Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1923-11-30
A False
Alarm
By CHARLES E. BAXTER

C. 1929. Western Newspaper Union,

Waterloo.
Bill Pickens had much the same
feeling about Small Fork, thriving
township at the edge Of the desert
There was some irrigated land around
1t, with peach orchards. A good deal
Of money was made by the growers.
There were three banks. Everything
had been created by the big dam miles
up in the mountains.
Bill Pickens and his friend Smiler
were in hard luck. Small Fork had
not been good to them. They had hit
the town only to be escorted to the
boundaries by the sheriff and warned
not to return. They didn't like it.
They hung around for while, bum
ming from the peach growers. The
peach-growers were not kind. After
while 1t was intimated pretty plainly
that their presence could be dispensed
with. 1t was emphasized by a dog, a
large hound, which had ripped another
patch out Of Bill Pickens' trousers.
They hung about the dam for
while, until they wore out their well
come there. Hard luck stared them
in the face.
"And down there-them bloated
bankSl" said Bill to Smiler. "Gosh, if
we could have Small Fork to ourselves
for an hour or twoP
Smiler reflected over this saying as
they lay side by side among the trees
some distance from the dam. BILL"
he said presently.
saw, what va chewing now?" de-
manded his partner sullenly.
bill, kin you git horseT
Sure, l kin git that horse of the
bosss. But what goodl that do?
That's hanging, horse-stealin is"
Listen! It's been rainin' pretty
hard this last week. l heard the boss
sayin' something about the strain on
the masonry"
swell, what va gittin' att"
"Listen"
They put their heads together.
Dawn smiled over Small Fork. Peo-
pie rose early there, to rest in the
heat Of the day. The stores were
opening, the banks were opening, the
young men and girls were getting
ready to go to business when a hubbub
arose.
In the center Of Main street a crowd
was gathering about dusty, unrecog-
nizable man upon horse.
"The dams goin' to bust / rode as
hard as l could git. They amt no
chance of saving it. You got jest one
hour, folks, before the Salamoosa
river hits this burg"
Terror arose. The long threatened
inundation was almost at hand. Once
the masonry walls gave way, the pent
up stream would come roaring down
the narrow valley. In a few minutes
from the time it started it would over
whelm Small Fork.
The township lay in hollow among
the peach orchards. The force of the
food would simply batter it to de-
struction. Not building would sur
vive Not man, woman or child
could hope to escape unless they
reached the rim of the higher ground
five miles away.
The bells began to ring. Criers ran
through the streets. In two minutes
Small Fork was vomiting out crowd
OF terror-stricken people. Horses and
rigs were called into requisition. Mo-
tor cars were 1ammed full of the
scared inhabitants.
Within five minutes the entire pop
ulation of Small Fork was In exodus
toward the horizon.
1t was q panic-stricken mob that did
not stand upon the order of Its going,
but went 1t struggled away in a long
line out Of the doomed valley. Nothing
remained-nobody, that is to say, ex-
cept Bill Pickens.
Satisfied that he was the sole sur
vivor Of the town, Bill made his way
to the First National bank and whis-
tied.
Out Of doorway stepped his friend
Smiler. The partners winked at each
other.
Left everything open," said Bill
Pickens. II reckon Small Fork amt
such g a bad little burg after ALL
Smiler7"
"You said It," answered Smiler, as
he picked up a wad from the cash
ier's drawer.
'They's train passes Big Fork at
three o'clock. We got to hurry. You
take this First National and I'll try
the Orchard association. They got
their shipment just ready to CO."
At three o'clock two travellers in
brand-new suits and carrying heavy
suit cases hoped OH board the train
at Big Fork, Ave miles across the
plains.
"No. Small Fork amt such bad
burg, by thunder" admitted Bill to
Smiler.