Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1880-03-09

One winters day lad named John |
Wilson, with his father and two neigh
bors, all living at Mosquito Bottom,
Kansas, started for the plains on the
Upper Arkansas to hunt buffalo. Game
was abundant, and the excitement of the
chase completely fascinated the boy. 1t
was his first experience in buffalo hunt
ing, and he thought he would like to fol-
low the sport all the rest of his days.
When the men had killed meat enough
to load their wagons they prepared to
return, but John did not want to go
home.
The hunters camp was in the shelter
of "skirt of timber" on the river bank.
Southwark stretched the vast rolling
prairie, and there in the distance, while
his companions were busy cooking and
packing their rations; John could see
antelopes and buffaloes feeding. He
begged his father to let him go out and
have lone more shot,"
His father finally yielded to his i'm
portunities, and Selling his gun and
ammunition he was soon out OF sight on
the prairie stealing within reach of his
game. The wild creatures discovered
him and galloped away, but John would
not give it UP.
| Away went the buftaloes and boy, the
latter too much excited to thin!. how
| fFuitless such race must be. Before
long the herd had left him far behind.
Stopping to take breath and look about
him, he found that he mad utterly lost
his direction. He did not know where
he was or which way to go.
When night drew near the men in
camp began to wonder what had become
of John. His father grew worried, and
his worry soon increased to anxiety. by
dark the three were on horseback roam
ing the prairie, shouting the boys name,
whooping like Indians, and firing guns.
But they did not find him that night,
nor the next day, nor the next, nor the
next. Then Mr.. Wilson sent home as
swiftly as possible and called all his old
neighbors to come and help him hunt
through Western Kansas for his missing
son. They Joined him, and kept up the
search till more than a week was gone,
but all in vain.
| Poor JOhn-alone on the Great Ameri-
can desert! The darkness overlook him
while he was trying to guess his way
back to camp. He walked OF bravely,
hoping to retrace the ground he had run
over; but instead of approaching the
river every step only took him further
away.
A cold wind rose and blew IN his face,
. and by-and-by sleet storm came on,
J and the wet froze upon his clothes till
they were stiff with ice. About mid
night he stumbled against clump OF
bushes, and curling down under their
shelter, he fell asleep from sheer exhaus.
, ton. In the morning he got up and
f strained his eyes over the prairie, but
| all looked dreary and strange. He bal
anced a stick on end and determined tO
? go the way it fell.
But there was no luck in the sign, and
he started off in the wrong direction, as
before. He walked all that day, going
he knew not whittier, to sink down al
= night in another weary sleep. On the
t second day he crept near enough to s
herd of buftaloes to fire one shot, but
= missed his mark.
3 The third day and the fourth were
spent in the same fruitless wandering
In all that time, since he had left his
. fathers camp, he had not tasted food
but, tormented with hunger IS he was,
and with the ice still clinging to his
clothes, the courageous boy trudged on,
f hoping to meet other hunters-or In.
! dians-some human beings, whether
= friends or foes, he did not care, if they
would only give him Something to eat
l On the fifth day his strength, which
: had held out SO wonderfully, gave out
9 He stopped on the bank ola little stream
' where some stunted trees grew, and
! managed to scrape together some dry
fuel, which he kinded into bright fire
by discharging his gun into it. Here ht
warmed and dried himselfand lay dOWI
= and went to sleep.
0 When he awoke again. toward even
ing, it was to see big Indian standing
] near him with gun, and the hind quar-
r ters of an antelope strapped on his back
g Howl" grunted the Indian.
y "How YOURSELF" said John. crawling
to his feet.
] There was no need OF more words, fol
2 the poor boys haggard and famisheC
4: looks told the whole story. In very
short time the fire was replenished anC
some vension roasted, and John made &
5 hearty meal.
The kind Indian took him to his
r camp and kept him till he was strong
again, and then showed him the way
r home Three days afterward he; met his
t father, with the party of neighbors, who
t were searching for him.