Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-11-08
Died For His Master.

There were snakes then and we had
killed them. Rattlers used to come out
on the lodges of rocks and lay in the hot
sun. One or two had come around the
mill and had shot one in our door ward.
But we thought nothing of that. PEOPLE
living In the woods or in wild places get
used to things that would fill them with
horror in a settled country. We expect
ed to find snakes, and so long as thew
kept their distance, or gave US a chance
to shoot them when they got too near,
We didn't mind them.
AS told you, l fixed up things around
the house during slack time. One of the
bits Of furniture L knocked together was
8 bed-stead. 1t was more like broad
lounge than bedstead, for it had neith-
er head nor foot board. One end was
raised a little like a couch, and that was
the head. We had some bear-skins and
blankets to sleep on, and more blankets
TO cover us. 1t was a big Improvement
on. the floor where we had been sleep-
ing, and after q hard days work
handling logs l used to think it about as
comfortable a spot as I knew.
We'll, 1t got along into the Fall, and we
began to have chilly nights. The euui-
noxial gave US big rain, and for a fort
night 1 had all the water 1 could use.
Then it got dry again. One afternoon.
N5rs Is began to rain. Hour after hour
the rain came down till about 9 o'clock
N the evening, when it suddenly cleared
3 OF and turned cold. 1t was late in OctO-
Der, and we kept a fire burning on the
hearth nights, more for the baby's sake
than for our own. Our bed was paral-
lei with the fireplace, and stood out near
the middle of the room. We had an
English shepherd dog named Leo, which
-. H. II. l. ~
was 3 biack-and-White beauty, and nv
wife, who had raised him, thought about
as much of him as she did Of the baby
or meat least used to tell her so. The
dog was fond of me, and made a great
pet of him. lie was a noble fellow, and
all he wanted was for me to whistle lust
once and he'd come. We let him sleep
in the room at the foot of the bed
Sometimes IN the morning I'd wake up
before my wife, aud I'd whistle lust once
70 the dog. Up he'd come over the foot
of the bed, and wake Katie by licking
her face.
That night we were Just going to bed
when it turned cold. / threw an extra
pine knot on the fire and went to the
door and looked out. / shall never FORGET
that look, for 1t was the last time I ever
stood and saw stars above Skinner Hol-
low. 1 closed the door and " emit to bed
and soon fell asleep. 1 slept on the side
of the bed nearest the hearth, my wife
slept on the further side and the baby
lay between Us, For some reason I didn't
sleep long, and when I walked up /
coUld't get TO sleep again. Finally got
out Of bed and threw another knot on
the ire. Leo was stretched out on the
floor with his nose between his paws. He
eyed me sieepily as / walked around the
room, and gave me a loving look as /
stopped down and patted his head. /
went back 10 bed and fell into an uneasy
sleep. All at once awakened with q
start. lt must have been past midnight.
4 seemed TO be fully awake the moment
4 opened my eyes. and such a sight as
ahey rested on God grant they may new