The Opelousas courier., 1897-07-31

~ fathe
prob'1y won't be back till late"
Fred and Polly drew up their chairs
and Grandmother Melton brought
steaming bowl Of mush from the stove
and dished it into two smaller bowls
Tim as hungry as a BEAR" observed
Fred, between mouthfuls. II thinl
It's q shame we have to go so far t,
school. There isn't q single boy o.
girl in Springville that has to 60 hal
so far as we do"
Il don't see why father doesn'1
move down there" complained Polly
pouring more of the rich yellow milk
over her mush; che could get to his
work just as well, and it would be
aver SO much pleasanter than this
lonesome place"
"You must remember that your
iather isn't a rich man." answered
Grandmother Melton, gently. "He
owns this cottage, and if he moved he
would have to rent another home, and
perhaps he couldn't sell this one."
The Meltons had only been in their
new homo since the summer before.
Both Fred and Polly had enjoyed it
very much indeed during the pleasant
warm weather of August and Septem-
Der. Then the wide, swift Mississippi
had cleaned through the willows, and
there had been unlimited boating and
swimming and fishing. But with the
coming of winter the roads choked full
Of snow and ice, and the winds swept
up the river sharp and cold, and it was
q dreary, lonesome walk of four miles
to school at Springville. AS the win
ter progressed they had complained
more and more, and now for a week,
owing to the spring freshets, Polly had
been unable to go at all, and Fred was
compelled to make a long detour over
the bluffs to avoid the lagoons in the
river bottoms.
"TheyU all get ahead of me-" Polly
had sobbed; "and I can't pass my ex-
aminations."
That morning Father Melton had
gone up the river to help watch the
levees. Reports had been coming
from St. Paul, st. Louis, Cairo and
other points farther up the great river
that the water was rising rapidly. The
levees must be watched night and day
TO prevent breaks. On leaving his
home that morning Mr.. Melton had
told Fred that he would be back before
dark, and that there was no danger to
lear from the water. All his neighbors
had told him that his cottage was high
enough to be safe, even in the greatest
foods.
"It's after 9 o'clock now," said Polly.
as she arose from the table; IT Won
der where father is?"
"Td go out and watch for him if it
wasn't raining so hard" said Fred, and |
then he looked around toward the
doorway, anxiously.
He caught his breath suddenly.
Then he half rose from the table and
pointed at the floor. Grandmother
Melton dropped her fork noisily on her
plate and her eyes followed the direc-
tion indicated by Fred's finger. Polly
still and gazed at the other two.
"AuV ~ III HSdut.
There on the floor, crawling from
the crack under the door, was a dark
Wrlggling object. At first Fred had
taken it to be one Of the swamp rattlers
common to the Mississippi bottoms,
and his first impulse was to spring for
his fathers rife which stood in the
TITS the flood" said Grandmother
Melton when she could get her breath.
By this time the black ribbon of
was spreading, slipping into the
racks and creeping out over the floor
oward the table. Polly broke into a
~ OF terror. Even Grandmother
Melton seemed uncertain what to do.
Fred suddenly reused himself. He
emembered that he was the man of
he house, and that he must watch
yer and protect it in his fathers ab-
ence. So he sprung from his seat
threw open the door, not without
throb ct fear. It was dark outside. (
nd the rain came down in torrents. .
up over the s.ep they could see
ne dAuddy water, and they could hear
ne sound of it slapping against the
ouse. It stretched away into the s
arkness in all directions as far as Fred
ould see. He knew that already it /
lust be foot or more high around
le house. b
1.-The leyee's broken said Polly,
! q scared, awed voice. "Do YOU n
INK we'll be washed away?" Il
at that moment something bumped v
yainst the side of the house with +,
much force that the dishes ratified. il
red ran to the side of the window. b
sered out, and found that a big log
washed down against the build a
6. Of
Grandmother Melton, who was usu- b
y cool and brave under the most ii
ylng circumstances, was wringine fo
II hands in terror. B
Run up stairs" shouted Fred. I'll
md Polly and I'll bring all the stuff Il
an with u.s."
Grandmother. Melton waited no fl
niger. She crept up the narrow stair
y to the little attic. Fred ran to the o,
picard and began filing his arms n
IL dishes Of food, while Polly in her =,
cltement seized the first thing that il,
ne to hand gr~andmother's rocking
alr-.and struggled up. the stairs til
th it. II
We'll need clothing more'n any