Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-05-09
He had done the homework very we'll

something she never wished to do.
The late autumn was wetand cold, and
it was very damp on the river bottom,
so that Miss Electa's rheumatism gave
her a good many twinges before winter
set in. One night in early November
she found herself helpless in bed, with
both lower limbs so swollen with infiam-
matory rheumatism that she could not
move them without great pain.
1t had been raining very hard all day,
and as night set in a terrible storm OF
wind and rain came on. The water
dashed in great sheets against the win
dows Of the little house, which rocked
and swayed in the wind.
The storm continued for nearly three
/ hours: then it became little less furious,
but the rain still fell heavily. Miss
| Electa had never felt SO lonely and afraid
before. She had allowed Johanna to
stay up late for company. 1t was about
/ ten O'Clock when she said to the little
girl, "Johanna, dear, could you go
down cellar and get me a glass OF milk
before you go to bed9 feel faint and
few rish"
"Of course can" replied Johanna,
quickly. She took the little hand lamp
! from the table and went into the kitchen,
where there was trap-door leading into
the cellar. Lifting this door she put
one foot on the cellar steps, and quickly
drew it back again with her shoe full of
water. Holding the lamp down aud
shading her eyes with her hand, she cried
out:
s'Oh, aunty, aunty, the cellars full of
water to the very floorP
s.Rhat" screamed Miss Peak, and
tried to rise, but fell back with groan
Of pain. "The cellar full of water -
she said. "Why. never knew more'n
an inch or two of water in that cellar
before"
ats full now," said Johanna; Sand
it's coming through the cracks in the
floor"
eLook out and see if the outside door
is open" said Miss Electa
Johanna opened the kitchen door, and
again screamed, "Why, aunty, aunty, /
the whole yards full of water. It's
almost to the very door," She ran to /
the front door my goodness me,
there's water everywhere.
'sIt's the riyerl" gaspe6 Miss Electa,
turning pale. ut riz Just so once, nine (
year ago. This house stood in six feet
of water. If it does so again III be .
drowned, for ] can't move peg to save 4
me, and it it only comes high as the .
bed, and l get all wet with this rheuma.
tiz on me, it'll kill me- o dear, dear, l
wish l was safe in the old home with
Gideon, and that colt was IN Halifax -
At the name of Gideon, Johanna took
her little straw hat and IA shawl from Il
peg in the wall.
"I'm going for uncle, she said.
"You can't, said Miss Electa. "'You're
the skeerdest child in the dark that ever
lived, YOU know you air 7"
''But I'm going now, aunty."
'sYou1l be drowned in this rain, OF
get lost, or ketch your death of cold in
the wet.
81 don't take cold from being in the
rain. I've heard you say so lots of
times, and / know / can find the way
with the lantern. Good-by, aunty."
She had lighted the old tin lantern,
kissed her aunt, and hurried out before
Miss Electa could object further.
The water was over her shoe tops in
the door-yard, and rising fast 1t was
very hard still, and the wind
tree tops overhead. johanna was skeered
OF the dark, but tried not to feel so now
as she hurried along, her head bowed to
the storm, and the lantern held before
her The river ragged and reared out
side its narrow banks. She lost a shoe
in the mud, and once she fell headlong
in the wet and tangled meadow grass.
Her courage left her dozen times, and
she felt like shrieking with terror.
"But if / don't get Uncle Gideon,
aunty, I'll be drowned. l must get
him !" she said again and again.
Uncle Gideon was lying in a sheetless
and otherwise uncomfortable bed, but /
he was not asleep, although he had been
in bed two hours.
''I'm feared 'Lecty's house II leak to-
night, he was saying. 1t needs a new
roof, an I'd go and put it on for her if
it want fer--fer-fer that blamed old
colt, drat it If 'Lecty comes down
with the rheumatic, I'll be bound if
don't 90 and fetch her home, and tell !
her she can have the colt. I'd done it /
before, only old Satan won't let me be !
the first to give in. But if she-what's l
that /" s
He lcrked himself to sitting position i
IN the bed and listened eagerly. Was it I
/ branch of the leahess old cherry tree
beating against the house or had he s
heard the thump, thump of the old brass
loor-knocker down stairs There was !
/ lull in the storm.
ssUncle Gideon, o Uncle Gideon !" e
He heard it distinctly, and his head S
vas out of the window over the front {
loor in an instant.
cit amt you, Johanna Peak, is it," !
eyes, yes, uncle-do come quick 2" '
Aunty's droundin I" cried Johanna, be- a
,ween her broken sobs. d
The next moment Uncle Gideon, ar i
aged in a red and green double nine Q
Patch quilt, was holding lamp above
limp and dripping form. S
20 uncle, do hurry, she said, Aunt d
Lecty's droundin'. The rivers riz aw- $
lilly, and" &
ssVbaf an old donkov 7 am - shouted n