South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1877-11-02
Saved by Lightning.

4 lcSt SIT, anIDO-
ny Hunt. am settler and drover on
this Western prairie, Wilds? Yes.
sir, it's little else than wilds now. but
you should have seen it when and my
wife first moved up here. There was
not house within sight for many miles.
Even now we have not many neighbors,
but those we have are downright good
ones. To appreciate your neighbor as
you ought, sir, you must live in these
lonely places. far removed from the
haunts of man.
What am about to tell happened
ten years ago. / was going TO the dis
tant town or settlement to sell some fif.
ty head Of cattle--fne creatures, sir. as
You ever saw. The journey was moro
rare event with me than il is now, and
my wife hal always plenty Of commits.
sions to charge me with in the shape OF
dry goods and groceries and such like
things.
Our youngest child was sweet little
gentle thing who had been named after
her aunt Dorothy. We called the child
Dolly. This time my commission in.
cluded one for her-a doll. She had
never had n real doll that is. bought
one only the rag ones her mother had
made for her. For some days before
my departure the Child could talk of
nothing else-or we either, for the mat
ter OF that-for she was great pet. the
darling of all. 1t was to be 4 big, big
doll, with golden hair, and blue eyes.
shall never forget the child's words the
morning | was starting, as she ran after
me to the gate, or the pretty picture she
made. There are some children sweeter
and prettier than others, sir, as you can
have but noticed, and Dolly was one.
"a very great big doll. papa" she
called out after me, 'and please bring
it very soon"
l turned to nol yes TO her as she
stood in her clean Whitley brown pima
fore, against the gate, her nut-brown
hair falling in curls about her neck, aud
the light breeze stirring them.
"a brave doll" / answered for my
little one-almost as big as Dolly"
Nobody would believe. / dare say,
how full my thoughts were ofthat prom
; Used doll as rode along. or what nice
one meant to buy. 1t was not often
| spent money in what my good, thrifty
wife would call waste hit Dolly and
meant 10 do it now.
The cattle sold went about my pur.
chases, and soon had no end OF parcels
to be packed in my saddle pockets.
: Tea, sugar, rice, candles-but need
not worry you. sir, with telling of them
together with the calico for shirts and
night gowns. AMI the dclaine for the
:, children's new frocks. Last of all |
went about the doll, and found n beauty.
1t was not as big rs Dolly. or half rs
big bat it had 1axen curls and sky
, blue eyes. and by dint of pulling a wire
. you could open and shut the eyes at
will.
DO it up carefully" I said to the
storckeeper. My little daughter would
, cry sadly if any harm come to It,"
The day was pretty we'll ended be-
fore all my work was done. and Just FOR
a moment or two / hesitated whether !
: should stay in town and start for home
2 in the morning It would have been
the moro prudent course. Bat thought
of poor Dolly's anxiety TO get her treas
IRE, and of my own happiness in watch.
ing the rapture in her delighted eyes.
/ SO with my pockets packed in the best
J.. way they could be, mounted my horse
and started.
1t was as good and steady horse rs
you ever rode. sir: bus night hogan 60
set in before I was mile away from the
. town il seemed as If it were going 10
j. be an ugly night. too. Again the
C thought struck me-should turn back
and wait till the morning2 I had the
price Of the cattle, you see, sir. lin my
breast pocket; and robbcries, aye, and
murders. also, were not quite unknown
I things on the prairie. But | bad my
, brace Of pistols with me, and decided 70
, press onward.
Tho night came on rs dark rs pitch
- and part OF the way my road would be
Z pitch dark besides. But on that score
\ ! had no fear J knew the road well. CIV
. cry inch of il. though could not ride
, as fast as I should have done in the
=, light. | was about six miles from
home, suppose when tho storm broke
= and knew the time must be close upon
s midnight The thunder roared. the
b rain fell in torrents; the best / could
do was 90 press onward in it.
An at once, as rode on, n cry star.
tied me faint wailing sound. ike tho
cry ola child. Refining up. sat still
and listened. Had been mistakens
] No. there 10 was again. but in what di
rcction / could not tell. ! couldn't sec
n thing. IL was as have said. as dark
as pitch. Getting or my horse, I felt
about, but could inl nothing. And
. while was seeking tbe cry came again
, the faint moan Of child I'm ain.
Then ! began 10 wonder I am not su.
perstitious. bot asked myself how il
was possible that q child could be out
on the prairie at such on hour and on
such night. No real chill it could
not be-
Upon that came another thought
ono less Welcome. Was 10 tran 20
d hinder me on my way and ensnare mc2
there might be midnight robbers who
would easily hear Of my almost certain
ride home that NIGHT. and Of tho mnnnr