River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-10-14

went TO the ROAD with him. and called
after him not to forget the beads.
Mrs. banks from her washfuh
watched him going slowly up the mud
dy road, and as she looked her heart
relented trille toward him-the weak, !
kind-hearted. exasperating little man.
Hastily taking her hands from the suds
she took a bottle from the kitchen shelf
and went to the door.
johnny she called to the tangle
of boys before the door, ''yOur pas
forgot his liniment. Run after him
with it, for he'll be sure TO get lame
back
With = parting thrust toward his
brothers the boy snatehed the bottle
and sped away like a young athlete,
chm up and elbows back. as he mad
seen pictures of runners.
When he overlook his father and de-
liveTcd his message the latter seemed
really touched. Though indifferent,
apparently, whether his house fell to
pieces or not, he was hOmesick out
side his own gate, and now was going
away sore-hearted at tue evident will
ingness OF his family to part with him.
The unexpected attention quite over
came him, and he looked round for
something to return in acknoWled Sc
ment, but the fields were bare.
Suddenly he spied by the roadside
some pussy willows with their silvery.
fuzzy buds. and cutting off a branch
gave tito the boy saying, 'Give that to
your ma aud tell her she's the best
woman in Meigs County"
Law said Mrs. banks when the
boy burst in with his branch and mes
sage; your pas getting silly in his old
| age. don want such truck in the
house" But after the boy had gone
she put il carefully in water and set 1t
/ on the kitchen shelf, and several times
/ she looked up at 1t with a look on her
/ face which Mr.. banks would scarcely
have recognized.
That gentleman's absence made
very little difference with his family,
except to Capitola. His wife scolded
/ little less, and the boys, who looked
upon him very much as another boy
+ only one who liked 70 sit in the same
place too long-pursued their works
and sports as usual.
! But re Thursday after his leaving
/ their outdoor fan was cut short by
persistent rain. How il did pour.
/ Hour after hour. all day and night.
/ Friday morning Gawned upon sweep
/ ing mists of gray, and an angry, boiling
/ flood that crept inch by inch u its yell
/ low banks, and night closed in on the
same picture. Saturday morning the
sun shone cut bright and clear, but on
what a scene of destruction! What had
been a river was a rushing sea, which
had blotted out field after field, and
stopped Just at their own gate, and
which carried ON its heaving surface
trees torn up bodily, great timbeTs,
buildings, and cattle.
Toward night large barn came
floating down. and. lodging Just above
the house, made break water. round
which the waters whirled, bringing
into the harbOr thus formed all manner
Of wreckage. The boys watched
eagerly, Specializing at the amount Of
iirewOod thus laid at their door.
Hi, That's a good one cried one
of them. As Just at dusk something like
La log appeared around the corner OF
the barn, balanced q moment, as
though undecided. and then swept
round into the little harbor. But il
was getting too dark to see anything
more, so they went laughing and scufil-
ing TO bed.
All night long mother and children
slept quietly in the little house. lulled
by the rush of swift waters. All night
/ long in the little harbor the log swayed
and turned. now swept away from tie
shore. now drawn toward 1t. as though
reluctant TO so.
In the morning, with the whOOp and
shout. the BOYS burst from the house,
but IL g moment were back again with
white cheeks and chattering teeth, and
clinging to their mother, could utter
but one Father.
/ Yesl Fate had again been TOO strong
for him. Mr.. banks had come home.
They TOOK up the poor body, bruised
and battered, but invested for the first
time in the eyes of those who knew il
with dignity. and as they bore it across
the threshold there fell from the pocket
a string OF discolored blue beads.
! little later they knew all there was
to know of the pitiful story. His fell
/ low-workmen had gathered on the
wharf Saturday afternoon after work
Ito watch the freshet One by one they
scattered to their homes up and down
the river, and n neighbor seeing Mr..
banks called to him TO come; but be
shook his head. saying he was not GO
ING home till his work was finished. Sc
tLey left him there looking down the
river towards his home. One hour later
the wharf was swept away. No one
knew what had become of the solitary
tigure-save One. And as the poor
body, without volition of its own, wa>
guided through flood and darkness, to
its home, who can deny that the spirit
too weak to shape Its own course
was borne on intinit pity into the etern-
al home?