Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-11-15

e&. sHR a. per-" she said. id
"Your father
prob'ly 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.
I'm as hungry as bear, " observed
Fred, between mouthfuls. 81 think
it's shame we have to go so far to
school. There isn't Il single boy or
girl in Springville that has to go half
so far as we do"
Il don't see why father doesn't
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
ever so much pleasanter than this
lonesome place"
'You must remember that your
father 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 home 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
dreary, lonesome walk of four miles
to school at Springville. As the win
ter progressed they had complained
more and more, and now for week,
owing to the spring freshets, Polly had
been unable to go at all, and Fred was
compelled to make long detour over
the bluffs to avoid the lagoons in the
river bottoms.
They'll all get ahead of me-" Polly
had sobbed; "and 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
fear from the water All his neighbors
had told him that his cottage was high
enough to be safe, even in the greatest
foods.
TITS after o'clock now" said Polly,
as she arose from the table; ''I 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
sat still and gazed at the other two,
wondering what it all meant.
There on the floor, crawling from
the crack under the door, was dark
wriggling object. At first Fred had
taken it to be one of the swamp rattlers
so common to the Mississippi bottoms,
and his first impulse was to spring for
his fathers rifle which stood in the
corner.
cts the food" said Grandmother
Melton when she could get her breath.
By this. time the black ribbon of
water was spreading, slipping into the
cracks aud creeping ont over the floor
toward the table. Polly broke into Il
cry Of terror. Even Grandmother
Melton seemed uncertain what to do.
Fred suddenly reused himself. He
remembered that he was the man of
the house, and that he must watch
over and protect it in his fathers alb
sence. SO he sprung from his seat
and threw open the door, not without
Il throb OF fear. 1t was dark outside.
and the rain came down in torrents.
Curling up over the step they could see
the muddy water, and they could hear
the sound of it slapping against the
HOUSE, IL stretched away INTO the.
darkness in all directions rs far as Fred
could see. He knew that already it
must be foot or more high around
the house.
''The levee's broken" said Polly,
in a scared, awed voice. ''Do you
think We'll be washed away?"
At that moment something bumped
against the side of the hofse with
so much force that the dishes ratified.
Fred ran to the side of the window,
peered out, and found that big log
had washed down against the build
ing. e..
Grandmother Melton, who was usu-
ally cool and brave under the most