Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1888-03-15

| ing at beautiful clouds. lovely landscapes,
majestic waterfalls, and terrific thunder
storms. he was natures friend in all
her moods aud caprices, 81 shall have
my fill of the old Dame this trip" he
thought, 81 am glad my hard work is not
| to be done between brick walls at ally
rate" Dinner was served very much as
breakfast had been, and relished as hear
tily. Good appetite makes good fare,
and antelope is dainty on any bill OF
fare. The ponies nibbled busily at the
short grass, the brothers chatted briskly
in their unknown tongue" and the
| birds twittered merrily in the trees. The
/ Boston gentleman dreamiiy took in the
situation. 1t touched his romantic tenn
permanent; he enjoyed its vague unfulfil-
ment. who knows what exciting Sc
| qnence may result from this escapade?"
he thought. 81 feel an inspiration of fu-
ture success in the atmosphere of this
vast. unpeopled wild; tomorrow VIII
begin my labors as correspondent; this
stimulating AR ought TO lnyigorate
thoughts as well as bodies"
| At sunset they stopped on the banks
of small lake Of bitter water, that the
ponies even would scarcely taste. They
had found no water during the whole az
ternoon and we're excessively thirsty
They had been climbing up, up, the as
cent of tire Dakota hills. the men walk
ing frequently TO rest themselves as well
as their beasts. Thirty toiIsome miles
they had made since morning. A bun
die of dry sticks they had gathered at
noon and strapped to pony. TO econo-
miEe in fuel, they cut a hole in the sod,
foot square and foot deep, made the
fire therein, and set the kettle closely
over it. The wind could not fare and
waste the heat when managed IN this
way. The bitter water was boiled and
settled, then used for coffee. 1t lost its
bitterness by boiling. The tent was
| pitched, blankets spread, ponies picket
ed to stakes brought for that purpose and
driven into the ground, so that they
might not leave for home during the
night The brothers shared the same
Eblankets, Smith slept on the opposite
'side of the tent There was no light but
the dim starlight, but he observed the
men as they placed heavy revolver
under each bundle that served as pll.
low, and laid q long, gllttering knife be-
side them. He was neither a timid nor
nervous man, and he gained good
deal of confidence IN his strange escorts
| during the days study of them, so he
fell asleep readily enough, dispite the
unusual Surroundings. Something AVA
kened him, lie could not decide
what it was, and while trying to aompre-
bend his startled sensation, he heard a
sharp report just outside the tent, and
observed that both his comraies we've
missing Creeping cautiously out, he
saw them moving quickly about among
the ponies. They are all here and safe.
think, came in Louis smoothe tones.
"They speak English. it seems, when
they think am not listening,R Smith
thought, as he lay motionless on the
ground. s'Shall we skin him now or wait
till daylight" John asked. "Oh wait
till morning" was the answer as they
approached the tent Smith lay rolled
in his blankets as they entered noiseless-
ly and retired. Smith was astir early.
large, yellowlsh gray animal lay near
tl,rAy s.1af 4, l.. Al
eyes. This was our midnight visitor,
eli?" He took OFT his note book AID
wrote pen picture of tine creature, and
OF their camp as il looked IN the early
light, including the ponies anu their
swarthv drivers, The paTpis ldge tHgt
met the ii3riZan on tie west, the rolling,
uneven prairie between. 1t MAS a Vivid
picture He felt as if this kn4 Of au-
thorship was really his forte, that he
had heretofore missed his best opportu-
mites by combining his efforts to people
and their ideas. He who has not felt
the inspiring influence Of spring morn
ing on the beautiful western pra ries, has
failed to realize the wonderful power OF
nature in her gentlest moments. The
young man enjoyed writing. He was
never happier than when engrossed IN
some topic Of interest. portray ing It FIR
tie public. Almost everything lge had
ever written, had been pr ntea
and tie Thought inYoInntarIly
followed his pen, HWiil THIS suit as
well as THAT mode of expression Per-
haps for one class of readers had bet
ter simplify or 1T may be such and
such journals will copy this if elaborate
more touehingls" He wrote for tie
masses, Knowing by years oil experience
among literary people, what pleased each
drift of society. In the hew field he had
chosen he vas paid TO reach tie home
less, the laboFer, the people who could |
never geta foothold in the nlgh-priced
crowded eastern settlements, and attract
them to the free homes of the west.
Grind 4 Sharp had advanced money to
railroad company, and taken as secure
ty their land grant, given by the govern
''A~t'N W oSoios ~ oSfShopiHk tiilo Ndot re- /
gion. Except the railroad grant, al the |
land in the territory was only subject to |
entry through the laws of homestead,
presumption or tree claim, making actual |
settlement the condition of obtaining
homes. Smith was ignorant of all these |
laws and conditions when he stepped on
to Dakota soil as he was of the various |
operations of the deft handed Baptiste
III selecting outfit, loading ponies, OBTAIN
ing game for their meals, packing provis- |
ions, and all the various duties of their
journey.
When breakfast was over Louis took |
tom silver case sketch book and pen
ellis. I'll take that fellows photograph |
before you take his coat of, john; wait |
few moments" Smith watched his |
swiftly moving fingers and bis scrulIni- |
zing glance at the wolf. as John waited
knife in hand. to skin him. There" he |
said. tuning the book toward his broth-
er. Smith felt curious. He lad never
addressed an unnecessary word to either
Of these men. He felt his superiority |