The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-04-25

idea is to have some of the young
folks on the quarter sections around
us gather at some place, and have a
little Sunday-school. There are at
least dozen who could come if only
Jack and Jerry would invite them
and take an interest in the plan. But,
whenever Ted talks about it, they
grin like Cheshire cats, and call him
Granny and Miss Nancy and 'Dea-
CON- and all that I just wish the
boy could prove to them that he
wasn't the molly-coddle they think
himw And Lucy gave an emphatic
bang to the oven door, as she slid in
her pan of biscuits.
The golden light faded from the
western sky, and the prairie was
spread with ebon shadows. The
mellow air of the March afternoon
grew suddenly chill. There was no
danger of frost, however. The sud-
den spring mildness of the past few
days had accomplished good deal.
Mr.. Barrows's face was somewhat
grave as he drove in from town.
Folks are worrying about the Mis-
souri, breaking up" he said, as he sat
down to the bountiful supper table.
''Do they think it'll break up right
away, pa9" said Lucy, anxiously.
"Yes. If it only doesn't dam up
down at Sibley's Island, as it did five
years ago. We had bad work then.
I lost nigh to two hundred sheep
then, and l don't know how many
bushels of wheat"
Ted was listening to the converse
ton; and his face grew serious, see
ing which Jack poked Jerry playfully
in the ribs, exclaiming, in sepul-
chral whisper, "Granny's afraid he'll
get his best Sunday cap and his knit
tin'-work and Latin grammar wet"
Ted flushed, and Lucy bestowed what
she intended to be particularly
dreadful frown upon her elder
brother.
At half-past nine that night Mr..
Barrows opened the back door, and
looked out. "Feels colder" he said.
"Guess it's going to freeze up, after
ALL" And he and his family retired,
feeling that all would be we'll.
1t was Ted who woke up in the
small hours after midnight, hearing
sullen, roaring sound like that of
an approaching tempest He crawled
to the foot of his bed, drew aside the
window curtain, and looked out.
There was no storm brewing; but, as
Ted looked afar on the prairie, his
eyes caught a CLEAN of something
besides moonlight. Away where a
purple-black fringe of cottonwoods
and willows marked the course of the
Missouri was a steadily widening
silvery streak. Nearer by little CLEANS
came from the sodden grass around
the ranch of buildings, where stoo d
deepening puddles of water. Above
the roar of the food was heard the
creaking and grinding of huge cakes
of ice hurled along by the torrent.
The MISSOURI had broken!
Ted awakened the family; and a
few minutes later pale, trembling
group assembled at the window, star
ing out upon the moonlit waters.
Now that the trouble had really come,
Mr.. Barrows did his best to reassure
his dear ones. "Do not be alarmed"
he said. "At the worst, it means only
a loss of dollars to US. Fortunately,
the stock are out on the range; and
they will know enough to seek the
protection of the bluffs, where the
water can't reach them"
Hadn't we better go there, tool"
said Lucy, tea fully.
Her father looked at the two feet
Of water surrounding the ranch.
NO." he said hesitatinely, sit will
only be exposing ourselves to unne-
cessary cold and wet. The water
won't rise much higher: it didn't five
years ago, anyhow" Nevertheless,
his face grew more gloomy as he
watched the black, swirling food.
81 wish we had boat" said Jack,
uneasily. "If l had only thought
There's the Josephine tied down by
the creek If she were here, she'd
be big enough to hold us all!'
"Gather up the things that you
value most, and we will go up in the
loft" said Mr.. Barrows soberly
We'll keep together, whatever hap.
pens. l wish, though, we had run
for the bluffs while there was time,
he added in moody undertone.
"Why, where's Ted9" suddenly ex.
claimed Patty, as the family filed UP
the narrow stairs.
"He was here few minutes ago,
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