The Red Cloud chief., 1888-06-15
REUNITED.
Story Of q Mans Repentance and
q Woman's forgiveness.

During the autumn Of sc, 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-boAnets Just
as in midsummer. But the 18th dawned
cold and gray, and the wind, which is
always astir in this section Of the country,
was sharp and keen. Still nobody expected
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 UNDECIDED, save to cause one to put
on an extra garment for the day and Law it
aside again on the morrow when the sun
shines out brightly ss ever. But then, no
one in this slipshod West ever does expect
q 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 liked in the brain Of
the average settlerthath he wouldn'tbe ready
for cold weather il he didn't begin till the
following season, and when it comes and
finds them napping-oh, what a rustling
there is to "ix things up q little for the cold
snap. Done, declared who'd a thought
winter'd a set in right away so socn.'"
The more shiftless never make any pro-
oAO AoA u NSSSHO uuAlh tlC 6CSCIC
weather unless it be q 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 q 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 ittakest three of them standing together
to cast Q respectable shadow.
On this particular day, it did not clear of
as was expected; on the contrary the clouds
became aenser as the day wore on, the wind
rose to q perfect gale, and toward night q
sleety rain set in.
Its going to be q bad night, mother.
What will wedOw with Cherry's calfa 'Twon't
do to let it stand out, ~ said Julian Ashley,
coming from the stable where he had been
~'doing the chores" just at nightfall ON the
memorable 10th.
SWELL ave to put it in the back room in
the hen-housc till we can get q place fixed"
replied the mother. ''I'u come and help"
There arc usually exceptions to a 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 filled thai
theirs; but when did ~laziness ever fail to in |
vent an excuse behind which to screen itself? |
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 q claim-thus increas- |
ing the profit and doing away with the |
losses which impoverished her n~eighbors.
The calf having been induced with many
a 'Sook bossie,' ''Huay there" and an %
casional twist Of its caudal appendage, to
enter the dark hen-house and allow itself to
be tied to the center-post, Mrs. Ashley took
a final survey Of the animals in the sheds
and stablestose e that al were Is comfortable
- they could be under the circumstances,
then she and Julian each carried in Q scuttle
OF coal, closed the door and pulled the rug
before it to keep the cold from coming in at
the bottom. !
Jne house was q long, low structure. Is
sod houses uaually ane, and was half dug
out" 1t, Hhe the out buildings, was better
than the generality. 1t contained three
rooms, and not only had board floors, but
they Were carpeted AID the walls were
papered. Il also had . ahingle roof which,
much - It may astonistl you to find it out,
my Eastern friends, is . luxury not enjoyed
by the common herd of h~0mesteaders. A
board roof with sod laid OYER it to keep out
tho rain is considered Ane, hut people who
60 to the extent Of sporting skingle roofs on
their dwellings are considered 1'way :, in
parlance.
The houses arc usually coveeCd in this
wiac. A ridge-log is laid from orc end wall
to the other, supported in the cesfer by q
log with q crotch on the upper end, standing
perpendicularly. Small poles are then
placed at a distance Of " feet apart. one
end Of each resting upon q side wall, the
other upon the ridge-log. This constitutes
The frame work. Willows are then laid {
Ihicky across the poles, q layer Of buffalo. ]