The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1909-06-12

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the horses back before they were out
of the deep water. When the horses
found a place on which they could
stand, they were allowed to stop a
while to breathe before starting up
the bottom land to the barn.
Nothing but the tops of the fence
posts could be seen above the water
over the route they must take to the
barn, but gate opening into a lane
was unfastened and they passed
through. Both children had been
screaming in terror for some time,
and both parents faces were white,
but with frm-set muscles, and what
strength of will they possessed, they
urged their horses onward through
the soft mud. When the barn was
reached, they found a foot of water
on the floor. Tom helped his wife
and children to the ladder leading TO
the hay loft, and when he saw them
safe he cared for his horses as we'll as
he could.
1t was now four O'Clock the rain
was still coming down as fast as ever.
The water rose steadily in the barn,
the horses splashed it impatiently,
little colt neighed from fright, and the
situation became serious. Tom climb
ed to the hay loft with his horse
blankets, wrapped them around his
wife and children, who were shiver-
ing in their wet clothes, and said Z
"Well, Kate, 1 don't know what
this is coming to, but I think 1 have
done all I can until daylight.
They looked across the water to
their cottage home; the water was
up to the windows, and it was grow.
ing quite dark. They fixed some hay
for the little boys bed, an6, covering
them with the blankets, bade them go
to sleep. The children had been too
much excited to think of supper, and,
with no farther fear, they were soon
asleep but the parents kept an anx-
ious watch all night. An extra splash
ing among the horses below caused
Tom to go down again, to find the
little colt foundering in its efforts to
keep its nose out of the water. Kate
stood on the ladder and held the Ian
tern, while Tom put the colt up in
the manger, and thus saved its life.
In the morning the conditions were
no better. The water was up to the
horses sides. The little boys awoke
and were hungry, but no provisions
had been brought. The water was
now clear to the caves of the cottage.
There was no neighbor nearer than
half mile, and nothing but water
and trees to be seen in any direction.
Pigs and old hogs were seen swim
ming, trying to find some place to
rest, and three had found footing
on the roof of a shed. Many chick
ems were carried by on the flood |;
cows and horses could be seen stand
ing deep in water along fences of pas
lures; trees, boxes, barrels, chicken
eoops, and all manner of loose arti-
eles were being swept to the river.
Little Glen walled: Mamma, I'm
just awful hungry"
Mamma is very sorry, little man,
but she has nothing to give you.
Maybe some one will come by and by
and bring us something to eat. Cod
won't let us starve."
Little Glen became hopeful, but
Emmet, the older boy, asked: care
you sure, mamma, God will give us
food ?"
"Yes, my son, if we are only pa
tient; and you must remember we
are not the only ones God has to think
about"
Glen was still crying for food,
when slight noise was heard in the
farther corner fthe hay, and mamma,
thinking to amuse the little ones,
told them to 60 and see what it was.
After some search, Emmet shouted:
"Oh, mamma it's a speckled hen,
and here are three eggs! l"
The father and mother exchanged
glances. Tom blushed scarlet, but
Kate told the boys to bring two of
the eggs to her; she broke the ends
of the shells and told the little boys
to drink each an egg, as this was the
way God saw fit to feed them"
"But, mamma, why don't He give
you and papa some, too!" questioned
Emmet.
ooh, He will by and by; but He
knows we can wait better than little
boys" The little boys wanted the
third egg, but mamma said no, one
was plenty for them then.
The hen walked up on the hay,
but when she saw Tom she skipped
back, ducking her head as though
she must dodge some kind of mis-
sile whenever she saw him.
| The water remained about station
ary all day, although there were fire.
quent heavy showers. The children
were very restless, but the parents
took turns sleeping, preparatory to a
second nights watch. The second
morning there was no improvement
in conditions, except that the rain
had ceased falling and the sky was
bright. Another egg was found in
the speckled hens nest, so each of the
little boys had one. The parents
anxiously watched every floating OBJ
ject in hope some one might come tc
their assistance.
Toward night of the second day an
object was seen far off, which proved
to be their neighbor in a watering
trough, padding toward them. Tom
shouted, the neighbor waved his hat
and after what seemed long wait
he drew near the barn with his un
wieldy craft. He had brought a basket
of provisions, which was soon hauled
up to the hay loft by the hungry
couple.
The neighbor told them that all tn,
houses along the bottom land had
water in them, and that all the fami-
lies had been obliged to move nj
; stairs; that small buildings, pigs anC
chickens were all gone, and that hun
dreds of bushels of grain had beer