The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1891-10-02

reward of their iour months hard
toll.
Ii had been raining heavily foi
some DAYS. and as tie boys Return
ed from The landing after the steam
boat had disappeared, he rain was
falling in sheets.
In The outskirts of SietsonviIle,
on he tial land lying along he
Okalaloo, stood pretty white
house with green blinds. Six years
before Young Massachusetts doc
tor had settled IN StelsoaviIle with
his young wife. Beginning with
almost nothing, and owing "A large
sum borrowed 10 deirav the eX-
penSes of his education, DIR. Young
gradually built up "A large practice.
and at The end of five years had
paid all his debts and was The own
er If a pleasant home.
But when al last he seemed fair
lv on the road 10 prosperity an ep-
idemnc OF yellow fever swept over
The State, and he Vas among the
first to fall. lie left his widow
nothing but the homestead and
5000 with which 10 support herself
and 4 4.year-old daughter.
Little by little the slender stock
Of money in the bank had grown
smaller, and on the first anniver-
sary of her husbands death Mrs.
Young knelt 10y The bedside OF her
sleeping child passionalely praying
that help lie given her, for the last
dollar had been spent that day.
Without, the rain was falling
heavily. II 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 to the top
of the wharf and rising above it.
Three days rain could not so
swell it. The Mississippi has brOk-
en- its levees and connected with
the headwaiers OF The Okalaloo by
The norlhen passes!
Quick warn the people
"Has every one been warned I"
Every one has been warne I"
is the reply, and The messengers
run for the high land with the wa
Ter close 10 their heels. .
They have overlooked one house,
No one has raped on the door Of
the white house with green blinds,
he last house on its street, the
house that stands nearest the river.
The river creeps mp, il laps the
doorstep Of the white house with
the green blinds, it crawls under
the door, il climbs the walls high
er and higher.
The sleeping mother and child
hear nothing. They sleep on.
There is slight jar, the house
trembles, Is lifted from its founda
tions, floats and the river bears it
away.
When Bob and Jimmy awoke in
the morning il 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 lurbid stream.
The boys had no boat with which
10 pursue and capture the gifts
which the bountilul river offered
to whosoever could take, but Bob
tie! together some pieces OF rope
and chain, and fastened one end 10
a Tree close by the waters edge,
and the other about his waist,
waded far ont into the river, secure
against The danger of being car
ried away by the swift current.
Bob was making his third trip
into The water when Jimmy shout
ed:
Here comes a house Here
comes a house F!
Away up The river is house
swiftly toward them. Bob
Turns back to land and anXious.y
the house.
"Perhaps II will float TO land |
here. perhaps it WILL" said jimmy.
The house whirls about ; the cur
rent is bearing il toward the knoll.
"Look at it; il's coming right |
here. Well have it 10 live in.
a house with green blinds,
The very kind of house We wished
for;" and Jimmy jumps up and
down with ioy.
The house floats nearer. What
is that flnliering in the second
story window! It's a haadker-
chief; a hand holds it; there is
in the house.
A woman leans over The case
ment and calls to them, but the
roaring river browns her voice.
The house floats nearer; il
touches bottom; it pauses; it
panses again.
Hurrah! Its stock still, stuck
fast on the river bottom.
But the river rushes Graniically
against IL. Can il stay where it is,
or will the river lift it, push it,
tear il from its refuge and carry it
off again.
Look il is sliding along in the
mud now it is aground once more.
Il is deep just beyond the knoll (;
il The house goes much farther IL
will a second time be completely
at the mercy Of the Okalsloo.
The woman at the window
waves her hands franiically; lit
tie girl appears by her side.
sOh, Bob, Bob, its our mother.
and ocr httle sister. and our white
hopsa with ~rcan blinds they've