The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-03-31
Lost on tho Prairie.


ties OF western travel can reaIlze how har
II is to keep straight course across
kansas prairie. Grass from two feet {
Two yards high covers mile after nile wit
= an UNMARRIED sea of green waving pillows
Ihere are no trees to guide the eve, n
1ence to restrain the steps; but footpaths
come TO notice constaDtly-tralle made b.
Indian, buffalo or wolf, and every trai
put the right Que may be fatal to the traye
Ter. |'.'- -.
a man may be lost half mile from hi
nome; and for child, of course, th
prairie ls doubly dangerous. 1t Is not I'M
, common IN Western Kansas for small Chill
drcn to wander away from home and neye
he seen again,
Mr.. r.Joseph Clements, q nelghuor of niue
latelv from home on the plains of Kansas
; related tho following adventure whl.c /,
search OF lost child, which occurred ius
before he left that State
He owned very large aud very yalu.
able hound, which:his two boys, Jack apd
oscar, had named Rowdy, and which was
thelr constant companion in all their hunt.
Ing expeditions. They had trained him
to hunt for them, 80 that by merely letting
him smell one of the boys garments he
would 70 out and track its owner at any
distance from the house.
About mile from Mr.. Clements home
was small board cabin, belonging to an
industrious, German and his wife. Mr..
elements had sometimes seen a hitle vel
low-halrcd boy playing near the cabin.
One morning, just as the family were rls.
Ing from tho brcakfast-table, the Germans
"lic came to the house in great distress.
"hlein Hanka mcin Hanka IS gone
| Mem Kind iat lost Help me find Hapkai
Ach mein Gott tchll,D lst lost !" she
cried, over and over.
The family gathered around her and
learned from her broken words that her
little boy had wandered away from tho
CABIN and was lost. He had been gone
since daybrcak, and she had no idea which
way he went. Her husband was sick In
bed, she SAID, and could not hcl5 her
search Tor the child, and size had come to
the neighbors for aid
Dir. Clements and his boys were. of
course, eager to help the distracted mother
but as ste had no idea which direction the
child had taken, they hardly knew what
course to pursue.
feather, believe Rowdy could find
him, If he had something OF tho child's to
smelll' said Oscar, eagerly.
II don't know. He has not been usod
to tracking any one but you aud Jack.
we can try HIM, though" said Mr..
Clements. "Get ready and come with me.
and bring the dog"
He told the woman that If she would
take them TO her cabin and give them one
Asnkss 1a.s SOCKS, taRasY cYgGS,ded them &c
the rude home where her man." as sbo
said, lay sick. .,...
A wagon, plow and several farm tools
were scattered around. Inside was a scanty
supply of household furniture. Near the
door lay small pair Of wooden shoes,
which Hanka had Kicked off. Rowdy
walked up and began to smell OF the shoes,
which encouraged the boys greatly.
Tho mother brought out small sock,
and Oscar, taking it for Rowdy to smell,
then pointed Or over the prairie, saying:
Seek him, fowdy!''
Rowdy smelled the little sock, waeeed
his tail, looked wlstfully up in Oscars
face, ran away few steps, then came
back, and squatted down by his masters
side with low whine, as. if he wanted to
understand and could not. .s|
Oscar drew the liltlo sock along tho
ground few feet. Rowdy followed,
smelling and whining, and when Oscar
stopped he ran ON little ways, looking
back to SEQ IL Oscar approved. Seeing
doubt In their faces, he went back, re-
peatcd the action three or four timee, until
1t seemed useless to try and make him
comprehend what was wanted, and the
poor mother was growing almost frantic.
Finally Oscar threw the little sock far
from him, and the dog, with glad bound,
rushed after and brou;'t it proudly back,
with head erect, as If no were sure now he
had done what they wished. But at their
looks of disappointment he dropped his
tai, and slowly started 20 carry the sock
back to the place where he had picked 1t
up. :. .t,.4 - = i.-
But as he dropped it from his mouth, he
stopped. snuffed the ground, ran this way
and that moment, to catch warmer
scent, then ran along slowly, with his nose
on the ground. as If deeply interested in
something. They al followed, trem bling
with expectation and hope, which might
yet be sadly disappointed; for it might he
only gamo which Rowdy Lad scented.
But on he went, scenting every tuft Of
grass or cluster Of prairie flowers, stopping
al instant, now and then, and snufllng
with long, slow breath, as If to make
hAoiC SulC u dt uo WAS TlSnt, WDllG tnCy
eagerly followed him. The mother was
with them, In her excitement and anxiety
continually asking:
''Wll no flint mein Hanika 81
Suddenly the dog stopped, and held his
nose high IN the air, snufflng nj tall
weed.
The mother IN an instant sprang forward
with cry, and caught small shred OF
calico from the bush, shouting:
'lt ls Hanka's dressl IT, is mein
Hankasl" 6'g.. q 10
The dog started on. For two long hours
the company followed him eager, hopeful,
anxious. Now the odor of the trail seemed
strong, and the dog sure; now 1t was talnt,
and he would retrace his steps and search
hitber and thlthcr for the scent before he
found it again.
AT last, striking an old buffalo trail.
they saw plainly in tho dry dust the track
of u chiId's foot.
''Tis Hanka's sporr (traiDl 'tis Hankn's
sporr! Mein kindl mem klnaI" screamed
the mother. Anc again ran, closely fol.
lowing the noble, eager dog.
Seeming a trail over dry dust was now
difficult for the dog, but he kept on brave
Iy, seeming almost as excited as the
mother or Oscar, who was wild with de-
light at what his favorite was accomplish.