The Yale expositor., 1921-11-24
What the Flood
Carried
By WILLIAM FALL.


NI,cS. vi his home Ills wire Mary,
stood %, nj side hui even in his
eNupuiiN ~ ar,lc,iun lar hand did
not seek his. and thrre was no sign
thai iheh common disaster had united
them.
Things had not gone we'll with them
during Tie three years that had
elapsed since their marriage. lie had
been u clerk in 81. Louis. and Mary
was II school teacher. II was II boy
and girl firtati0n followed by hoy
and Girl marriage: then, spurred by
necessity and aided 10y the inheritance
OF few hundred dollars. John had
purchased II few acres in the fiat low
lands OF The western part Of the state.
There they had struggled almost from
The beginning
Gradually, under the influence Of The
hard aud remitting toll, they had
drifted apart. II Mary had had
child il might have brought them TO-
gether. But because this was not des-
tined To he they had grown To be al
most strangers.
When they ceased TO hope for
child il seemed as though they must
DRIFT apart for ever. In fact they had
spoken OF Separation. ut first tenta-
lively, then hopefully then eagerly, rs
something TO be anticipated.
"You can have everything except
the house and the land" John said 10
her. 81 want to be free, as you do.
I'll send you"
81 don't want your money, John"
she flashed out at him. ''There isn't
anything Of yours / want-now. There
was only one thing-lOve-and I don't
want that any more"
They were TO have separated that
very day, John remaining there, Mary
returning 10 ST. Louis. to take up her
work in the public schools again.
And then, a week before, the river
began TO rise.
Then the worst happened; the river
burst ITS banks. and. when the crest
OF the food had passed the little set
tlement was as matchboxes. Not
house was left standing.
They stood side by side upon a lit
tie knoll and looked at the dull yell
low ponds that covered their land.
Mary was To leave on the following
morning They were sheltered in the
railroad depot nearby which accOmo-
dated the homeless sufferers and
stood just beyond the highest reach
Of the food. On the next morning
John set off at dawn. He could not
resist the temptation to look once
again at the ruin Of his home; hut
he had not the heart tO awaken Mary.
Half an hour later he was hack,
his face aflame. She looked at him
In amazement. He might have been
another man--nO. the old one, her
hOyiSh sweetheart who had so long
been only memory to her.
Mary" he called. "COme! No,
put on your cloak and bring your grip.
I will carry il for You. Come-rll
show YOU"
She accompanied him outside the
squalid building to where the reced-
Ing Hoods had left a swampy stretch
vi IL ihCii ldihl huh bCNhs
their house and growing crops, and
now
She started in amaZement. A new
house stood almost upon the spot Of
the old one. Mary turned to John.
ITS magic, John. What does II
meanT she asked
John pointed to the receding river.
ut is the rivers gift TO us" he an
swered
Torn from its foundations, hundreds
OF miles away, I'm heaven only knew
what county or state, even, 1t had
been deposited there by the flood. They
crept up toward it, wading like
children through tie swampy places.
And, looking in, Mary gasped with
wonder. For 1t was furnished, neatly,
cheaply, but tastefully.
II wonder IL the upper floor is fur
nished. Mary" John suggested.
"Did you hear anythlngT she
asked.
John had heard nothing except the
sullen tapping Of the waves upon the
river banks.
"What Is it, Nary" he asked stupid
ly.
Suddenly she dashed wildly up the
steps of the stranded house, and al
most Immediately afterward she re-
appeared In her arms she carried a
bundle.
Look, joint" she whispered.
An infant Of six months was lying
I'm her arms.
"What do you think, John !" said
Mary, with little laugh. "He hasn't
even finished his bottle-although the
milk is souring. You didn't hear
him." she added, "but did"
She stood there so proud, so happy
in this vicarious motherhood that
Johns arm stole tlmldly around her
waist and he drew her toward him.
MARY, DEAR" he whispered, II have
often thought that IL we had child
like this-it would have drawn us to-
gether. We would not have drifted
apart as we have DONE"
$50 have l." she answered passion
ately. 81 felt that you resented II,