Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1883-02-14
LOST ON A PRAIRIE.
Matte Dyer Britt. in Youth. Companion.

No one unacquainted with the
sSlniiculties of Western travel can
red ze how hard it is to keep
etfaight course across a Kansas
nfairie. Grass from two feet to
ftwo yar;ls high covers mile after
miie with an UNMARRIED sea Of
green waving bilIows. There
&re no trees to guide the eye, no
fences to restrain the steps; but
{p<atpaths come to notice con-
Vrnntiy-tralis made by Iadian.
bu ttalo or wool, aud every trail
but the right one may be fatal
to the traveller.
A man may be lost half a
nile from his home; and for a
child, of course, the prairie is
donbly dangerous. 1t is not
uncommon, in western Kansas,
for small children to wander
away from home and never be
seen again.
Mr.. Joseph Clement, a neigh
Dor OF mine, lately from home
on the plains OF Kansas, related
the following adventure while
m search OF a lost child, which
occurred just before he lett that
state.
lie owned a very large and a
valuable houni, which his
t~o boys, Jack and Oscar, bad
AIMED Kowdy, and which was
heir constant companion in all
heir hunting expeditions. They
had trained him to hunt for
hem, so that by merely letting
Inn smell one OF the boys gar
ncnis be would go est and track
It's owner at any distance from
The house.
About a mile from Mr.. Glenn
ents' home was a small board
cabin, belonging to an indus
Hrous German and his wife. Mr..
Clements had sometimes seen
little yollow haired boy playing
near the cabin. One morning,
Gust as the family were rising
from the breakfast-table, the
&German's wife came to the house
in great distress.
"Mein Hanka! mein Hanka ist
gone! Mem kint ist lost! Help
me find Hanka! Ach! mcin Gott!
mein kint (childD ist 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 the cabin
Nand was lost. lie had been
gone since daybreak, and she
had no idea which way he went.
Her husband was sick IN bed,
she said, and could not help her
Search for the child, and she had
come to the ne,ghbors for aid.
"A Mr.. Clements and his boys
were, of course, eager to help
the distracted mother, but as
ehe had no idea which direction
the child had taken, they hardly
knew what course to pursue.
"Father, / believe Rowdy
could fud him, if he had some
thing of the child's to smell!''
said Oscar, eagerly.
III 81 don't know. He has not
been used to tracking any one
but you and Jack. We can try
him, though" said Mr.. Glenn
snts. "Get ready and come
with me, and bring the dog"
III He told the woman that If she
would take them TO her cabin
Ind give them one of Hsnka's
cocks, they would endeavor to
lind the child. She swiftly
n Kuided them to the rude home,
where her" "man," as she said lay
lick.
A wagon, plow aud several
farmlng tools were scattered
<around. Ins,de was scanty
1suppiy oi hou ehela furniture.
M ear the door lay small pair
81 wooden shoes which Hanka
had kicksd off. Rowdy walked
.8up aud began to smell OF the
shoes, which encouraged the
boys greatly.
The mother brought out a
small sock, and Oscar, taking it
from her, held il for Row dy to
smell, then pointed off over the
prairie, saying:-
"Seek HIM, Rowdy! Seek him!
Seek him, good dog. Seek him,
Rpwdyw
RowJy smelled the little sock,
wagged his tail, looked wistfully
up II Oscars face, ran away a