The Columbus journal., 1878-09-04
SAVED BY A FLASH OF LIGHTNING.

My name is Hunt. Yes sir; Au
thony Hunt. am a settlor on thi
Western prairie. Wilds! Yes, sir
it's little else than wilds now
but you should have seen il when
and my wife first moved up here
There was not house within sigh
for miles. Even now we have no
many neighbors; but those we hav
are downright good ones. To ap
preciate your neighbors as yor
ought, sir, you must live in thes,
lonely places, so far removed from
the hauuts of man.
What | am about TO tell of hap
pened ten years ago. | was gOin.
10 the distant town, or settlement
20 sell some fifty head of fcattle-fin,
creatures, sir, as ever you saw. Tht
journey was a more rare event Will
me than il is now and my wife hat
always plenty of commissions Il
charge me with ia the shape OF dry
goods and groceries, and such liz,
things.
Our youngest child was a sweet
little gentle thing, who had been
named after her Aunt Dorothy. We
called the child Dolly. This time
my commission included one fol
her-a doll. She had never had a
real doll that is bought doll only
the rag bundles her mother made
for her. For some days before my
departure the Child could talk OF
nothing else-or we, either, for the
matter of that-for she was a great
pet, the darling of US all. Ii was to
be a big, big doll, with golden hair
and blue eyes. i 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't but Eaye noticed, and
Dolly was one.
"A very great big doll, please,
daddy" she called out after me
"and please bring il very sOon."
turned 10 nod Eyes" to her as
she stood i'm her clean whitey-brown
pinafOre against the gate, her nut
brown hair falling in curls about her
neck and the light breeze stirring
them.
"A brave DOLL" answered, "for
my little onC-almOst as big as
Dolly"
Nobody would believe, | dare
say, how full my thoughts were of
that promised doll, as L rode along,
or what nice one meant TO buy.
Ii was not often | spent money in
what my good, thrifty wife would
call waste; but Dolly was Dolly
aud meant 10 do il now.
The cattle sold, l went about my
purchases, and soon had 10 end of
parcels 10 be packed in the saddle
bags. Tea, sugar, rice, candles-but
need not weary you, sir, with tell
ing of them, together with the cali
co for shirts and nightgowns, and
the delaine for the children's new
frocks. Last of all, went about
the doll, aud found a beauty. 1t
was not as big as Dolly, or half as
big but il had flaxen curls and sky
blue eyes, and by dint of pulling a
wire you could open or shut the
eyes at will.
do it up carefully" | said to the
storekecper. My little daughter
will cry sadly if any harm comes to
IT,"
The day was pretty well ended
before all my work was done; and,
just for a moment or two, hesitated
whether | should not stay in the
town and start for home in the
morning. 1t would have been the
more prudent course. But thought
of poor Dolly's anxiety TO get her
treasure, and of my own happiness
in watching the rapture in her de-
lighted eyes. SO with my
parcels i'm the best way they
could be, l mounted my horse and
started. Ii was as good and
steady horse as you ever rode, sir;
but night began TO set in before |
was well a mile away from the
town il seemed as il il were going
TO be an ugly night, too. Again the
thought struck me-should [ turn
back and wait till morning? had
the price of the cattle, YOU see, sir,
in my breast pocket; and robberies,
sir, aye, and murders, also, were not
quite unknown things on the prairie.
But had my brace of sure .pistols
with me, and decided TO press on
ward. The night came on as dark
as pitch, aud part of the way my
road would be pitch dark beside.
But on that score | had no fear; |
knew the road well, every inch of
it, though l could not ride so fast
as should have done in the light.
= was about six miles from home.
and | knew the time must
be close upon midnight. when the
storm which had been brewing
broke. The thunder roared, the
rain fell in torrents the best could
do was TO ride onward i'm il.
All at once, as rode on. a cry
startled me, a faint wailing sound,
like the cry of a child. Refining up,
/ sat still and listened. Had been
mistaken No, there it was again.
But in what direction I could not
tell. | couldn't sec a thing. 1t was.
rs 1 have said, as dark as pitch. Get
ting OFF my horse, | felt about but
could find nothing. And while was
seeking, the cry came again-the
faint moan of a child in pain. Then
| began to wonder; | am not super
stitious, but | asked myself how it
was possible that a child could be
out on the prairie at such an
hour and in such a night. No: real
child il could not be.
Upon that came another thought
Dne less welcome: Was il a tran to |
hinder me on my way and ensnare 1
ne? There might be midnight rob |
Ders who would easily hear of nv |
ride home that night. |
md of the money l should have |
about me:
I don't think, sir, | am more timid /
han other peOple-not as much so,
,erhaps, as some; but L confess the
dea made me uneasy. Nv best |