The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1871-07-07
grateful shade.

however, Suner us long to SIT idle
Cooking, eating and sleeping spots hav.
ing been selected and forces distribu.
ted, order soon took ON form and chao:
disappeared. The novelty of being
drawers of water, heWers of wood and
cookers of food, had by this time sc
nearly passed away, that, in our pres.
ent worn and weary state, stern neces.
ty alone drove US to the getting of din.
ner. The dining was not so grievous
however. With appetites, to which in
the city we were strangers, we sal
down to the most savory and sumptu.
GUS repast of the journey. Spread in
that charming retreat, with hunger
whetted only as exposure to sun and all
I'can whet it, even glitch" and corn
bread eaten in solitary silence would
be good. But when it comes to the old
stand-bye, bread and butter, and pick.
les-sppetizing corn, rice and tomatoes
most deftly prepared omelet-deli-
elous ham and fragrant coffee-sur.
rounded by merry and goodly com.
pany-then, then
a0hs heart, my heart, why fails thy foree,
Thus IN the middle of my course,
Halfway between the sea and source"
Through all that sultry afternoon, we
read and lOunged, and did as to each
one it seemed best. Towards evening
black clouds appeared on the western
horizon, and the ominous mutter ofdis-
tant thunder, warned us of an approach
ing storm. The atmosphere became OF
feverish eloseness. Hardly a whis-
per of wind ruffled the lifeless foliage.
Nature was drawing a deep, deep
breath for the tempest-showing her.
self more awful in her death-like calm
than in her angrier words.
We fell at once busily to work build
ing shelter. Great heaps of bows and
small trees were cut and woven into
tent-like form. Bushes, branches and
large leavcd weeds were piled upon
this until it assumed the dimensions of
a hay stack, and was as impervloHs to
water as rubber. Our supplies were
made safe from the rain, by the tarpualin.
The horses were brought in and fast
ened near by securely. We had pre-
pared for the worst, and sat down to
await the coming of the storm.
Night drew her curtain near us-a
curtain ofrolling, raggedly piled clouds,
wildly Illuminated and fearfulIy rent
by zigzag flashes of lighting. Low
signing winds crept through the woods
and the winds whispered disconsolately.
Then came fresher, sharper gusts.
There was quick, clear patter of drops,
burst of thunder,a vivid lighting up of
the landscape, mad whipping and tos-
sing of trees, sudden rush as of many
feet, and the storm had come.
1t was night full of wonders. All
strange noises were abroad and the
air full of goblin shapes. Intense fash
es of lightning revealed a sky tempest
tossed and earth flood-swept. Occa-
sional rift in the clouds disclosed stars
which flooded the scene with uncertain
light and shadows. These were sea-
sons of fearful calm and or wild fury.
But the smiling morning found US
unwet and unframed. Our leafy bow
er had stood as a rock. BY noon we had
hidden it forever q heartfelt farewell.
That days journey was uneventful, but
overlooking with quiet, subtle sense
of exquisite pleasure. 1t is of the Sc
rene, sunny, even tempered days, when
everything went well and smoothly,
that we have the least to say, though
they rest most indelibly i'll memory.
In the late, rich glow ofthe afternoon
we came to halt in sheltered little
nook of woods, which never before had
known the presence of women or the
busy ways Of men. There we remain
ed in restful idleness until the follow.
ing noon, when the line of march was
again resumed. We rode until nearly
dark over an undulating, uninhabite6
country, and went into camp in the
widest, loneliest spot of all the jour.
ney. 1t was a little sink or ravine il
the great prairie, miles and miles from
human habitation. Eternal silence
seemed to brood over the scene; anG
lost spirits might hold there, undisturb
ed, their vigils. The sky was suller
and overcast. In the north cast storm
was silently brewing. Our voices broke
in the hushed air discordantly. Alto
gether it was forbidding place and al
unreasonable time. The almost stag
nant stream furnished poor water, anG
scant brush for shelter lined its edges
We built what protection we could
from the material afforded, and as thI
shades drew around sought our frai
| covering with some degree of trepida-
ton. Songs and jests went rou nd
however, hope not having entirely for
saken us. Nearer gathered the clouds
and soon there was a dash of rain
With patter and splash the drops cam
thickly through upon us. Their
was hurried moving from under leaks
and hasty adjusting of wraps and robes
However, the storm did not rage as i
had promised, and we were only slight
ly dampened and Inconvenience. Blu
the mosquitoes did rage. All through
the long, still hours we fought then
with will and persistency equaIle'
only by their own. Never before wa
morning SO welcome, though it dawn
ed upon sleepless night. Without re
greet or any pleasing memory we move,
out of that fate-haunted valley int.
the world again. The day was oppres
sively warm, but by a little after tw,
we had reached our first moving ground
There we ate our last lunch soberly
An hour afterwards we saw in the din
distance the monument of great learn
| ing which adorns the city of our adop
ton. The cares and duties we had al
most forgotten in five short days, cam
out to meet us.
The forms and demands of q false SO
ciety Knocked at us. Before us wer
crowded the narrow habitations q
men behind, far and open, spread th
/. west, suffused with crimson and pul
pie glory. We took up the burden Q
, life again. The day and the journe
had ended.
, You cannot, dear reader, by an
words of mine be made to understan
the complete satisfaction and exquisit
: enjoyment at all times ours. Long,iur
. clouded ys,without care or worry
l nothing to do but that which vii
: most enhance your pleasure-exposul
| to air and weather, which is q tonic