The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1886-11-27

water out there makes me as nervous
as q cat. Such a flood has never been
known in the fall of the year before;
and Jake Spindle, the peddler, just
came down from Millville, and says
they are afraid there the dam will give
way. II it does, there is no telling
where the damage will stop"
"But this house is too high up for
the water to reach it, surely" said
Chatty.
ayes, thank heaven And with the
men folks all away at market, too
But the old bridge may 60. It is a
rickety affair at the best, and the rail-
road company have been warned of it
again and again. | believe men are
coming to repair it next week ii it
holds together so long. But sit down
by the fire, Chatty, and try piece OF
my pumpkin pie. | made six this
morning for Thanksgiving"
The little girl gladly did SO, and
while enjoying her collation. became so
interested in her hostess conversation
that she quite forgot her errand, until
chirp, chirp fell upon her ear.
"Oh, there are the crickets singing"
she exclaimed. "And that reminds me
that | came over on purpose, Mrs.
Jellife, to beg you to give me two or
three OF them. They are said to be so
lucky to have on the hearth"
'Of course | villa dozen If you
like" and the genial dame hustled
about, catching the merry little insects
and popping them into box, which
Chatty tucked away into her pocket
as carefully as though it contained
gold dust.
"Thank you so much, Mrs. Jellife;
but it isgetting dusk, and Unjust start
towards home, as | don't care to cross
the bridge again after dark"
"Good-by then, and | hope the
crickets may bringyou q world OF good
luck
81 wish they would bring my father
home" said Chatty; but at that in
slant crash and q louder and more
deafening roar made both start and
rush to the window in alright.
"The dam must have given way
exclaimed Mrs. Jelhfe, white to the
very lips; and peering out they beheld
the terrible force OF an uncomfortable
element.
What had gone before seemed mere
child's play, for now. with the volume
OF Niagara and the din of a thousand
water fiends, the seething torrent came
foaUling, dashing, leapiDg downwards,
carrying all before it and sending up
dense clouds OF steamy spray; while,
as they watched, they saw it strike the
bridge-saw the timbers tremble and
sway, and then, crushed and swept
from their moorings, go tossing,
like cockle-shell out OF sight.
Give minutes later, and | should
have been on it," whispered Chatty,
turning pale at the thought.
Eyes, it came In good time for you;
but am afraid for the evening ex-
press. 1t is due here at a quarter of
six, and there is no time to stop the
train after it rounds the curve, when
the engineer can see what has oc
Cured"
"But will no one send word to the
next station?" asked Chatty, looking
up aghast.
81 can't say. TITS alonely spot, and
few can know what has happened,
while all the men are away at market
or helping in the village. Heaven have
mercy on the poor souls coming home
to spend their THANKSGIVING
at is dreadful Oh, Mrs. Jellife,
lend me horse, and l will ride over to
Cranston and carry the news my
self"
"You, child! Are you crazy? 1t is
just three miles, and it is on thestroke
of five now"
"But | must try, anyway; and | be-
lieve / can do it. Think if you had
any friend on that train May have
Whitefoot?"
"Whitefoot has gone to market, and
so have Jerry and all the rest. There
is not horse in the stable except
Wildfre, and nobody can ride him but
Dan. The men don't dare touch
him."
81 am used to horses. Give me
some sugar, and l will see what / can
do"
at is no use; you could never even
saddle the critter" But, neverthe-
less, Mrs. JellIfe brought out some
Jumps OF sugar and followed the girl
to the barn, where in one of the stalls
stood large, powerful black horse.
He eyed them viciously, and tried to
bite Chatty when she ventured to pat
his nose; but, instead of the little
| hand, his Jaws came together on q
sweet lump she had deity slipped into
! his open mouth, which so astonished
him that he submitted, in his amaze
ment, to being led out and having the
saddle placed on his back; but when
she attempted to adjust the bride
Wildfre rebelled, laid back his ears,
and was evidently preparing to kick.
'You will have to hold his head,
Mrs. Jellife," said Chatty; and in fear
and trembling that good woman took
hold of the halter.
Soothing words and the persuasive
power or sugar were again brought in
to requisition, and Wildfire, who was
blessed with an uncommonly sweet
tooth, began to feel more amiable as
he crunched the delicious morsels, I'M
til, with the last lump, in went the
curb bit; and Chatty felt she had
gained victory as she fastened the
buckles and sprang lightly into the
saddle. In an instant Wildfire was
upright, dancing on two legs, rearing and
plunging madly, and then, with a sud-
den swerve, bolted out into the last
| gathering twilight.
"You will be killed Come back
Oh, come back" walled Mrs. Jellife,
trantically. But Chatty hardly heard
her as she was borne swiftly down the
hill, her whole attention being occu.
pied with endaavoring to keep her seat
and guide the fiery beast in the right
direction. Chatty had good Scotch
grit, however, and had not ridden bare
back for nothing. So she now set her
teeth hard, grasped the reins firmly,
and flew over the ground like the wind
that howled above her head.
Could she reach Cranston in season
was her one thought, for the saddling
had necessarily been a work of time.
But what sride that was Now going
with such swiftness she felt that she
must be hurled into space; now floun-
dering in mudholes, now swaying back.
wards while Wildfire paved the air.
| flnPa Sha had 70 forI n