Glacier County chief., 1940-03-01

He put the tub on. the table. awoke
into the tub The Old Man was an
noyed by the interruption to his nap,
but the bath was part of his ritual
and he liked that
Jimmy put the heavy towel on the
bed and. dumping the little body on
the towel rubbed it pink. He pow
dered and reclothed it, settled the Old
Man with his toys before he remem-
bered that he hadn't had any break
fast.
He revisited the icebox in the bath
room. took out the remains of his
supper and ate them. Then, lifting
the willing baby from the floor. he
carried it up to the attic
The desolation of the view from
those attic windows chilled his very
soul. Nothing like a house was in sight
and only the tops of the largest and
beSt-built DrlScoll barns rose above the
waters. In his arms the Old Man stared
across the waters with round. unwink-
ing eyes.
II was at this moment that the boy
saw a new object approaching them.
He stared unWinkingly. 1t was a boat
"a boat with people in it. Too many
people In it, he saw as it came closer.
1t was just a small row boat with one
en- huddled in the bottom. II was deep
IN the waterloo deep Jimmy was
convinced that she was in it.
He c!utched the baby tighter, slipped
down the narrow attic steps and raced
pack to one of the front windows of
shouted.
At first they didn't hear him. Then
ne saw some of these look and gesture.
Inc man stopped rowing There
seemed to be discussion among them,
The man took up the oars again and
the boat drew slowly nearer. Jimmy
SShouted again and held up the baby.
know 1t was all right.
Jimmy o'A w
All right, there?"
No; I'm alone in the house with this
Kid: The family's away"
The boy spoke flatly. He could see
the occupants of the boat now. She
was not among them.
sorry, the man called I'VE can't
TAKE another ounce on this boat. It's
too full already"
One of the women screamed.
cried Historically
Cant take you both. kid" he said.
crazy OF us to take either. Any ma
neuVerlng or standing up or reaching
IS pretty sure to swamp us. But we'll
try to take the baby if you say SO. I
! don't advise it."
Jimmy looked at the boat and then
at the baby.
No" he called back. Him an me
will stick t'gether"
The man nodded.
We'll send help back for you soons
we can, he promised. and rowed on.
not argument seemed in progress in
the boat as 1t moved away One of the
women-the hySterical one-Was crv-
ing. 1t was just after 10 o'clock now.
jimmy squeezed the juice from an
orange and fed it slowly to the baby,
following it with a strained vegetable
AS he watched the boat, he had dis
covered that the water was rising. 1t
was almost on a level with the roof
or the veranda now. When he went
out into the hall he could hear objects
pumping together downstairs-prob-
ABLY furniture. AS he fed the baby
he looked deep into the blue eyes.
Guess were kinda up against it.
Old Man, he admitted. The water'll
soon be upstairs now. In another hour
| or two guess it'll be the attic for YOU
an me. An after that the oak. Any
way. I'm goin' to take all your milk
up to the attic an the lamp an the
matches an some blankets an water
an be ready. But don't you worry
We'll stick t'gether- and She'll comet"
1t was only an hour after that She
came. In another boat-a stout, sea-
worthy one, with only herself and her
husband in 1t, both rowing like mad.
They rowed close to the veranda roof
and almost on a level with 1t. Jimmy