Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1901-07-27
!. 4al+- 9l4Fs 'l.4- .s@8t as
A Break In
the L-eVee.
THE DESPERATE REMEDY =
BY WHICH IT WAS CHOPPED.

0~O~o.OA0~0"00"Os0~0
For days the river had been rising.
The levees 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 tho big plantations opposite
Shreveport every effort was being made
to withstand the flood. Hands were col
lected from every cabin and recruited
from all the adjoining places 10
strengthen the water soaked 1eyees.
which shook On &he pressure OF mans
foot, - ttt@s 10y *itst .t's,s :.
1t,waS almost dusk. but the men VINO
had not rested Tor. days worked with
the strength Of fresh vigor a. the
voice. Of Tom Aiken, the planter, direct
ed them and chee1ed them on to the
task which seemed 80 hopeless 90 the
water c7eps steadily and steadily high
er. But for the fact that every one was
busy with hts work, little negro boy,
wAo suddenly dropped his spade and
stole away between the wheels Of the
big sand wagon, might have been seen
as he scurried away around the curve
In the embankment.4 :, ~ss> ,sIf3 49,
He ran quickly along for full a quar-
ter Of . mile without looking back
down the narrow. slippery road that
was left between the cotton rows and
the Ievee. The boy slackened his pace
when he became convinced that no one
was in pursuit Of him. and as he did 50
he heard the loud, CHEEKY voice Of Tom
Aiken back at the break ".Alls work to
gether, boysT' : tal ss@ g -
''Huh? All work togetAer," TIE boy
said 'rYesstr. but you bet dis here Mig
ger done tired eR woEh1n toseddeg. IEe
gyvana. to sleep, / as.=I AIM aheA;ny eyes
fur two whole days IN nights, an !
sw9ne round the pint TO Aunt Why's
an 60 to sleep" yezass
In his easernesB to reach the coveted
geal the little negro 9uiekened hSs pace
again. IesWas now almost DARK, but his
eyes had grown aecuEtomed. to the
gloom He could see the eurving line Of
the levee> which seemed to, trpmhle
with premonition OF Its own made
quacy. He, could see all the water pools
In the road. His. little legs had meas
ured perhaps m11e more when the oSn-
nous rear of the river made Mm stop
and peer over the levee at the rushing
waters.
As he scrambled up the slippery bank
q elod of leosened earth Fell heavily in.
to the road below, and through the orr
fee which it left Q little stream of mud
dy water trickled. The bog caught his
breath quickly when the water ran
over his hand. y.z
"Lordyy" he exclaimed. "Dere's gwine
to be q break right here. LoFdy! LoRdy!
What ] gwfne dor
He stopped to reconsider. There was
still another mile before he ceu1d reach
the point. and he knew there were only
. few cid women in the cabins there,
and he could get no help from that
source. It was more than q mile back
to where the men were working, and he
was afraid to sheW himself there. after
having run away Besides there was
not moment to lose. What was to be
done must be done at once. The boy
knew that great responsibility rested
upon him. II the little opening were
not stepped immediately it was emily a
question Of q few moments before the
whole leVee would be swept away.
He stood up and looked about him.
There was No enc in sight. he thought
he might find bag OF sand dropped by
a passing wagon, but there was none.
With sudden purpose he turned and sat
down over the little crevfce through
which the water came. The soft earth
yielded to his weight, and with his
hands and feet he pressed it about him.
pattinG 1T to make 1t firm.
The difficulty had been solved with
out his volition almost. It was only
after it was done that he thought OF
the consequences. He calculated in his
way that it was o'clock.
How long would he have to remain
there2 For aught he knew till morn
Ing. He began to suffer by and by
from his cramped position, but he dar-
ed not move even the least BIT lest the
crevice should open again. ..
He could not tell how time passed. ]
Every minute seemed an hour. He
could not hear the shouts Of the mem
below. There was only now and then
the heot Of an owl rising above the
roar OF the water or the swish as
cl0d Of earth was sucked into the mad
He wished he had NOT run
away from his work.
he began to get drowsy; his limbs
were almost numb. He wondered what
would become Of him If he should go to
sleep. II the waters should rise up
over the levee and drown him and ruin
the Gotten, would 1t make any differ
,nee then tha4 M had tiled TO. saEe fe3
he was inadequate to the problem,
he like Of which has puzzled graver
reads than his, The 'hoot&ns Of the
wi grew less and less fFaq1feTt, the
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