The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1897-06-25

Tom asked at once if his aunt Susan
had lived there and the pair exchanged
sudden elahceS.
"SuSan Blair wcntaway two months
ago said the man. "She said she
was going West and that's the last
we've heard q her Your aunt?
Mighty good woman was Susan, but
she had queer ways and fancied that
the settlement was agin her, which
ii was not"
Tom then proceeded to tell how
Tim Holloway had brought him to
the spot, whcrcat the man shook his
head.
" He'd do anything, eh E>au?" and
he glanced down at the boy at his
side, Nothn' good in that boy" and
father and son laughed, not at Toms
misfortune, but at the trick Tim
had played, not with the intention Of
doing harm, but out Of pure cusScd.
ness, /" as the wOodchoppcr phrased it,
NEW EXPERIENCE.
As passing the night under his
aunt'S roof was out OF the question,
Tom accepted an invitation from the
pair to accompany chem, and the lit
tie ArkanSan, who was stout and
wiry, took hold Of Toms valise and
swung it airily over his shoulder.
1t was a real Southern home, inhab-
tied by the middle class, that greeted
the city boy after half an hours walk,
and in a little time he was seated in
the main room Of it, telling about the
city from which he had come
lie had Ecen granted a leave Of
three weeks absence, and as he want
ed to spend it out Of the counting
room he concluded to make the most
Of ii bad bargain and remain with the
DaWSOns
At the end OF the first week Tom
Sinclair knew the forest and adjacent
stree. lifs ~ fa4llMOSt as well rs the two boys
Of the household Heavy rainS inter
fercd with some Of their excursiJr,.".-
but boating trips became the order Of
the day and these were thoroughly en-
jOyable.
BY and by there Clmc from the
nearest town news Of the most alarm
ing nature
The Arkansas had reached the dan
ger line; indeed the stout IeyccS were
threatened and in some districts al,
ready people were flying for their
lives
The next day there was a dearth Of
flood news, but the next it came like
a dclugc. The lcyceS had broken and
ii food OF terrible proportions was
rushing toward the Dawson home.
Even Harvey Dawson hcsitatcd before
he again disputed this late news. and
in answer to he entreatics Of his wife
he said they would move out the next
day at sunrise.
1t was fatal procrastination for the
woodchopper, for that night, with the
rcSistlcSs rush Of an avalanche, the
waters came and the house toppled.
Unable to sleep in the garret, Tom
heard the first crash, and in an in.
stant was at the window.
The voice Of Harvey Dawson as he
realized the peril sounded above the
roar Of the food, and while it was
heard the house, whose foundations
had never been very secure, moved
and then went off on the tide.
The boys in the attic stood for a
little while at the one window and
saw the structure narrowly miss some
trees, as it was torn from its mOUrings,
and the family left below joined them.
1t was a long night for the impris.
0ncd ones in the house. but it fortu-
nately kept upright and did not sink
far enough to food the attic. More
than once they looked anxiOusly for
daylight. and when they greeted the
first strcakS OF morning it was with
blanched checks and silent tongues.
IN TIE WATER.
Suddenly IN the gray light Of dawn
the house carcened and with Il loud
sound fell over on its side. 1t had
struck 4 sunkcn tree, which had al
most torn it in twain, and Tom when
he recovered, found himself out Of the
cabin into the water.
The city boys first impulse was tn
swim somewhere, but burdened with
his garments, already soaked with wa
ter, he found he could not do this
easily. The next moment something
struck him and he threw out his hand,
catching limb and holding on with
desperation.
Tom pulled himself out Of the wa
ter and held on to the sturdy limb Of
the tree, which had found him, and
in another moment was part OF the
flood himself. lie was drifting down
stream on the tree in the very heart
OF the expanse of waters as 1t seemed,
and destined for long ride.
The house, itself Carecned, was still
visible, hut the boy could not tell il
any Of the Dawsons had escaped, and
in a short time II seemed to- disa ppear,
and Tom was alone on the waters.
The day frightened, but no help
came. The imperlled boy looked in
every direction, straining his eyes for
assistance, but he could not gee any.
thing that looked like help.
His tree had stopped apparently in
the middle OF the Hood, having struck