South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-07-17
By MABEL. HERBERT URNER.
THE THIRD YEAR.

We'll, that's pretty tough" frown-
ed Warren as he finished the letter
and threw il across the breakfast ia
BILE to Helen.
To was the first word they had re-
ceived from his aunt whose home
had been In the midst of the Ohio
flood district The penciled scrawI
on piece Of wrapping paper, WAS
hardly legible
Dayton. o.. April 4. 1913.
Dear Warren-We just got your
wire asking what YOU could do. Send
Us an old clothes. blankets or bed
ding that YOU or Helen may have.
Will be grateful tor anything. We've
only the clothes We have on and
few old things that were IN a trunk
in the garnet.
cannot write you Of the horror of
the last 10 days. For As hours the
water was up to the second floor and
we we're in the garnet without any
food or drinking water. The window
was broken and the cold was fright
ful There happened 20 be old
stairway carpet up there which we
tore up and wrapped about us-that
was all we had 10 keep us warm.
Alice was hysterical most of the
us they took her 20 Cousin Martha's,
whose house on the hill was not
washed out. They asked us 10 come,
too. but. as they have three families
there now. and are sleeping on all
the floors. we felt we should not go.
II only they can take care of Alice.
we will manage somehow.
Water gone down
The water has gone down now, but
L.
IL looks like. The mud, the filth, the
refuse! Everything is wrecked ard
ruined. We are still sleeping in the
garnet. for the rooms below are not
fit-but they have brought us food
and blankets.
We have only fire insurance-noth-
ing that will cover this do not
care give way. for if 1 did your Uncle
George would break down complete
IS. He has aged 10 years. Every
one says we should be thankful we
have escaped with our lives-but 1
can't see that life means much to
us now. l do not know what we have
done to deserve such suffering.
This letter is for Carrie and the
rest OF the family / cannot write
them all. Your Aunt,
EMMA.
Helen's eyes were filed with tears
when she laid down the letter oh,
dear: l didn't think it could be rs
bad as that
''Of course I know the papers have
dreadful accounts but they some
times eXabberate.r
Guess this is one of the times they
don't eXaggerate. Now we've got 10
get off some things right away. Put
in that whipcord overcoat and that
brown winter suit of mine won't
need them much longer. anyway And
look over my underwear: send a cou-
pie of suits. How about a pair of
Blankets"
Dear, we haven't blanket to
spare-but / can send a quilt"
All right: send that And look
over your things; send what YOU can.
Alice is just your size. Aunt Emma's
"A little stOuter. but she could wear
your clothes all right I'd better send
this letter over 10 Carrie. putting it
IN his pocket. as he rose from the ia
Die. Shell want to do something"
Helen Packs the Box.
That morning Helen spent looking
over Warren's clothes and her own.
She got a small packing box. lined
il with paper. put in Warren's over
coat. the brown suit. some under
wear and the quilt.
But the selection from her own
things was more difficult. She had
SO few clothes in the last year that
there was really nothing much TO
send. There was a dark blue serge