Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-01-23
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY.
The Offering
Of a Flood.

waiting years Tor the advent or Il little
one fell into one of those perversions OF
the maternal instinct. the lavishing Of
her affection on n dumb brute.
She adopted puppy which she naiii-
ed Spot. 1t grew up to be an ugly little
beast, and John hated it. Margaret
gave il crib to sleep in, the choicest
food, bath daily, and when John was
not present even brushed its teeth.
"What do you want to make a child
of a dog fOr?" John would ask snap
pishly.
Il love Spotty dearly" Margaret
would reply.
One morning John overheard his wife
talking to the dog: "Spotty, dear,
want you to go and bring me baby.
You'll find it somewhere-in the wood
perhaps. 1t will be in silk handker-
chief. tied at the corners. There will
be bit of paper pinned to the handker-
chief, giving the baby's name and tell
ing why its mother left it in the wood,
poor woman,"
That's u likely thing to happen"
muttered John.
Take the handkerchief in your
teeth" Margaret went on, where the
four corners are tied together and
airing the child to me-"
John went to Memphis to n founding
asylum and applied for n baby to
adopt. There was none to be had
whose parentage satisfied him, for lie
was somewhat particular in that re-
spect, so he went back to Margaret
disappointed and empty handed, ana
Margaret went on making n child of
SpOtty.
Soon after this John was reading in
the local newspaper n telegraphic dis
patch stating that the river was rising
rapidly above and fears We're enter
tanned that the levee at several weak
points would not stand the pressure.
His house stood on ground above the
highest food mark, so lie did not fear
for his and Margaret's safety, but he
dreaded the flood for his neighbors'
sake and the destruction of his own
and their property.
John said his wife last night
dreamed that Spotty had gone away
and come back with u baby tied up in
u silk handkerchief"
John groaned.
"Spotty! Spotty! Come, get your
breakfast" she called.
Spot didn't respond. and Margaret
went out into the yard TO look for him.
She called. but without reply. She,
hunted among the rosebushes and I'M
der the magnolia trees, in the barn. the
wOodhouse. everywhere, but there was
no Spot. Then she set I'll the negroes
hunting, but when the sun went down
that night there was no sign of the
child-dog.
The flood proved the highest ever
known. The levee burst above the
Oldershaws'. and the country was COW
cred with water. Margaret wrung her
hands and gave up Spot for drowned
and pleaded with John TO take n boat
and 60 in search of his body. John re-
fused until he saw that his refusal was
downright cruelty. Then he got out
the oars. unclaimed the boat and after
taking his wife in with him pulled
away into the wood behind the house.
John Oldershaw felt like n fool. but
he is not the first husband who has
acted stupidity and wisely at the same
time in pleasing his wife.
They were met by everything that
could float, animate and inanimate.
Furniture, dwellings, sections of fenc-
fusion. A wee kitten on a board new
ed to them piteously. 4 lamb on the
roof of an clubhouse bleated. Half
dressed people who had escaped in
boats at midnight were pulling for dry
land. John Oldershaw saw the wreck
about him and remembered that he
was looking for n drowned dog.
"See the little ARK Margaret ex-
claimed.
Whoever has not seen one of those
old cradles, now obsolete-as all cradles
are. for the matter of that-made OF
wood. one end covered with the same
material, cannot understand the excla-
nation. What Margaret saw was one
of these cradles, and. what was more
wonderful to relate. she heard n bark.
and a dogs nose protruded above the
gunwale OF the cradle-boat about where
the Sits for handles were.
Its Spottyr cried Margaret in
ecstasy.
$50 it is" said John.
''Why doesn't he put his paws on the
side and show himself?' said Marga-
ret.
Hes afraid of upsetting his boat"
said John.
John pulled for the cradle and was
soon alongside of ii. Margaret seized
the tiny craft. and there, lying on soft
bedding. was an infant. When it saw
Margaret looking down at it, the child's
face broke into a smile. Its eyes
laughed, and its little arms and legs
like shuttles.
Spotty sat and barked and when all
fear of overturning the cradle was at
an end jumped into the boat, kissed
Margaret and in all respects equaled
the incessant motion of the baby.
So few people will believe this story
that scarcely have the heart to finish
It, but the rest of it is of more impor
lance than what have told. The baby,
a boy. was adopted and reared by John
and Margaret Oldershaw. and not till
he was grown did he discover that he