, 1889-09-19
The Tragedy Of White Pine Prairie.

|
leaving the sky radiant with golden
glory, but the gold had turned to Grim
son, and that to purple. The far OIL
mountains had lost their lilac hucs and
clothed themselves in sober gray, indis-
tinct from the paling sky.
The open prairie was still light, though
the shadows of night were fast creeping
over 1t, and the cncircling hills, with
their dark mantle OF pine, would soon be
lost from sight in the gray haze of
evening, while twilight had for some
time rcigned in the forest, when horse
man emerged from the timber onto the
interval known as "Whitc Pine prairie
The horse he rode Il small but strong
ly built "cayilsc," as the sturdy little
beasts are called in this part of the coun.
try, moved slowly along, with dropping
head, as If he had made u long days
journey.
The rider was roughly dressed in blue
shirt and overaIls with n wide-brimmed
felt hat slouchcd over his face.
A broad belt, filled with cartridges, en-
circled his waist, while a rifle was bal
ancod across the saddle before him. To
u casual observer hc would have present
ed u formidable appearance. But as he
raised his head to scan the country
about him, and you caught the kindly
CLEAN of the blue eyes from out the
sun tanned face, your apprehension
would have vanished.
lie glanced quickly about him, then
turning from tile road, rode for short
distance over the sparse grass of the
l'prairic and disnounled, talking emean-
while to his horse, us Is so often the
habit of those who have lived much
without human companlonslip.
We'll, jim! / guess we may as well
camp hers; wo can't make town tonight
anyhow, aud this Is as good place as
any. You've made 4 good trip to-day,
too. It's pretty dry feeding but | guess
that last drink will have 10 do YOU" So
saying springiug ir1in his horse, pro-
| Cecdod to unsadIle the wearied beast.
AS he did So two heavy canvas bags,
| securely fastened to the saddle, and
which had been concealed by his roll OF
blankets, came into view.
The man lifted them oil carefully and
| placed them on the ground, then un-
, rolling his blankets, threw them with
| seeming negligence over them, and pro-
ceeded to. gather upsomc Of the scattered
chips and remains ottormcr camp fires,
| to start ono for hmsclf.
BY the time the rcd blaze lcaped up
darkness had fallen, so that all of his
surroundings which could be seen was
tho narrow circle illumined by his fire.
The night wind swept drearily across
the dry grass, for it was the fall of the
year aud to one unuccustomed to such
scenes lit would have been desolate in
| the extreme.
But our traveller was too used TO the
| solitude OF nature to bc influenced by it ;
besides, u long days ride and the clear
mountain air had given his healthy APP
was thinking more of his supper than of
tire night and possible dangers.
In u few minutes the iron skillet
which had been swinging all day from
his saddle, was called into rcquisition
and soon some slices of bacon were sput.
tering Cheuriully over the tire, with the
coffee pot, new Filed from his canteen,
bubbling beside it.
Oh, ye souls who affect to have out
grown the common-placel You have
ga2ed with awe and JOY unspealSable on
mountain and moor, rolling river and
foaming cataract, wide-swelling ocean
and tinlling rill Great and noble as
pirltlons have arisen in your minds.
Beautiful and loving desires toward dear
ones and toward all mankind. But
| have you not turned away, and even
while enwrapped in thought of it, passed
unheeding, pleading humanity by your
side2
And, ye spiritual ones, have you
happened to step into homely kitchen
when the evening shadows are fallingP
The shining floor and tins reflect the red
light from the row of fiery eyes in the
range, the clock ticks with slow rcgulari-
I " from its corner in accompaniment to
the cheerful song of the kettles; and did
not throb of remembrance come across
you, of the kitchen i'm the dear old home,
/ into which you used to steal at that
hour, to gaze with wandering delight in
10 the red depth that blinked forth ut
you from the small windows? And
after, when you reached the gusty pave
ment and the street ganiin who haunted
that particular corner importuned you
for penny, did you not, [ say, thrust
/ piece OF silver in the griny palm as you
passed, obeying the great law of love to
| thy fellow men?
! Which them oh soul has the most ex-
alted influence? Which stirs the heart
most deeplyp
Was it ridiculous then, that as our
traveller sat before the dancing fire the
aroma of the stepping coffee brought up
to him the cozy little room at home, so
that he almost forgot his hunger in his
revery?
He could see them all so plainly, man
ly Jim of 10, who had been such help
| TO mother while father was away. Vel
haired little Nellie, baby Tom who
must be getting to bc a great fellow now.
"Three yearsw 1t had been such "a
long three years since he had seen them
lie drew out the last letter from home.
AS he opened it, long golden coil fell
out; il was one OF Toms curls. HE is
getting to be 50 large the curls have to
go, so he sends papa one" tho mother
wrote.
You will hardly know us all when
you get back, the time is so long, but
win try to be patient; though il is hard
to have you so far away and exposed TO
so many dangers. But we need you so
we would be so helpless without you
that | feel no harm can come to you
my dear one" wrote the loving wife.
The man was anything but rough
looking, If eyes could have seen him
then, as he pressed the letter with its
shining curl, to his lips. And the tears
stood in his eyes, though q smile illu-
mined his face, as lie drew the canvas
bags towards him saying, "Not much
longer, little wife, III soon be there now.
And what grand surprise! No more
worry or trouble for you, that last clean
up has settled it. Ten times enough to
clear up the mortgage, and we can stay
there in comfort, in our own little home,
ana give the boys an education that will
make the row they have To hoe good
deal easier than their fathers was. We
can build wing on to tho west of the
house, If we can do IL without cutting
down the old pear tree, and we'll put ON
| Il little more Stvle And IN stnn nm tho