Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-07-21
! The Hero of a Flood

EACh was BOY who had turned up
II from nobody knew how and no
! body lraew where. 1t was known
from things he lad dropped in
conversation that lie had come with q
! party across the plains and that In the
! course OF the long. weary journey his
| mother had died. IL was guessed that
| mis- father must have cast of and for
! saken the boy Gs an undesirable bur
| den.
| All the summer he lad been hanging
| about the different small ranches In
! the neighborhooI. living ITS best he
! could b. what he received for chores
| and odd jobs, and sleeping In sheds
! or beside a stack OF sweet alfalfa hay
| but in he lovely California climate
Jack, happy In the light-heartedness
OF boyhood, thought it no hardship.
Winter was approaching, however,
| with its heavy rains and chilly nigbts.
.'It was bad job" said Martin one
day, gazing at the slight foundation
of his house. Il hadn't ought to built
so near the canyon. But The land was
so good ! thought I'd save all could
OF it for the II uit trees. That comes
of bein' too sasin'."
Never mind" said his wife, we're
goiD to build better next spring"
Eyes It's been good year, and I'm
no end thankful for 1t. But [ must
say | wish we'd got through the rains
ali safe. ! guess me an Jaelsn bank
I'D Il good bit this week"
The first rain had come-not very
long or cold one. as would be the case
in the winter. Jack still slept IN q
shed and Mrs. Martin Yas troubled.
about 1t, but the tiny house seemed
to afford no corner pot already filed.
90 she was Obliged to content herself
with giving him such bedding as she
could spare, and with Jacks laughing
assurance: tits good enough for bet
ter folks n me"
-As- the leisure searSara, TtA,Fr 'tst-1so Or
ernment works going on some miles
distant above hm--a reservoir being
built TO hold THE overflow OF water
with view to storing it for irrigation
OF tho lower lying lands. In addition
TO the promise OF ecuEity to his house,
it gave opportunity for getting work,
OF which many OF the poorer ranchers
were glad to avail.
"I'd rather Ike you TO stay about
while Pm gone, Jack" he said, and the
boys heart swclled with pride as he
added: 81 want you TO look after
things I'm sure youn do 1t good and
faithful
Another long rain set in. Every day
Jack banked up bis good and faith
full" best, but, as the canyon slowly
| filed after the ong summer drought,
was each morning disuaycd AZ the
| inroads made by the water.
Jack" said Mrs. Martin one morn
way things looks" ,.
"I'm feclin' that way myself agreed
| Jack, who had just come In with dis
may In his heart from n look at things
| outside.
ave Il great mind to go over TO
! Neighbor Davidson's to ask II they
won't let us stay with 'em FOR few
/ days, till the next time Martin comes
| home. l hate to stay without him"
1 AOulUA J RO1 lShtd
"Wen, I'd rather ask II myself. But
7 don't quite know what to do about
| Kitty. It's too far to carry her-eyen
II you went to help me-"
"Leave Kitty with me. shen stay
! all rlpht-wont you, Kitty?"
Kitty replied with a crow and q
! spring into bis outstretched arms.
Thus encouraged, Mrs. Martin soon
after breakfast took her departure.
saying in anxious tones: Watch
them banks we'll, Jack. And / know
you'll be real good and careful with
| Kitty. III be back early this even
ing"
An hour later Jack wished with all
his heart that Kitty was with her
| mother, as he went out to resume the
constant work OF banking up" At
once he saw that new condition OF
things had set IN. The house near the
canyon stood on a kind Of knoll, the
ground on the land side Of II sinking
slightly, The water in the stream was
higher than he had before seen IL, and
he now noted with alarm that at q
short distance above the house some
Of it had left the main channel, and,
turning into the low, shifting sands
had cut between the house and the
land, leaving It on an island.
Toward the close Of the day he saw
that the food had spread on both sides
81 the canyon so as TO entirely cover
the roads which followed the stream
Kitty's mother would have to take 8
roundabout road through the country
and could not possibly reach home
that might Later he saw d farmer
passing on tie other side OF the new
channel. The man caught sight o1
Jeek and hailed him:
You'd better get out OF that"
"Why?" shouted Jack.
Works above giving way. Beef
weakening for the last "a hours anc
letting out the water When they 90
they'll carry everything before en-
What should he do? How could h'
best care for Kitty?
"I1 get the barn door and float hel
over. The water amt runnin' swift
vet. Then I'll carry her wherever hel
mother is l can do It, II / stop to res
by the way.
Jack worked as he had never worked
before. The barn was a rude struc
ture, but it required more than th
strength of boy easily to get th'
/. door off the hinges. He tugged AM
: hammered until quite out Of breath
/ but at length had the pleasure Of see
ing his frail bark moorcd as close u
the door OF the house as he could get II
/ "I'll move hcr out onto the porcl
Q while fix things" he decided. Then
G II things should go sudden, coui
: grab her."
i - 1a ,..,,-l, ,,o. t;,c, +b. hull,