River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-08-23
CARA.
BY CLAUDE WILLIAM sMrrF.

BY CLAUDE WILLIAM SMITH.
A driving, binding snow, the sky dark
and sullen, wild wind sweeper g over
the plains the mountains quite hidden
from view by the storm.
lara threw more pine logs on the fire,
drew toaeth r the red chintz curtains at
the small window of her 'best room, >"
and tried to make things a tride cozier
in the ranch cabin.
Father will soon be home, she said
she had fallen into the habit of talk
ing to herself on. in this lonely country,
this new. far west" He will put the
aheep in the corral early to-night-it is
90 stormy
A small clock on shelf, which served
as a mantel, and which was draped with
some simple but pretty chiltz, like the
curtains, struck four. Tara sighed lit
tie as she heard It. How many times
had she listened TO that same silvery
chime lit was q pretty little French
cI"ck-in happier days in the dear east!
Its musical sound recalled so muchl-
brought back the pretty, old-fashioned
New EeaIaud home 50 plainly. cara
could almost smell the great creamy
roses that climbed over the front porch
She could see the tasteful little home
parlor, SO different from the meagrely-
furnished room she now sat in, with its
poor little attempts at cheerfulness.
She could fancy herself as of old. sitting
before her sweet-toned piano, singing
I'll the ''otd tUnesN she could call to
mind TO please father" or she could
picture the long happy summer days
spent under the large naples in the gar
den lying IDLY in a hammock, drinking
IN tine sweet air, and dreaming as girls
will dream.
How her dreams had turned outl
When her father came to her one fail
day and said very gravely, cara, have
lost money, This place must be sold. l
shat go West" her heart had leaped
with foolish joy She had dreamed so
often Of the West; she knew it was a
paradise, so free and wild. 'R0ughing
IT. would be SO very pleasant Had she
not read in books about il? So she had
only smiled at her fathers grave face
and exclaimed: e ] am so glad we are
going Vest We shall make our for
tunes there. / know"
She WAS younger then barely II. She
was p now-had been "roughing it,
five years She was wiser.
The lovely New England home had
been sold, all debts paid-for cara Joss
lyn's father was strictly hOnorable-and
father and daughter had sought the west
the great undeveloped territory of
Montana. Mr.. Josslyn's remaining cap
ital, which was not large, had been in
vested in sheep.
ttAe shall have Ia, hsa appfar,4 70, ,roit
Fart, child, while our little flock grows"
Mr.. Josslyn had said, and at the same
time had cast rueful glance around
the small iog-hOUse they were to call
home for the years to come. But
Zara was Young and hopeful.
we shall be rich before we know itp'
She had cried gayly, and went on tack
ing muslin on the cabin walls, in lieu of
ula~tcglng.
The years came and went-the little
fioc6 of sheep grew larger. and money
came in little more plentifully; but
Mr.. JOsslyn had not made fortune"
yet and life on ranch was not easy.
cara pinned. secretly, for the east. She
hated those desolate plains, the barren
foot hills" the deeply furrowed snowy
mountains, SO different from the wooded
New England hIllsl The sun blinded
her-it shone IN such a glarlng way
and she missed the trees! The few cot
ton-Wood' trees she detested; she
lOnged for naples elrns, and oaks. Il
want real trees or nOneW she would say.
A few vines, in summer, were trained
about the cabin-dOOr and windows, and
some Wild, pale, pink sWeetbrier roses
grew near the house. But lara had not
the heart 10 cultivate flowers, besides,
her time was well taken up in other
f1,..tv.rh
were busy ones. She did not dream
often now, unless Of the past, and life
Waa wholly practical 10 her.
Again the little gilt clock chimed-
this time, tive.
''i wonder father does not Gomez ex-
claimed lara, rising from low foot
bench by the fire, where she had been
sitting thinking for the last hour. She
went to the window, and vainly
tried 10 peer through the darkness. The
wind moaned and walled, the snow
blew against the window-pane. lara
shSyersi and drew back. As she did so
she caught the sound of voices. Lamp
IN hand she hurried To the door.
"tiu right in she heard her father
say; don't wait for me. Just tell her
sou are from the east-that will be suth-
cicnt recommendation
Then lara saw her father turn toward
the barn leading another horse beside
ms own, an, ana 'ail man Wen mulned'
t"llIe S'i''t't'5 uP 'iie paul iIoii 'ie gaze
way
nay S'i'e III, asNe" 'lie S 5y+-
P"usl''+ ~ " li'l'leh' at '"e uVO' anu
i3islt : q III gap H., -. 49,,
1aiLi4 ItPleu 1tIa, anu re-
treated INTO me Warth' hre-tt room.
ne '4ii Iiiah Y ivtloWeu' anu qsllchF ~!
Nes'ib% h'!lseli "' "ls sno" Sigil oti'-
"a N'"PEi"-S' uIe" meat Tue "ia@iAs
mrs s;,f.................- v-;,,;... ST.. .,
i'''5'e '9',''.cs illiS'lt. 'l'oIos
ne 7"''' st''.iiIS' "l." 9oui i"e''i au
ylSes me 10 tel YOU that / am from the
Last
I.ra smiled also. Father knows how
glad ana always TO see any one from
home she said.
hdve been IN Montana. however,
all this fail, Mr.. Storey went on to say,
''and come here nearly every fall to
hunt. Montana IS good hunting ground.
But J have fingered little too along
among the Rockies tins time; winter has
oVeItaken me!
y IS our first real snow, storm, but it
makes one feel 1t ought to be IN January
Iustc- of only November. lara
said With Sigh, as gust of
wind beat wildly against the ranch
cabin.
lou DO not like the West2 asked
her companion, glancingup at the young