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

day. A long, creeping, creaking line
of white OK wagons, stretching away
to the west across the vast and
boundless brown plains. Not house
for thousands of miles, not tree,
not a shrub, not n single thing in
sight, except now and then, dotted
here and there, few black spots in
the boundless sea of brown.
This is the way it was when my
parents took me, then only {. lad,
across the plains more than thirty
wears ago. How different now with
the engine tearing, smoking and
screeching across at the rate of 300
miles of more day. There are many,
many houses on the plains now. The
pioneers have planted great forests
of trees. and there are also vast corn
fields, and the songs of happy har
yesters are heard here. But the
great black spots that blotted the sea
of brown are gone forever. Those
dark spots were herds of countless
bison. or buffalo, as they are gener-
ally called.
One sultry morning in July, as the
sun rose up and blazed with uncom
mon ardor, a herd of buffalo was
seen grazing quietly, close to our
train, and some of the younger boys
who had guns and pistols, and who
were diving to kill a buffalo, begged
their parents to let them ride out and
take shot.
AS it was only a natural desire and
seemed a simple thing to do, a small
party of boys were soon ready. The
men were obliged to stay with the
train and drive the oxen; for the
tents had already been struck, and
the long, white line had begun to
creep slowly away over the level,
brown sea toward the next water. n
little blind stream that stole through
the willows some fifteen miles away
to the west.
There were in our train two sons of
rich and rather important man.
They were now the first in the saddle
and ready to take the lead. But as
they were vain and selfith, and had
always had big opinion of them
selves, their father knew that they
had not learned much about anything
else.
There was also in the train a sad
faced, silent boy, barefooted and all
in rags, for his parents had died with
cholera the day after we had crossed
the Missouri river, and he was left
helpless and alone. He hardly spoke
to any one, and as for the rich mans
sons, they would sooner have thought
of speaking to their negro cook than
to him.
As the boys sat on their horses
ready to 60 and the train of wagons
rolled away, the rich man came up to
the barefooted boy and said:
''See here, Tatters, 60 along with
my boys and bring back the game.
''But / have no horse sir" replied
the sad-faced boy.
swell, take mine; / will get in
the wagon and ride there until yor
come back" urged the anxious ia
Their.
''But L have no gun, no pistols Of
knife" added the boy.
Here, jump on my horse, and
will fit you out" cried the man.
When the barefooted boy haC
mounted the horse the man buckleC
his own belt around the lad anC
swung his rifle over the bow.
How the boys face lit up! Hi
young heart beat like drum with de
light as the party bounded away af
ter the buffalo.
The wagons creaked and crawet
away to the west of the great grass.
plain, the herd of buffalo shifted TIL
Young hunters, and lifted their shay
gy heads, shook them angrily, anC
then turned away like a dark, retreat
ing tide of the sea, with the boy
bounding after them in hot pursuit
1t was a long and exciting chase
Tatters soon passed the rest of then
and pressed hard on the herd afte
nearly an hour of splendid riding
threw himself from the saddle, takin;
aim, fired.
The brothers came up soon, ant
dismounting as fast as their less prac
ticed limbs would let them, also fire
at the retreating herd.
When the dust and smoke cleare
away fine fat buffalo lay rolling i
the grass before them. Followin
the example of Tatters, they loade
their guns where they stood, as a
cautious hunters do, and then wen
up to the game.
The oarefooted boy at once lai
his finger on a bullet hole near tn
region of the heart and looked at til
others.
ST aimed about there" shoute
one.
s'And so did L, shouted the othel
eagerly.
Without saying word, but with
very significant look, the barefoote
boy took out his knife, and unot
served pricked two holes with til
point of it close by the bullet hole
Then he put his finger there, an
again looked at the boys. They cam
down on their knees wild with deligf