Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-12-10

and then they have been going III the
other direction. If you go that way
YOU will be lost. When we started
| noticed that the train was moving
toward sunset, and that the sun was
moving over our left shoulder as we
looked after the train. We must
go in this direction, or we shall
be lost mildly and firmly said the
barefooted boy, as he drew his belt
tighter and prepared for the work.
The other boys only looked dis
painfully at the speaker as he sat on
his horse, and, shading his eyes with
his hand, looked away in the direc-
ton he wished to go.
Then they talked for moment
among themselves, and taking out
their pocket compasses looked at
them very knowingly.
Now, many people think that
compass will lead them out of almost
any place where they are lost. This
is a mistake. A compass is only Of
use when you can not see the sun
and even then you must have cool
ness and good sense to get on with it
at all. 1t can at best only guide you
from one object to another, and so
keep you in straight line and pre-
vent you from going around and
around. But when the plain is one
vast, level sea, without a single OBJ
ject rising up out of it as guide,
what is body to do? It takes cool
head, boys or mans, to use COM
pass on the plains.
"Come on. That is right" cried
the elder of the two hunters, and
they darted away, with Tatters far in
the rear.
They rode hard ana hot for full
hour, getting more frightened and 60
ing faster at every jump. The sun
was high in the heavens. Their
horses were all in foam.
II see something at last" SAID one
as he stood up in his stirrups, and
then setting back in his seat he laid
on whip and spur, and rode fast and
hard straight for a dark object that
lay there in the long, brown grasses
to the broad, unbroken plain.
Soon they came to it. 1t was a
dead buffalo. They knew that they
had been riding in the fatal circle
that means death if you do not break
it and escape.
Very meekly, and very penitent
felt the boys as Tatters came riding
up slowly after them. They were
very tired and thirsty. They seemed
to themselves to have shrunken up
to about half their usual size. Meek
ly they lifted their eyes to the de-
spised boy and silently and pitifully
looked for help. Tears were in their
eyes, their lips quivered, but they
could not say a word.
"We must ride with the sun on our
left shoulder, as I said, and with our
faces all the time to the west. If we
do not do that we shall die. Now,
come with me-" said Tatters, firmly.
He turned his horse and took the
lead. And now meekly and patient
ly the others followed.
But the horses were broken in
health and spirit. The sun in mid
heaven poured its full force of heat
upon the heads of the thirsty hunters.
and they could hardly keep their seats
in the hot saddles. The horses be-
gan to stumble and stagger as they
walked. And yet there was no sight
or sound of anything at all-behind.
before, on the right, on the left
Nothing but the weary, dreary, eter,
nal and unbroken sea of brown.
Away to the west, the bright, blue
sky shut down sharp and tight upor
the brown and blazing plain. The
tops of the long. untrodden gras:
/ cleaned and shimmered to the heat
Yet not sign Of water could any
where be discovered. Silence, vast
ness, voiceless as when the worl6
came newly from the hand of God.
No one spoke. Steadily and quiet
" the leader of the party rode on
Now and then he would lift his eyes
under his hat to the blazing sun over
! his left shoulder and that was all.
There comes time to US all, | be
lieve, sooner or later on the plains
in the valley or on the mountain, il
the palace or cottage, when we, too
can only lift our eyes, silent and help
less, to something shining in heaven
At last the silent little party hearC
faint sound beyond them, feeble
screeching cry that came out of thu
brown grass beneath them as the.
struggled on. Then suddenly the.
came out of the tall, brown grass int
the open plain that looked like
plowed field, only all about the QUITE
edge of the field were little hills o
forts about as high as a mans knee
On every one of these little fort
stood G soldier sentinel high on hi
hind legs and barking with all hi
might. The lost hunters had foun
dog town, the first they had eve
seen.
The party rode through the tow
and looked beyond. Nothing! Be
hind, nothing! To the left nothing
nothing but the great blue sky shu
down tight against the boundless Sc
Of grass.
ssWater. | am diving for water,