge, and she had been
naughty and disobeyed him, and the bridge
| broke up all in nute-and-and-and
then the sobs burst forth afresh. She was
hardly dried and warmed and comfortable
before voices were heard shoreward, and
! soon brisk hammering began in that di-
| rection. Nelly also nearly went overheard
and reported some men making a raft. She
failed to recognize her father among them
| because he had changed his wet clothes
! for somebody's black trousers and an old
army overcoat.
90, can hear papaw exclaimed the
| blanketed girl, after she had listened a mo-
| ment. Papa, here | am" she called al
at the top of her lungs.
! eyes, l am coming," came an answering
voice.
1t was not long before the hastily built
raft was pushed out and brought beneath
| the window. The man in the army coat
was then recognized and received with q
! little shout. The father of the rescued
child looked up with eyes that were over
| flowing. "Give me Kitty and I'll take heI
| right home to her mother, who is nearly
crazy. Drop her right down." and he helC
! up his strong arms. "I've sent my mar
back for the double team, and We'll soor
have you all up to our house."
! so, Papa, Phi never, never, never
ncuer disobey you againw exclaimed
Kitty, as they bundled her through the
window.
mo, am sure you never WILL" said hel
! father. Then Kitty was carefully dropped
into the upreaching arms, and the raf
pushed away.
"All be ready for the next boat" called
| out MIR. Bum, cheerfully.
"Ah! | am so thankful" said Mrs. Bum
So to think that we're not only all safe, bu
Pa has saved somebody else"
| Then there was a great dressing anC
brushing, and a great washing and polish
| ing of faces and hands; for plenty o
water could be dipped up with a pitcher
| and the knotted sheets, and the family
were all in readiness when the raft arrived
! under the window again.
But such a large family could not b.
| shipped all at once. Mrs. Bum let Kitty
and Baby Bum. and two other small boys
so ashore first; then Annie and Tom, care
fully wrapped in bed blankets, were lie
down for the next load; and finally Mrs
Bum, with the remaining small boy and ;
| bundle of clothing, took leave of the house
They filled the farm-wagon quite full
and the horses, impatient at the long wait
| ing, started off at pace that made BABY
| Bunn's cheeks shake like two bowls o
jelly, and turned the children's faces int
one broad smile. The sun now shone radi
| antly; there was a smell of young leave
and early violets in the air; from the hill
sides came the plaintive bleat of littl
lambs; and, yes, there it was, the loud
clear ''trillium- trillum- tree" of the robil
from his topmost twig.
Chow queer it is" thought Mrs. Bum
81 seemed to see and hear all this yester
day."
At the farmhouse a great breakfast wa
in waiting for them; and Kitty, who hat
been kissed and cried over, and given som
very hot drinks by her mother, was lyini
snugly tucked up in bed in room openinl
off the kitchen, and the door had been lief
open, that she might enjoy the view of tn
| big table and the big family that were Il
| gather around it.
Such a breakfast! Even Annie and Tor
were able to relish the fresh boiled egg
and the delicious cream toast, while MI
Bum and the little boys accepted every
thing, from the broiled ham and cold bake
beans to griddle- cakes and doughnuts.
As for Mrs. Bum, the dear old associa
tions of early days so crowded upon he
she could hardly taste anything.
"rhis is the way people can live in tn
country" she whispered to Nelly, an
shuddered when she thought of going bac
to the Flats.
But Mrs. Bum never went back to tn
Flats. That afternoon she was seized wit
a chill, and before night was in a hig
fever, from which she lay ill in the bes
bedroom of the Thompson farmhouse 70
two weeks. Mr.. Bum and Nelly and Mrs
Thompson nursed her tenderly, and too
good care of Dicky, while the other chill
dren lived at large in the fields, the bi
barn and the large Kitchen garnet, an
grew well and happy.
AS soon as Mrs. Bum became stron
enough to 'take the air." she was LITE,
IT,,