Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-11-27

years ago a party OF fellers got lzotch
out durin' a rise, an swhen the water
went down We found them. They
hadn't lost none o thar clothes, so all
the expense we was put 10 was gittin'
some plank fur the collins"
Abner-a rather timid man he is, too
-groaned aloud, ludicrous evidence of
fear that brought forth a laugh from
Tom. | didn't laugh.
All we could do was to wait for morn
ing, and, making down beds of the
boughs Of trees, we tumbled into
troubled dreams. The sun was shining
when we awoke, and Walker, taking the
brightness as an evidence that the dan
ger was past, sprang up with shout.
Bone grunted oontemptuously. you
amt outen the woods yit. said he, IAN
it amt hardly time to boiler. | went
down to look at the situation Jest now,
an the outlook is mighty pore Look
over yander. Whut do you think OF
that?''
1t was nothing to inspire a pleasant
thought, l assure you. We were in the
midst of great sea. The great rush of
water had formed "a cut off" leaving US
on an island. The river, or rather one
of its violent prongs, had torn through
small cotton field and was rushing past
with terrific sweep.
~ tell you it's dun plum settled"
said Bone NO tellin when this water
viii run out, an I'm mighty Altered
that Wen be mighty gnawish befo' we
see the juice Of a middlin' of meat"
''Oh, I've got to have something to
eat pretty soon; | can't stand it,
Walker declared. IF had a fishing
line l would throw in here and catch
something"
''Mout ketch chunk" said Bone;
but as fur fish, You mout as well fling
line in the county road"
1t was useless to stand there and
grieve, so. making the best of our mis-
fortune, we began the construction of
sort of hut. Thus the long day passed,
and as the sun went down we saw that
the water was still rising. This TO me
was exciting, but Bone looked on com
placently The first thing heard the
next morning was a piteous moan from
Walker.
''No use to moan an mowl," said our
guide. I'VE air here. Let me see whut
the water is dom. She's still risin'
all right" he added, after making a
brief inspection.
"Why, you mud turtler's exclaimed
Tom you seem to want it to keep on ris-
ing. Do you want to be washed away2"
II know whut I'm about, youngster,
an don't poster yo'sef about me-"
"Oh, I'm not bothering about YOU"
Tom replied. I'm simply concerned
about myself and the other boys"
''Ef we had deck of kyards, Bone
remarked after short silence, I'VE
mout break off few of ole man hung.
er's teeth"
Il wouldn't play card, said Walker,
'if had ten thousand. What / want
is something to eat and then / want to
get out of here"
We had nothing to eat that day. just
before lying down for the night, Bone
said that he was afraid the water was
falling. Tom called him fool. When
daylight came, Bone sprang up and ran
down to the waters edge, stood there
moment and shook hrs head sadly
whats the matter?" asked
Il am Altered she's a fallin'," he
answered.
Look here. Bone, said /, I'VE are as
hungry as wolves and don't care about
your barbarous jokes. Let us have nc
more of this foolishness."
Four days passed and we were nearly
famished. Bone had ceased speaking
about the water, but l noticed that he
watched it closely. 1t was about noon,
and we, too weak 10 stir around, were
sitting near the edge of the water, when
suddenly Bone, uttering an exclamation,
sprang into the stream. We jumped
up. / thought the fellow had lost his
mind. saw him seize a yellowish
something and strike out for the shore
Tom ran down and held out an old rail.
Bone came out, bringing with him an
immense canvassed ham. Then there
arose yell of JOY.
wait till shuck him." he said, be.
ginning to remove the canvas. "Ef the
water hadn't KEEP on a risin' we
wouldn't a got this here. Riz so high
that il teched some feller's plantation
store. Now let me kyarve him."
He served each Of my party before he
took any himself. Every face wore an
expression Of profound gratitude. "By
tho way" said Walker. this is Thanks.
giving day" II was indeed a day OF
Thanksgiving,
The next morning we were released
by little steamboat that CHANGED to
come within sight.
OPIE +. READ.
BE THANKFUL