The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1902-01-18
A Little
Derelict
A Bit of FIotsam From the
Galveston Flood
By GABRIELLE z. JACKSON
Copyright, 1901, by Gabrielle E. Jackson Z
HAT a big sea it seemed. W

49, description, as though some
giant had picked NJ Il city. crushed It
in his mighty hand and dropped it i'll
to the bay. An awpsOmc sight for old
er eyes, but it evidently filed one little
being with delight, for she clappod her
hands joyously and bobbcd up ana
down in her strange boat as ii rose and
fell upon the waves.
What a story That boat told! Little
had its designer dreamed that it would
ever venture upon such voyage. \
houseboat indeed, its very perfection
rendering it pathetic, for not an article
in it but testified to woman's gentle
touch. The world knows the story only
too well, and Galveston will never for
get it.
Amid all the horrors that one house
floated perfect except for the loss of
its roof In Il second story room. utter
ly unaware of her peril and happy as
bird, sat II sunny haired little maid,
laughing and singing to herself as the
house swaycd up and down.
A queer, ramshacklc boat drew near
1t looked as though it must swamp the
next moment, but it was 30 moro for
lorn than the half clad boy who pad,
died it with Il board. The boat was
nearly on Il level with the second story
windows, ANA as the boy heard the
sound of the child's voice he cried:
"Lawdy me. Who's a-singin' out in
this awful place."
"Fayc's a-tingin'! Fayc's a-tingn'
cause the house dance So"
"But you mustn't stay in there. VIII
you come along in the boat With me?
I'll take good care of you, little lady.
Is your ma in there tooY'
-No; mothers don wild big man. Her
went to sleep wight So" throwing out
her hands and casting herself face
downward upon the floor. little reaiz-
ing all she was revealing. Faye run
ned into the nursery to find Juno, and
den big man weached wight in the
Windie and picked little mother wight
up. He didn't see Faye. He looked
little mother off in the boat, and Juno
jumped wight out the windie and
swimmed away after the boat in all
the vain and left Faye all alone. But
Faye not 'fwaid. Little mother often
leave Faye and Juno and say, Faye.
be dood dirl till little mother tum back
And Fayc's been veal dood, but she is
so hungwy."
The boy looked at the little beauty
as though she were being from an
other world and said again:
"Come with me, and We'll try to find
your ma"
"'Ess, Faye'll tum, but must get Je-
ia first. Touldn't leave my pwe-
Us child" And, running into the
nursery, she took tattered rag doll
from her crib.
At last all was ready, and, pushing
. off the boat the boy took up his pad
die to paddle-where? He had no home
in this great world. and hers would
soon find an anchorage in the bottom
of Galveston bay.
The search for poor Jimmy's friends
was soon ended, for when questioned
by those who had taken the little voy-
-, ayers In charge after they came ashore
ht answered: "Never had none as |
knows on. | lived along somehow, and
when the flood come l got into the old
boat aid padded around to see what |
could Ind, and l found the little lady
almost the fust thing"
From Faye they could learn but lit
tie. She was Just Faye. papa's and
little mothers sweetheart" and told
them the same story she had already
told Jimmy.
SO nothing remained for little FAYE
but Jemima and her Dimmie, from
whom she positively refused to be sep
arated. Poor little Jimmy. 4 small
knight Grant in Gods great world,
homeless and alone, yet one of his lit
tie ones.
1t was difficult, Notwithstanding the
aid from outside sources, to find home
for the children, but at last they We're
placed in an orphan asylum in the
northern part Of the state. 1t was Il
bitter enough change for both, although
from entirely different standpoints.
For the child, bred in affection and lux
ury, the change was cruel indeed, while
to the boy, accustomed to perfect free
dom, 1t was the life of a Gagged bird
Moreover, without fully approaching
the reason, he was keenly alive to
Faye's unhappness and, after witness
ing it for four months, resolved to put
an end to it if it were possible to do so.
A northern Texas winter was now
upon them, and one afternoon, during
one of the brief moments he could steal
to be with his idol, he laid his plans for
her release as well as his own, and ere
many hours had passed they We're car
ried into effect.
T.
The empty cattle cars jolted onward,
The engine pulling and struggling to
"ag the long train over the snow Gov
red tracks. The air was filled with
whirlng flakes, and the cold was in
4 tense. IIuddlcd in Il corner of one car
were two small figures rolled up in an
old bl1ul.pt potinU a frl1pnl IIlnrInnu