The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1885-12-25
CHRISTMAS IN A DUG-0UT
A story Of a western blizzard.

Il lCAAiSilADCI NtASAA 49, SNN $4,000
Archer Metcalf, who was then just
married, started from the East with
his pretty wife to take up his home
in Dakota. Archer was possessed Of
both the physical and mental quail
ties tomake the most Of Mr.. Greeley's
advice. go West, young man, go
Westl" a species Of counsel intended
for neither Incidence nor timidity.
He vas q stout young blacksmith
and wheelright, and l recollect that
about Christmas, in q very few weeks
after his departure, he wrote to me
saying, that he already had q house
and shop, and had shod his first West
srn horse.
How many Christmasses have
wheeled about since then! but all the
while my friend has stucknobly to his
forge, and continued to hammer pros
perity out of the solid iron.
Archer, upon emigrating, had left
his parents in their home in the east,
which, of course, they we're then loath
TO leave. but chad always cherished
the desire to have them with him, and
this desire increased as he felt that
they were growing more feeble.
About a year ago, he succeeded in
prevailing upon them, together with
his two unmarried sisters, to make the
journey and take up their abode with
his family. He had four children, but
his house was commodious enough
&Or the expected addition to It's occu-
pants.
1t was O. "dug-out," a kind of house
very common in Dakota and the 9TH
CT territories, SO called from the fact
Of it's being exCavated in q bank OF
earth. The front and roof were of
logs, and it was made to facethe south
with q view to the necessities of win
ter. With the same object also, the
roof had received q covering of some
tvo feet of turf, upon which, in early
summer a crop Of prairie flowers
sprang thickly up.
SHOWERS, howers-beautiful flowers,
Emile OF the sunbeams and laugh OF the
showers?"
And that, too, upon the very house
topl What q picturesque sight they
were!
The earth and sandstone into which
the house was dug formed the back
and sides, and there were four COM
Portable rooms Such is the habita-
tion of many q pioneer in regions
where the prairies are almost bare OF
timber.
Near the house, and constructed in
She same way, was the smithy.
1t was now December, and as the
anxiously expected parents and sis
tiers would probably arrive on Christ
mas Eve, it was resolved by the little
household to make the event the oc-
eassion of a joyful celebration of the
season. The note of preparation was
sounded, and all was hustle under the
humbleroof.
Cookery was in the ascendant, and
tempting odors filled all the rooms.
The very dog, the mere puppy that
sDmped with the children, might have
said with the Cesar of Burns:
AFrom morn to night there's nothing but
~tofling,
At baking, roasting. frying, boiling.
The canty auld folk cracking Grouse,
The young anes rantin' through the house;
My heart has been sac fain to see them,
That / Tor Joy haze barkit wi them"
b, Green was in all the windows, and
over all the doors, and beautiful
SSsfiptGre notices and gems ofpoetry,
told that even there in the Western
5silds, the soul had found its means oil
culture.
The neighbors were invited, and in
such q country the word sneighbor''
has q meaning which it seldom &C.
quires in the East-for it means
everybody within a dozen miles.
Mrs. Metcalf was extremely busy
with Annie, the oldest girl, as hel
chief assistant, while the SON, George
twelve years of age, made him.
sell. as useful as possible. In compa
my with Joe, a young Crow Indian, he
had supplied the larder with such
u stock of wild game that his mother
3Glt almost overwhelmed by it.
q At last he flew out to the smithy
uVOu cOlAc Uu5ilcr5 VI uiS Own Which
Was to be held q secret from the
common gaze, only Joe, the Indian, be
ing permitted TO assist. A terrible dir
they set up, and Mrs. Metcalf smiled
Is it reached her ears, wondering what
whim OF the season had got into bel
boys wild head.
It was q mystery, he told her; but
she would find it out in time-only hi
must not be disturbed.
Meantime Mr.. Metcalf had started
early to meet the stage and bring homs
lthe newcomers. He feared, however
that o storm was near, asthe sky haC
. threatening look. This would b,
unfortunate, and he felt the necessity
Of haste.
Very shortly after his arrival witt
hsn turn- honcn clod ~ fhoMr1nno a