The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-07-24
DOWN IN THE GRASS.
by WILL LIsENBEE.

All night lOng the low summer wind
had famed the dewy grass, and stolen
with a subdued murmur around the rude
board structure that nestled in the high
grass ON broad stretch of level prairie;
and now great luminous star which had
risen from the prairie sea, and from blue
waste of sky, shed its white rays down on
the world beneath.
AS it rose higher in the heavens, its
feeble ray stole in at the open window of
the settlers cabin and touched the tangled
cloud of sunny hair that clustered about
the head of little girl of ten years-the
only child of Amos Lee, the settler.
The fickering light of a small kero-
sene lamp shed its feeble rays around the
room, revealinga a rude bed at one end of
the apartment. on which lay the form of
man, his face flushed with fever, his
eyes wandering vacantly about the room.
"Papa," said the child, bending over
the sick man, ''you must have medicine
and doctor-what must | do2 What
can | do?f"
She clasped her little hands appeal
ingly and tear trickled down her white,
troubled face. "Water! water" cried
the sick man, gazing blankly about him.
The child hurried to the other end of
the room, and fetching some water in a
tin cup, held it to the sick mans lips
He drank the water eagerly, and sank
back ON his pillow, where he lay quiet for
some time. Then he opened his eyes and
murmured:
"We must go way from hyar-they air
talkin' NV hangin me if | stay-and
mebby-mebby-we'd better be movin'
for they'll come again. Hits hard ter
halter leave our own home-but-but-
His mutterings grew indistinct, and he
again closed his eyes.
"Oh, papa! my dear papa!' cried the
child, ''No one is going to hurt you-I
am here with you-shall go for doc
tor9 Oh, papa! what must | do!" and
she buried her face in the bed clothes and
wept bitterly.
The father made no reply, save some
ineoherent mutterings.
Presently the little girl arose and wiped
the tears from her eyes, look of deter.
mination on her young face. She theI
took little straw hat from a peg on the
wall and placed it on her head. She ap
preached her father, and bending over
him, kissed his hot, feverish cheek.
"Papa," she murmured, her face closC
to his, II am going for doctor-be good
and lie still till come back. I'll run al
the way"
She then turned and went out into the
night, and ran swiftly down the din
prairie road, her little bare feet falling
noiselessly upon the damp, dewy ground
The nearest village, Neutral City, la!
five miles away, across a stretch of wild
unsettled prairie. Here the only docto
in that part of the country resided ant
toward this place the little girl hurried
She knew the road, having passed over
before in the wagon with her father
''It is not long till daylight" sht
thought, as she hurried forward, glancins
about her, as if expecting to see SOM
wild animal spring upon her from tn
surrounding darkness. Onward, alon!
the dim path that lay across the grea
stretch of prairie she fled, while the biz
white star rose higher and higher in tn
heavens and the dewy breath of night
laden with the perfume of sleeping flow
ers, swayed the long grasses and rocke,
the tops of the sumachs to and fro, as
stirred their slender leaves into
tremulous murmur.
The barking OF coyote came iron
afar across the prairie, and sent col,
chill of fear through the child's heart
she increased her pace, running swift
along the narrow path, her breath coming
fast and hard, the long wet grass swirlin
| about her little bare feet.
Every bush or shadow was construe
into a ferocious animal; and the sudde
croaBing of a frog filed her with name
| less terror.
Presently the road grew dim and indis
tinct-she had Travelled for miles-ho,
far she could not tell; but she was grow
/ ing tired and weak, and her steps cam
slow and laborious.
"Oh, it's so far-so far!" she cried
her heart beating fast. "Oh, papa
papa"
She uttered a low sc.eam of terror an
half turned from the path; but it wa
only night bird that flew within foe
of her, with "whish" of rapid wing.
and disappeared in the darkness.
The great star rose higher and highe
in the purple sky; faint, ashy light stol
up the eastern horizon, aud the sound {
waking birds came from the patches {
sumachs. Still the heroic child hurrie
on as fast as her wearied and achin
limbs could carry her, her face pale wit
pain and fatigue, her feet and ankle
bleeding from coming in contact wit
'saw-briars" that oyerhung the path.
j She had struggled wearily to the to
of little hill, when suddenly dark mas
of moving forms broke on her vision