The Republican journal., 1900-11-22
that exactly match his curling hair

tant factor in happy home, near the
western end of the city, where his
father owned dairy and small truck
farm. Being intelligent and well-to- do.
the family. including Tommys two sis
tiers, were at least midway on the social
ladder. In the midst of the storm thew
were all clinging to door-jamb, and
when the house fell, the women were
probably pinned under it and swept into
the Gulf-their bodies never having
been found. Tommy and his father
swan out alone, and at once became
separated in the general confusion. The
frantic father searched the place that
few minutes before had been home-but
all were gone. Drifting with the cur
rent, he finally caught hold of a floating
oak tree-and there was Tommy, scared
half to death by huge moccasin snake
that had pre-emptied the other end of
the log. The snake was equally scared
and easily dispatched; and so Tommy
came to us until his father can get
Strengthened out and go into business
again.
Speaking of snakes-one of the hor-
rors of the storm was the numbers of
them that were swept into the water,
along with human beings, all fighting
for their lives. There were many moe
casins and rattlers in unoccupied parts
of this island, and especially on the
main land. Among hundred gruesome
stories told of encounters with them in
the flood, | have space to repeat but one,
which l know to be true In Hitchcock.
fifteen miles from Galveston, a wealthy
old lady from the North was stopping
at the hotel, awaiting her sons return
from some business trip. During the
flood she managed to climb tree: but
hardly had she reached place of safety
before rattlesnake, which had climbed
before her attacked her. In frenzy she
seized the reptile just below its head
and crushed its life out. When rescued,
hours later, they thought she was crazy
when babbling of the snake-until they
found its limp body dangling from a
lower branch and examined its mangled
neck and her blood-stained hand.
Pathetic scenes are continually occur
ring in our orphanage, when parents,
knowing that it is temporary home
for waits of the flood, come searching
for their lost children. Though assur-
ed beforehand that we know some
thing of the antecedents of every one
of these, and that theirs cannot pos
sibly be among them, Hope springs
eternal in the human breast" and thew
insist on making a personal examina-
ton. One of the most pitiful things Oh
earth is to see bereaved mother anxi-
ously scanning the little faces i'm the
chlldren's play-room or kindergarten
and then being led sobbing away bv
some kind woman who wears the Red
Cross button on her breast.
But there are bright spots, too, as, for
example, in anticipation of the APP
preaching holiday season, which will be
made happy for these little ones. and
for other unfortunates all over the land
by that beautiful charity, the New
\ DIRK Examiner Christmas Tree" The
plan OF the League, originated by that
department of the Examiner known as
For all the Family'-to supply poor
children, who would otherwise be with
out cheer on the Christ-child's day, with
frif t,J I u.
is everywhere meeting generous re-
Spouse. Judging from the umbounded
delight caused by small box of dam
aged toys, which some kind soul con
tubuted to our orphanage awhile ago
the JOY OF the Red Cross boys and girls
will be past all telling when the Ex-
aminer Christmas tree gets around
this way. There will be whips, toys
and tools for the boys, woody and cot
ton cats for the babies, and dolls for
the miniature little mothers; and many
a child whose start in life has been so
sad will go to happy dreams with the
precious gifts of unknown friends clasp
ed to its bosom. The same good charity
Is equally needed in many families of
Southern Texas who lost all but life
in the flood. This is specially true of
a score of mainland villages and farm
ing communities, where conditions
would be absolutely hopeless were it not
for Red Cross aid. We are going to
give them teams, implements, seeds and
plants, and something to live on until
the next crops can grow. This is the
great strawberry producing section of
the United States, you know, or was,
before the flood. Miss Barton has de-
cided to put one thousand dollars into