The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-08-14
Saved by q Flash of lightning.

My name is Hunt. Yes, sir; Anthony
prairie. Wilds? Yes, sir; it's little else
than wllds now, but you should have seen
it when and my wife first moved up here
There was not a house within sight for
miles. Even now we have not many
neighbors; but those we have are down
right good ones. To appreciate your
neighbors as you ought, sir, you must
live in these lonely places, so far removed
from the haunts of man.
What I am about to tell of happened
ten years ago. was going to the distant
town. or settlement, to sell some fifty
head of Catherine creatures, sir, as ever
you saw. The journey was more rare
event with me than it is now; and my
wife had always plenty of commissions
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 includ-
ed one for her----a doll. She had never
had real doll; that is, bought doll,
only the rag bundles her mother made
for her. For some days before my de-
parture the child could talk of nothing
else----or we, either, for the matter of that
----for she was great pet, the darling of
US all. It was to be big, big doll; with
golden hair and blue eyes. shall never
forget the child's words the morning I 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 have no.
ticed, aud Dolly was one.
"A very great big doll, please. daddy"
she called out after me; land please
bring it very soon."
I turned to nod 'yes" to her as she
stood in her clean Whitley brown pinafore
against the gate, her nut-brown hair fall
ing in curls about her neck and the light
breeze stirring them.
"a brave DOLL" I answered, ''for my
little one-almost as big as Dolly"
NOBODY would believe, dare say, how
full my thoughts were of that promised
doll, as I rode along, or what nice one
meant to buy. twas not often I spent
money in what my good, thrifty wife
would call waste; but Dolly was Dolly
and meant to do it now.
The cattle sold, I went about my pur-
chases, and soon had no end OF parcels to
be packed in the saddle-bags. Tea, su-
gar, rice, candles-but need not weary
you, sir, with telling of them, together
with the calico for shirts and nightgown's
and the delaine for the children's new
frocks. Last of all, I went about the doll
and found a beauty. It was not as big
as Dolly, or half as big; but it had flaxen
curls and sky-blue eyes; and by dint of
pulling wire you could open or shut
the eyes at will.
"Do it up carefully" said to the
storekeeper. "My little daughter would
cry sadly if any harm comes to it,
The day was pretty we'll ended before
all my work was done; and, just for
moment or two, I hesitated whether I
should not stay in the town and start for
home in the morning. It 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 delie hted
eyes. So with my parcels packed in the
best way they could be, 1 mounted my
horse and started. It was as good and
steady a horse as you ever rode, sir; but
night began to set in before was well
mile away from the town; it seemed as
if it were going to be an ugly night, too.
Again the thought struck me--should
turn back and wait till morning2 / 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 I
had my brace of sure pistols with me,
and decided to press onward.
The night came on as dark as pitch,
and part Of the way my road would be
pitch dark beside. But on that score I
had no fear; knew the road we'll, every
inch of it, though I could not ride 50
fast as I should have done in the light