The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1897-09-23

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mush from the stove and dished it into
two smaller bowls.
I'm hungry as a BEAR" observed
Fred, between mouthfuls. Il think
it's a shame we have to go so far TO
school. There isn't a single BOY or
girl in Springville that has to go nall
so far as we do"
81 don't see why father doesn't
down there" complained Polly, pour
ing more of the rich yellow milk over
her mush; she could get to his work
just as we'll, 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 ren 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 1t
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 a dreary, lonesome walk of tour
miles to school at Springville. AS the
winter 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.
They'll all get ahead of me-" Polly
had sobbed; land l 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
he water was rising rapidly. The
levees must be watched night and day
to prevent breaks. On leaving his
home that morning Mr.. Melton had
tOio IlGu tudL uG WUulu US JUN UC-
fore dark, and that there was no dam
ger to fear from the water. All his
neighbors had told him that his cot
tage was high enough to be safe, ven
in the greatest floods.
cts after 9 o'clock now said Polly,
as she arose from the table; Il wonder
where father is"
I'D go out and watch for him if it
wasn't raining so hard" said Fred,
n then he looked around toward the
doorway, ~anXiously..
He caught his breath suddenly. Their
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 direction in
dicated by Fred's finger. Polly sat still,
and gazed at the other two, wonder
ing what it all meant.
There on the floor, crawling from
the crack under the door. was a darl
wriggling object. At first Fred hat
taken it to be one of the swamp ~rattlers
SO common to the Mississippi bottoms
and his first impulse was to spring fol
his fathers rife which stood in thu
corner.
Its the flood" said GRANDMOTHER
Melton when she could get her breath
BY this time the black ribbon O
. water was spreading, slipping into thu
Z cracks and creeping out over the foo.
toward the table. Polly broke into
! cry of terror. Even Grandmother Mel
ton seemed uncertain what to do.
3 Fred suddenly reused himself. H
! remembered that he was the man of tn,
house, and that he must watch owe
: and protect it in his fathers absence
So he sprung from his seat and threy
: open the door, not without a throb O
fear. 1t was dark outside, and the raj,
came down in torrents. Curling IL
: over the step they could see the mudd
water, and they could hear the SCUM
s of it slapping against the house. ]
stretched away into the darkness in a
y directions as far as Fred could see. H
). knew that it already must be a foot O
e more high around the house.
1.-THE levee's broken" said Polly,
a scared awed voice. do you thin
J. we'll be washed away?"
n At that moment something bumpe
e against the side of the house with s
a much force that the dishes rattle,
n Fred ran to the side window, peere
er out, and found that a big log ha
C washed down against the building.
,e Grandmother Melton, who was usua
ly cool and brave under the most tr,
ing circumstances, was wringing h,
hands in terror.
n Run upstairs" shouted Fred, "ar
Polly and I'll bring all the stuff we C;
p with u.s.
n. Grandmother Melton waited no lon
er. She crept up the narrow stairws
e. to the little attic. Fred ran to the Gu
board and began filling his arms vii
,e dishes of food, while Polly in her e
rs element seized the first thing tn
ce came to hand-grandmother's rockin
chair-anG struggled up the stat
N with it.
s. We'll need clothing more'n anythil
else," called Grandmother Melton.
Fred ran back. The floor Of the &C
lg tage was now entirely covered wi
I'll water. He splashed through it al
e. seized all the clothing, coats and JAG
an cts he could carry. Polly brave
wiped away her tears, and when FIR
brought the loads to the stairway s.
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