Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-10-14

She had scarcely seen a COW since she
| came to her present home; so she went to
eating as closely alongside of the others
| as politeness would allow. 1t wasn't long
before a great clothcovered emigrant
wagon began to move along past them, and
then a man came on horseback, with long
whip, and drove the cattle all together,
on after the wagon.
Ralleen hardly knew what to make of
it. A dim notion came across her brain
once in a while that she ought to go
toward home; but if she tried to leave the
others she was speedily turned back by
the man with the long whip.
So they went on till darkness began to
gather; and then the wagon stopped
and the COWS were all glad to lie down
and rest.
Ralleen had, in fact, become mixed up
with drove of cattle who were being
taken some hundreds of miles to the
north, to be.sOld at Fort Garry, in British
America.
"See here, Jim said the man with
the long whip to the other drover who
had driven the wagon, "there's one crit
ter here that don't belong to U.S."
"That's so! Where did we pick her
up?" said Jim.
Don't know. Guess likely where we
stopped for dinner" said the other.
Well, never mind" said jim, who
| cared for nothing but his own interest
Let her go on"
I" say turn her loose tO-nightand let her
find her way home," said Max, who was
a good-hearted fellow, and knew the cow
belonged to some settler who could poor
| ly afford to spare her.
No." said Jim, with an oath. "Drive
her along; we have rightto what comes
| to us. It'll be so much more in our peck
cts when we get to Carry
Max said no more; but while Jim was
lighting fire and getting supper be-
hind little hill he said he would see if
the drove was all together, and, contriving
to separate Ralleen from the rest, he drove
her furiously back about two miles in the
direction in which they had come. Poor
Ralleen was tired and perpleXed; but she
was made to gallop forward in a most I'M
dignlfed manner, until good natured Max
| thought there was no further danger Of
early start the next morning.
+" There, Bossy, turn your nose south
when you begin to eat tomorrow and
keep it pinted straight all day." was, his
parting advice, with a crack of the whip
that caused her to plunge forward with re-
doubled speed, while he wheeled his
horse round and was halfway back to
camp before Ralleen realized that she
might stOp'and rest if she liked.
q s'pose [ shall have to tell jim L
counted wrong if he asks for that critter
in the morning." Max chuckled to him.
| self as he rode up over the little hill to
the bright fire and savory supper, and an
nounced everything snug for the night.
That same evening little Nels Oleson, ten
years old, was sent out from home to bring
in the COW to be MIXED. Usually she was
not more than a mile off; but that night,
| as we know, she was miles away. Nels
thought he should find her every time he
climbed little hill and looked around,
but every time she wasn't there. You see
these swells Of land on the rolling prairie
hide anything near very easily.
At last, after going long way, he was
discouraged and made up his mind she
| had gone away to the south, instead of the
north which was the direction he had
brother Hans had gone off south to look
for her, and he, no doubt, had found her
before this.
He was just going to start for home
again when he saw pair of tall cranes
marching along, side by side, little way
from him. They are about the funniest
birds in the world. Nearly as tall as a
man, while their bodies are no bigger
| than a goose's, they consist almost entire
| ly, as you see, of legs and neck. Their
| legs are so long they can't sit down, and
their necks so long they can't swallow
without tossing their food in the air and
| opening their mouths as it comes down.
letting it get q good start down them
| Threats, don't you see?
Well, Nels forgot the COW and home
and everything but the cranes. If he
could only find their nest, wouldn't the
other boys be wild to see it? He erept up
as near as he could to them, and they
marched on. 1t was growing dusk. and
he could not see quite so well. He tried
to get little nearer, when all at once the
tall creatures raised their wings and
| scared up. and out of sight in a minute.
| Poor little Nels looked after them bewil--
dered. The stars had begun to twinkle
family. He looked around him. He
could see, nothing familiar. He did not
even know which way he had come. Il
looked just alike in all directions. Lit
tie hills, and valleys, and now and then a
slough, as far as he could see which was
not far; on account of the gathering dark
ness. He had an impression as-to which way
his home lay; so he turned and ran as fast as
as he could. His impression was exactly
wrong as it is very apt to be in such
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