The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-06-02
REUNITED.
Story of a Mans Repentance and
a Woman's Forgiveness.

During the autumn of 'S6, the weather
was remarkably pleasant all over the West
ern States till the middle of the month of
November. Up to that time men worked
out of doors in their shirt-sleeves, and
women continued to wear sun-bonnets Just
as in midsummer. But the 10Th dawned
cold and gray, and the wind, which is
always astir in this section of the country,
was sharp and keen Still nobody expected
q storm of very great severity, as q raw,
cloudy day is not infrequent at this season
of the year, and just as frequently it comes
and goes unheeded, save to cause one to put
on an extra garment for the day and lay it
aside again on the morrow when the sun
shines out brightly as ever. But then, no
one in this slipshod West ever does expect
storm till it comes on and finds them un-
prepared Some way the idea that the
winters are not going to be severe and don't
open up till late Is so fixed in the brain of
the average settler that he wouldn't be ready
for cold weather if he didn't begin. till the
following season, and when it COMES and
finds them napping-oh, what a rustling
there Is to fix things up IL little for the cold
snap. Done, declared who'd "a thought
winter'd set in right away so soOn.'"
The more shiftless never make any pro-
vision for their cattle during the severe
weather unless it be straw stack for them
to stand against in case of a blizzard. At
other times they are expected to rustic their
living ON the buffalo grass. This is short,
woolly growth which is popularity believed
to contain an oily, nutritious substance for
the animals. Many of the poor creatures
die Of starvation, and those which do man.
age to pull through are so poor by spring
that ittakes three of them standing together
to cast respectable shadow.
On this particular day, it did not clear off
as was expected: on the contrary the clouds
became denser as the day wore on, the wind
rose to perfect gale, and toward night a
:sleety rain set in.
''It's going to be bad night, mother
What will we do with Cherry's calf2 'Twon't
do to let it stand out" said Julian Ashley,
coming from the stable where he had been
's'd0ing the Chores" just at nightfall on the
memorable 10th.
''We'll have to put it in the back room in
the hen-house till we can get place fixed"
replied the mother. "pll come and help"
There are usually exceptions to rule, and
Mrs. Ashley was the exception to the gener-
al rule of shiftlessness in her neighborhood.
Her neighbors claimed that this was due to
her pocket-book being better filed than
theirs; but when did laziness ever fail to in
vent an excuse behind which to screen itselfl
The fact of her purse being longer than
theirs was due to her providing food and
shelter for her stock-which is the greatest
source Of revenue on claim-thus increas-
ing the profit and doing away with the
losses which impoverished her neighbors.
The calf having been induced with many
a "Sook bossie," "Huay there" and an oc-
casional twist of its caudal appendage, to
enter the dark hen-h0use and allow itself to
he tied to the center-post, Mrs. Ashley took
"a final survey of the animals in the sheds
:and stables to see that all were as comfortable
.as they could be under the circumstances,
then she and Julian each carried in scuttle
of coal, closed the door and pulled the rug
before it to keep the cold from coming in at
the bottom.
The house was long, low structure, as
sod houses usually are, and was half "dug-
out" It, like the out-buildings, was better
than the generality. 1t contained three
they We're carpeted and the walls were
papered. 1t also had shingle roof which,
much as it may astonish you to find it out,
my Eastern friends, is luxury not enjoyed
by the common herd of homesteaders. A
y lSboard roof with sod laid over it to keep out
, the rain is considered tine but people who
eoI to the extent of sporting shingle roofs on
6neir dwellings are considered sway up" in
Western parlance.
THE houses are usually c0vercd In this
wise. A ridge-log is laid from ono end wall
TO the other, supported in the center by a
log with crotch on the upper end, standing
perpendicularly. Small poles are then
placed at distance of two feet hpart, one
.enN OF each resting upon side wall, the
othtr upon the ridge-lOg. This constitutes
the frame work. Willows are then laid
thickly across the poles, layer cf buffalo
sod, added, and the entire roof covered with
dirt foot thick.
Board floors are another luxury not en-
joyed by the majority, "dirt floors" being
the rule. That's, the earth enclosed within
the four walls is leveled down as smoothly
as possible with spade, and considered quite
good enough. 1t Is no uncommon socur
renee TO see people who owh hundreds ot
heads OF cattle and three or four sections OF
land living in sod houses--or even ''dug
outsn sometimes, with dirt roofs and dirt
tioOvs--buildings which Eastern farmers
would not consider 1T to winter stock In
This being the Usual style OF living among
the pioneers of Nebraska, OF course wher
Mrs Ashley took claim and tixed II up Y
much tstter than the surrounding ones, 4