The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-06-02
Out on Coyote Prairie.
BY AID II. GIBSON.

The purple glamor of an ideal h. dian summer enwrapped the rich veg citation that made Coyote Prairie, in far southern Kansas, in its semi.un- settled days, so inviting and wholly delightful to the eastern bred family of Samuel Archer.
 The Archer family had journeyed all the way from New York that summer, in a large covered wagon, or, in west ern parlance, "a prairie schooner. Samuel Archer twas on the lookout for home in the unsettled west, and not withstanding the unpleasant reports which they frequently heard of Indian depredations in the vicinity of Coyote Prairie, as that beautiful stretch of fertile prairie land had been named by the early settlers, he concluded to ap- propriate to himself certain portion of it's billowy surface that had par ticularly captivated his vision.
 The Archer family consisted of Sam uel, his wife, a retined, pleasant wo- man, who did not air her eastern manners before her less refined neigh bors of the frontier, and their only child, Zelma, as she was named, a handsome, determined girl of seven- teen.
 Samuel was big, robust, hard working Yankee farmer of more than ordinary energy. With neighbours help he soon had very comfortable log cabin erected on his western claim, into which the family were fain to move themselves after a protracted residence under canvas.
 Mrs. Archer was busy, careful housewife. Unused to the wild gales, which enjoyed such unfettered sweep over Coyote Prairie, she was often provoked beyond measure at the sheets of dust from the sandy road sitting through every crack and crevice of the cabin and into the most secluded places. But Zelma did not allow the gales of her new home to worry her. The potatoes just taken from the cook ing utensil might be peppered over with dust driven into the cabin by the high winds, while her mother worried, Zelma would endeavor to laugh off the provocation.
 Zelma's was cheery, sunshiny tenn perament, ever seeking and discover ing the bright side, where others held the gloomy. Still, she could be very firm, too, as one could readily judge from the cast of her pretty mouth and snowy chin.
 Her intensely dark eyes announced more plainly than words would have done to an observer that she meant just what she said and aimed to exe- cute whatever she set her heart on accomplishing, so long as her better judgment approved the step.
 Imbued with the same spirit of in- dustry that characterized her parents, Zelma Archer determined to be as light burden to them in their new home as possible. Accordingly, hear ing that the Coyote Prairie school was without teacher for the winter term, Zelma donned her calico sunbonnet and gloves and called on the board of trustees. She had received a good education in New York, but had no experience in teaching school. But this did not deter her from making application.
 She informed the trustees that she had no fears but that she could govern the school and instruct the pupils, too. That board of semi rough fron- tiersmen eyed the small but plump girl making an oral application to teach the rude urchins of Coyote Prairie. They were doubtful and un- decided. But, at last, Zelma's self confidence in her ability to manage "the tough skule, miss" won the day for her. She was engaged to teach the school at thirty five dollars per month, and board furnished her during the bad weather at the nearest patrons, Jacob Hadley. When the weather was favorable and walking good,