The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-01-05
He tried the door steaIthiIy,

it was fastened.
NANNY" he said cautiously, and as nc
answer came he ventured "Pappy," whi;
more confidently. Poor old Mosei If he
had only heard how gladly would he have
let in his maynard boyi But he had beer
asleep some hours.
Efrum knew too well in what humor his
mother must have been to make her latch
the door ON him, so he did not venture to
| knock or to call again. 1t was very late
and growing cold as the night advanced
and the distant roar of the river was still
audible. Efrum sank down upon the mar.
row step, shivering and sobbing. The
faithful Maize nestled against his knees and
whined alphabetically The boy raised
his head from his folded arms to caress the
dog, and as he looked about him in the
gloom happy thought struck him There,
| just beyond the water barrels, was the old
bateau his father had been chinking and
pitching
dis herell make better bed dan de
steps," he said stepping into the rough
| boat.
Moses had left his old coat thrown across
| the boats edge. Efrum wrapped it about
! his shoulders joyfully and lay down in the
boat, the little dog nesting close beside
him. He cuddled down close within the
coat folds to shut out the rivers roar, and
| thus warmed and rested he was soon asleep
| The hours crept on stealthily. and ever
and anon the little dog whined dismally,
but his master needed him not. He was
sleeping sweetly.
Very sweetly indeed he slept, and
dreamed that the boat was afioat, and that
he and MAZE were playing craps; they were
rocking peacefully on the waters breast,
and
The little dog gave a shrill bark Efrum
awoke with start and sat up. The boat
tilted with the motion OF his body, there
was a sound of tapping waters and he felt
that he was afioat
''De levee is broke" he said in an awe
stricken tone. "Oh, Lord Oh, LordP'
In the faint gray of early dawn he could
see low and then a line of willow tops above
the dark water; he was in the river current
and going he knew not where. There was
one oar in the boat, but be dared not at
tempt to use it. He only sat very still with
his arm about the dog. 1t seemed to him
he must have 1oated hundreds of miles in
the dawn before day really came.
"Oh, Lordyl Oh, Lordyp' he said. over
and over again to himself. "ef L hadner
went crap shootin tonight! Oh, LordyP'
At length, in a moment of inspiration,
he ran his hand down into his trousers
pocket, fished out the offending dice, and
closing his eyes very tightly flung the ivory
blocks far out into the river. He did not
even hear them when they fell; there was
only the gurgle and roar of the water all
around him. A sudden swift current sent
the bateau whirling about in the water
till Efrum was dizzy with the motion, and
at last lodged it firmly between the twisted
trunks of two plant willows.
He had presence of mind to throw out
the boat rope and tie it firmly to the tree
But, thus confined. the desolateness of his
condition impressed itself upon him. All
around was a waste Of water, and over
head, above the overhanging boUghs, the
clouds were gray and ominous. The pangs
of hunger began to press upon him, and
his pleasure loving soul longed for com
partnership
MAZE" he said, taking the dog and set
ting him on his knee, kin you play craps?"
Then, with shudder of horror at the
thought which lie could not get rid of, he
put the dog from him, buried his face in
his hands, and, tired and sleepy and hun
cry in spite of his misery and fright, sobbed
himself to sleep.
Late in the afternoon deckhand on the
relief boat, which had been sent out from
Shreveport, heard, coming family across
the water, the feeble barking of a dog.
81 speck dere somebody over dar, boss"
he said to the mate; 81 hear dog barkin."
Poor old Nose, who, with Randy, had
been rescued from their cabin just before ii
tumbled over, sat now upon the lower deck
among crowd Of half clad, half starved
negroes, abjectly miserable. His thoughts
kept dwelling upon his boy Efrum. Poor
Randy, who lay huddled close beside her
husband, pricked up her ears as the bark
ing was heard again.
BLESS Godl OATS MAZE" she said, joy |
fully, IAN L know Efrum's long with him. |
Bless God j gwi see my chile agin."
Poor little Efrum. The fright and cold |
and starvation had been almost too much |
for him, but nestled up close to him and |
keeping alive the little spark of life WAS
MAZE, tired and cold and hungry. but faith
full to the last.-Patience Oriel in PhiladeI- |
phia Times.