The morning call., 1891-08-14
MOTHER AND SISTER.

leaks so, and the walls are SO IuIl OIL cEaekS
that let in the wind"
land Bob, let's buy a mother and a little
sister to live there with us, and be cosylike.
How much do you think we could buy 9
mother for?"
"You don't buy mothers. You goosey, you
must has 'em, that's all. and if you DOM
have 'em, why, that's all there is about it
you can't buy en-
~ should like to have a mother awful
we'll. never had one. l was just found. y
al had mother oncf, and she died when
was little Teller years old. and went
20 work as a news-boy, and lived the best
way l could"
Bob Brown and Jimmy Simpson, aged IS
and II, respectively. were standing upon the
banks of the Okalaloo River, Mississippi,
watching the first steamboat that had come
up the river that winter
One day before the boys were living in
ST Louis, the elder news-boy, the younger
street musician.
They often talked over plans for lettering
their condition, and it was res olution re-
sultng from one of these talks that caused
Mr.. Matthew hlincher, real estate agent, to
see walk INTO his Office one summer morning
two small chaps whose important air
seemed strangely out of place with their
ragged clothes.
We see a sign out here, mister" said
Bob, brislly, saving that you had farms
for sale at So an acre"
"Oh. yes; those Mississippi lands. Yes.
they are only IS an acre. Do you know OF
any one WHO wishes to buy?"
II wants to buy, myself" said Bob.
"Huw many acres would you like, said
MI khncber smiling
Three acres. l have 500 and I'll need
some money to begin farming with"
We'll, boys. You seem bound to Try it,
and believe that you will succeed. II will
be hard work, but II yen show as much en-
eTgy as yen have shown in saving 500 out of
your slender earnings, you will succeed.
The lands are located on the Osalaloo River,
and before the WAY were rich cotton helds.
They are now covered with growth of
young timber and thick underbTush. Now
you may 90 down there and begin the work
OF clearing your three acres. For the pres
ent ! Will trust you. and you can pay NE
ont Of the proceeds of your first crop"
Upon the first day Of August the boys
found themselves sitting upon an ancient
stump anu eating ash-cake as they gazed at
the Okalaloo sullenly flowing past their new
home. Three days later rude cabin had
been built, aud the boys turned to the labor
Of cutting timber and clearing land.
Day by day their clearing grew wider,
day by day their woodpiie grew higher.
until on the LIST of December they sold leo
cords to the first steamboat that had come
up the river that season. Three hundred
and fifty dollars was the reward of their
four months hard toll.
1t had been raining heavily for some DAYS,
and as the boys turned from the landing
after the steamboat had disappeared, the
rain was falling in sheets.
In the outskirts of Stetsonvlle, on the
Tat land lying along the Oka!alOo, stood a
pretty white house with green blinds. Six
l.
had settled IN StetsOnVille with his young
wife. Beginning with almost nothing, and
owing large sum borrowed to defray the
expenses Of his education, DR.. Young
gradually built up good practice, and at
the end OF five years had paid all his debts
ana was she owner of pleasant home.
But when At last he seemed fairly on the
road TO prosperity an epidemic of yellow
fever swept over the State, and he was
among the first to fall. He left his widow
nothing but The homestead and 500 with
which to support herself and four-year-old
daughter.
Little by little the slender stock of money
IN the bank had grown smaller, and on the
nrst anniversary of her husbands death
Mrs. Young knelt by the bedside of her
sleeping child passionately praying that
help be given her, for the last dollar had
been spent that day.
Without. the rain was falling heavily. It
had been raining for several days, and the
Okalaloo boiled with its overcharged flood
Now the men see why the steam boat looms
so high above them the river has risen clear
10 the top Of the wharf and rising above it
Three days rain could not so swell it. The
Mississippi has broken its levees and con-
nrcted with the headwaters of the Okalaloo
by the northern passes!
Quick! warn the people!
Has every one been warned? ?"
Every one has been warned" is the re-
fka &
land with the water close to their heels
They have overlooked one house No one
has raped on the door Of the white house
with the green blinds, the last house on its
street, the house that stands nearest the
river
OF the white house with green blinds, it
crawls under the door, it climbs the walls,
higher and higher.
The sleeping mother and child hear no.
thing. They sleep on. There Is a slight
jar, the house trembes, is lifted from its
foundations, floats, and the river bears il
away.
When Bob and Jimmy awoks In tie
morning it was TO find the rain ceased and
The clouds cleared away. but the river high
above Its banks. All sorts of things were
floating down the turDid stream.
The boys had no boat with which to pur-
sue and capture the gifts which the bounti-
tui river offered 10 whoms0ever could take.
but Bob tied together some pieces Of rope
and chain, and fastening one end to tree
close TO the waters edge, and the other about
his waist, waded far out into the river, Sc
cure against the danger of being swept away
by the swift current.
Bob was making his third trip into the
water when Jimmy shouted:
Here comes housed Here comes a
housed"
Away up the river is a house floating
W I'M -A oh,
land, and anxiously watches the house.
perhaps IL will float to land here, per-
haps it WILL" says Jimmy.
The house whirls about; the curr ent is
bearing it toward the knoll.
"Look at it,. it's coming right here.
with green blinds, the very kind of house
We wished for; and Jimmy jumps up an d
down with JOY.
The house floats nearer. What is that
fuitering in the second-story window? It's
handkerchief; hand holds it; there is
somebody IN the house.
woman leans over the easement and
her voice.
The house floats nearer; it touches bot
tom; 1t pauses: it pauses again.
dprrah! II stands stock still, stuck fast
But the river PUSHES furously against it.
Gan II stay where it is, or will the river lift
i, push it, tear it from its refuge and carry
it off againp
Lookl it ia sliding along In the mud: now
II Is aground once more. There is deer
water beyond the knoll; If the house goes
much farther it will second time be- com.
pletely at the mercy of the 0kalaloo.
The woman at the window waves her
hands frantieally; little girl appears by
her side. y
"Oh, Bob, Bobi it's our mother. and our
n!tle sister, and our white house with green
blinds; they've come down the river to live
with US! Oh, oh, oh, wade out and tie the
rope to the house. hurry up, before IL is
Bob dashes into the river The swift chr.
rent lifts him off his feet, but be is a good
swimmer. He reached the house, passes
the rope through the two corner windows
and ties it securely, just as final buffet Of
the liver pushes the house into the deer
water beyond the knoll. The house swings
around toward shore. The rope holds AND
all is well.
The white house with green blinds now
stands on top of the knoll, and in it lives 4
happy and prosperous family, consisting Of
mother. two boys and a little sister
Where three years before there was q