The Red Cloud chief., 1884-07-18
on THE PRAIRIE.


on THE PRAIRIE.
Our house stood alone in the midst O
. vast prairie. 1t seemed very lionel.
to my mother, l dare say, and though
we children were content, / think sbs
hungered for the old homestead in the
East Still she seldom spoke of il, anC
kept up q brave heart before father and
us children. She had, that first yea,
after moving on the prairie, q strange
fancy when alone of closing the doors
drawing the curtains. and shutting out
the sunny outer world. 1.-The earth
seems SO vast" she would say, .9it
wearies me TO sec 1t stretching into the
sky. / feel such an atom in the uni.
verse"
Father wasted no time in fancies OF
regrets. A mortgage had swallowed
mp the old homestead, and thankful nc
lived in q land where such an alterna.
tive wa possible. he devoted head and
hands 10 creating a new home for his
loved ones in the West.
At the end of the second summer we
felt that we were well established in
our new house. Like those of our few
neIghbors. it was q small. implanted
dwelling. built very economically. with
as few angles as possible, looking
mother used to say--'.like an upturned
dry-goods box"
The summer had been delightful, and
the dry season. which prevails to a
greater or less extent nearly every wear,
came too late to damage the growing
crops materially; but it dried up the
shallow w~ater-cOurses and parched tho
rank grass dry and brown, SO that it
rustled drearily in the fierce south
winds. 4,
One morning, it was the goth of Ser
tember-a date written for us in lettef 3
of ~fire-father started for PrairieyiIio.
How the wind ragged that day! ,the
house quivered in every beam. iTh1
fires were not kindled, for mot'ier,b
greatest dread during such wind ,toezas
was hire. Suddenly one of the ch ldren
rushed in, exclaimiDg: 81 see a black
cloud of smoke Off in the southr't
saw mothers face grow whiAe
"'Can it be a prairie lire, and M6uch
"A day" she exclaimed, flying 70 - up
per window for a better view. Silently
we crowded around her. watching the
dark cloud that widened every Instant,
and was driving toward US vvffh fright
full swiftness.
After q brief survey NTH turned
away, saying: ut is a prairief Ire, We
must fight it. my childrey. . best we
may" Her face was pale & death. even
her lips; but she sr.ok9 in a firm
voice, for our mother could be a brave
woman when there was NEED.
I'VE fight it! Howr' NE cried. in
frightened chorus.
There were six of US: Viii. a delicate
boy of thirteen: ten ,reaxtod Jamie, a
robust little fellow: rae little ones Tom
my and Sadie-pre3ious Sadie!-baby
Nell and ]. Dora, alGirt OF fifteen.
Mother did not ap6Wer us. She was
bustling about nsakjhg preparations,
gathering up r-s1fmful of woollen
clothes from the - Oh the wall. what
for /. in my l~gncreuee. could not guess.
snow, boys!"aae cred, harness the
horses to the 9kon and lit the pillow
in. We will ,s33Uthe south side of the
farm and do 49, we can. We Will
take eff our c. dresses. Dora" she
Auucus a1u on our uanuei ones,
then run to vel and draw a tub of
Frightensa4 hto silence we obeyed,
mother wet& the cloths in the water
rs l drew A116m the we'll. Then, with
many pay injunctions to the chill
dren. wei them.
When reached the southern edge
OF our -, the painting horses were
hitched< the pillow. We expected
ito stril1 few burrows and set a back
fire to It the fiery food pouring down
upon This was mothers hope but
1t ws< almost impossible task: for
the nd was baked hard. and the
plOS< aulied by the summers work.
re- all efforts of Willie weak arms
to15 it in the ground. and jumped
AZ bid yards at a time. The painting
strained and pulled. jerked for
n hew back, and on the second
0w stopped short and refused to
It again.
And.ali this time the fire was rushing
Already the air began to be filled
ia cinders. Mother grew desperate.
s1ee me take the pillow. Willie" she
eaid. 4 am stronger than YOU arc per
haps l Cav hold it. You drive,he horses.
lead them whip them. anything to
MAKE them b. for everything depends
Again they ssuggled on. mother
clinging d~eSperates to the plow. now
holding it with all her scantv STRENGTH.
then be nc half dragg& behind il when
thrown out. it slid oser the Grass
lerked fur.ously along b, the. frantic
horses which Jamie guided and Vii;
whipped.
1, compelled to lie idle. stood watch
ing TO catch the first glimpse OF the ad-
Naneing flames. They had Just retrrrued
10 the starting-point. leaving four fur
rows q ragged line behind them. when
saw a tongue of fame, and then an
other and another. flash out through
The dense smoke which had now rolled
up U q mile away, and screaming
Here 1t comes - scrambled from my
perch and ran with the news to mother.
She and Will had seen it, and stood
looking IN each others faces with
frightened. despairing eyes. but only
Tor an instant.
Turn the horses loose. boysr' she
cred; land, Dors, give me the matches
ana help me start q back-fre; you
brought the matches, didn't you, childe''
she exclaimed. seeing my look of dis
may az l thrust my hand into nv
pocket and brought it out empty again.