Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-03-30
JACKS ADVENTURES.
How Ho Crossed the River on the Broken
B lice, aud Ills Desperate Encounter with
Wounded Deer.

bs III uOuSonoo UchS ufhiui
mother. The ice isn't going to break
up yet, and II 1t is, how can we LEI
these poor little things waltz"
The big boy bent tendcrly over two
little girls who were tossing and moan
ing with fever.
The mother looked anxiously out Of
the window, feeling it cruelty hard to
mako the choice Of the two evils which
lay before her. Here were the two
children alternately shivering and
burning In all the miserics OF ague,
with no medicine in their sore need.
On the other hand was the sending out
Of Jack TO encounter known and un-
known dangers, as her fears and fancics
declared, In order to bring it.
"If II should break while you are
gone, Jack, what would you dO?"
"DoP Why, do the best can, to be
sure. II wouldn't be half so bad as
you imagine, mother. I've got the
strength Of n man and the pluck Of
well. Of little woman" he looked
proudly down upon the mother who,
widowed, was struggling through
roughness and hardness in this hall
wild prairie country for the sake Of her
children. I'm suro | don't know
where you'll find anything pluckier
thQn that. l shall borrow Mr.. Shows
old nag so ] can go quickly, And I'm
going to take my gun and sec IL l can't
bring home taste Of something nice
for tho darlings,"
Another look at the suffering chill
dren lod the mother to givo- unwilling
consent that Jack should start out at
daybrcak next morning. And in the
gray light Of the early dawn she
watched him as with CHEEKY shout
and wave of the hand to her he ran
down the little slope on which the house
was built and showed his boat into the
shallow water.
The river was q mile distant but sue
cessive rains, besides filling every low
lying spot, had caused it to overflow
its banks. At this point 1t was now
free Of Ice, but far above, many n trib-
utary was waiting TO pour its crowding
contents upon the lower levels.
The water was not deep enough To
push boat with any ease, and part Of
his way was obstruetcd by coarse, high
grass, so that Jack had good hours
tug before rounding clump of haze
brush which lay between him and the
river. Had he been working less harj
he would surely have noticed crush
Ing, grinding sound which grew louder
and louder as he approached.
"Thundcrl" he said as ho rested {
moment on his pole and gazed about
him. "You must have took q notion
to start just about the time did, bu
you've got ahead Of me"
The first great cakes OF running ict
were far below him. II he had come
half an hour earlier he would have re-
joiced in pushing out among then
and taking his chances Of steering
his way, but this was not new to bt
thought Of.
"llow can go backP" he said, will
q sorrowful thought of the sick littlt
ones ut home. II believe could wall
over that icc. I'll try, anyway" A
large piece; extending for some dis
tance into the river, was floating by
and without waiting for further consid
Grafton he quickly tied his boat to |
tree and sprang upon 1t.
He ran over 1t and jumped from cak,
to cake beyond. But as he neared tn,
middle of the stream where the curren
was stronger, ho began to realize tha
his situation was perilous. TWAS easy
enough to spring from one quietl,
floating surface to another, but In tn,
continually increasing pressure from
above they were now piling one upol
another, turning on edge, or turning
over and over In q manner that mad
every footstep difficult and dangerous
But Jack had cool head, and limb
which swiftly and surely obeyed it
suggestions.
"f'm glad mother didn't see that,
he said to himself as at last havin,
gained the further shore he leaned upol
fallen tree 10 steady his dizzy brail
and recover breath.
"Where did you come fromp" SAT-
Farmer Snow. staring as Jack wake,
into his stablc-yard.
Jack pointed back at the river.
"Don't mean to say you come acros
that ere icep"
"Yes. do. Can / take old Racka
back to ride over to the Doctors, MI
Snowp"
"Walked acrost that-'erc icel Well
II you bent the-the-" Farmer Snoy
shook his head in utter despair of eS
pressing himself further. "Can yo
take RackabackP Course you car
Amt got your gun wet, be YEP No
Well, here's Rackaback and the oil
saddle. Crossed that ice! Well-r
be blamed if-little gals sick, ehP To
bad. Take Bones, too, for company
Be of lively, now. Looks like tn
winds agoin to change. Come acros
that ice!--Well, l swow"
Old Rackaback was not in favor {
lively movements, but Jack in his an,
iety to find something in the way {
game did not object to a slow ride
Reaching toward noon the little tow
about eight miles from Farmer Snow
he procured the medicine which b
fastened securely in an inner pockc
Striking out on his return he varied h
course little, still in the hope Of fine
ing something in the way Of fresh mea
= 81 can't 60 back to the poor littl
kits without a morsel Of something fc
'em to taste besides corn-meal an
beans and bacon. do believe 'twoul
do 'em more good than all the med
cine," he said, as he rounded the hea
Of slough, and struck into a haz'
thicket through which were scattere
some trees Of scrub oak. Hewandere
about this for some time but without
chance for a shot, and was about
give up and turn homewards, when
cracking branch at some little distanC
attracted his attention. And his ver
heart stood still as through an opel
ing In the bushes he caught sight I
the hairy hide Of some large animal
uCowp no II can't be n cOW-its tC