The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1901-07-03
A Break In
the LeVee.

rr7t Ur5r-rF}A rrmrUr
BY WHICH II WAS STOPPED,

S"S'O.W'VSV'BW
For days the river had been rising.
The leXees above were gone for miles
and miles, and the mad waters had
swept over the banks, carrying for
tunes and even lives before them. On
one of the bIg plantations opposite
Shreveport every effort was being made
to Withstand the flood. Hands We're col
lected from every cabin and recruited
from all the adjoining places to
which shook on the pressure of mans
foot.
1t was almost dusk, but the men who
Ind not rested for days worked with
the strength of fresh yigor. as the
voice Of Tom Aiken, the planter, direct
ed them and cheered them on to the
task which seemed so hopeless as the
water crept steadily and steadily high
er But for the fact TINT every one was
busy with his work, n little negro boy,
WHO suddenly dropped his spade and
stoie HWY =btANttl llt Nhttis VI thc
big sand wagon, might have been seen
as he scurrled awny around the curve
In the embankmcnt.
lie ran quickly along for full quar-
ter of mile without looking back
down the narrow, slippery road that
was left between the cotton rows and
the lcVce. The boy slackened his pace
when he became convinced that no one
was In pursuit of him, and as he did SO
he heard the loud, CHEEKY voice of Tom
Aiken back at the break, "All work to-
gethcr, boysn
Huh? All work together" the boy
said "Yossir, but you bet dis here Mig
ger done tired or workln togedder. I'ze
gwine to sleep, l Is | ain shet my eyes
fur two whole days mn nights, an j
gwine round the pint to Aunt Vluy's
&c sleep" ,,,,,s.,,,
In his eagerness to reach t.ne DO -.
goal the little negro quickened his pace
again II was now almost dark, but his
eyes had grown accustomed to the
glooma He could see the curying line Of
the levee, which seemed to tremble
with n premonition of lts own made
quacy. He could see all the water pools
In the road. His little legs had meas
ured perhaps Il mile more when the ON
nous roar of the river made him stop
and peer over the leVee at the rushing
waters
As lac scrambled up the slippery bank
II clod of loosoned earth fell heavily in,
TO the road below, and through the ori-
flee which 1t left little stream OF mud
dy water trickled. The boy caught his
breath quickly when the water ran
over his hand.
'Iordy" he exclaimed. "Dere's gwine
to he Il break right here. Lordy 1ordy.
What gwine doP'
lie stopped to reconsider. There was
still another mile before he could reach
the point. aud he knew there were only
few old women in the cabins there
aud he could get no help from that
source, 1t WAS more than mile back
to where the men We're working, and he
was afraid to show himself there after
having run away. Besides there was
not moment 10 lose. What was to be
done must he done mt once The boy
knew TINT great responsibility rested
upon him. If the little opening were
not stopped Immediately It was only n
question of few moments before the
whole levee would be swept away.
He stood up and looked about him
There WAS no one In sight. He thought
he might find n bag OF sand dropped by
passing wagon, but there was none
With sudden purpose he turned and sat
down over the little crevice through
which the water came. The soft earth
yielded 10 his weight, and with his
hands and feet he pressed II about him.
pattlng II to make II firm.
The difficulty had been solved with
out his Nolltlon almost, II WAS only
AFTER 1t was done that he thought OF
the consequences. He calculated in his
unreasenng way that It was O'clock
now long would he have to remain
theref For aught he knew till morn
Ing. lie began to suffer by and by
from his cramped position. but he dar-
ed not move even the least bit lest the
creNiee should open again.
He could not tell how time passed
Every minute seemed an hour. lie
could not hear the shouts Of the men
below. There was only now and then
the boot of an owl rising above the
roar of the water or the swish as n
clod of earth was sucked into the mad
current. He wished he had not run
away from his work
He began to get drowsy; his limbs
We're almost numb. He wondered what
would become of him If he should go to
sleep Ii the waters should rise up
over the lcVee and drown him and ruin
the cotton. would 1t make any differ
ence then that he had tried 10 save III.
He was inadequate to the problem,
the like of which has puzzleds gyAxer.
heads than his. The hooting -otIhe
owl grew less and less frequent the
swishing of the waters fainter land
fainter. the pain in his back easier.
He must have slept some time. Sud
denly he was awakened by the gallop
of a horse ON the road below. He was
too weak TO move. His voice was al
most gone, but as the horse and rider
approached he cried out with all the
strength he could summon, "Marse
Tom"
Mr.. Aiken drew rein quickly and
turned his big lantern in the direction
of tho voice.