Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-02-18
MARKS ON TIE PRAIRIE.

Rowing one day over the western prairie
came on deserted "dusout." Near it lay
rusty old tea kettle, horses skull and a
baby's shoe Their storyi This:
Early morning, a May morning in Kansas
Over all the land slvery mist, palpable
dewiness, delicious freshness, the peculiarly
rich and subtle scent of freshly turned earth,
much Of il being soil broke" for the first time.
A pround and prosperous young meadow
lark poised upon fencing post, a spruce
young meadow lark in gray coat, yellow vest
and black cravat pours out a series of tremu-
lous triple notes, a roundelay to the little
mother cuddling her eggs in the sprinSing
prairie grasses, The mist begins to rise
Upward, still higher, one marvellous scroll it
curls, revealing the pallid primrose Of the
eastern sky. And now the vapory veil is
quite withdrawn, and all the soft rose fires
heralding the king kindle into brilliance be-
hind the bluffs Lighter and brighter it
grows Fraught with promise is all that
CLEAN and glow. Behold, the promise is full
filed! Up rises a golden line which swells
into a curve, semicircle, huge, dazzling,
binding ball of fame Up and up A thrush
from its nest in n cottonwood lifts its voice in
jubilant maths, which are chimed in upon
by the brisk bravuras of rival robin.
Men and horses appear in the fields; plows
are hauled ont. the work Of the day begins
In the phrase of the kansan farmer, ut Is
sun-up"
Having numbered through the tiny town
which lies upon the state line separating
Nahr,st-o b.,
track and brand new bridge, up steep
bluff worn into deep ruts by the daily passage
Of wagons laden with stone to be shipped
farther west, comes slowly and heavily that
most familiar of western sights, a prairie
schooner. Ponderously plod the horses up
the ascent; clumsily lurches along the level
attained the great white canvased wagon.
Unlike the ordinary emigrant outfit in some
respects, this To be sure, evidences Of
habitation bulge from the interior, and
chairs, stove, broom, with various household
utensils, are tied on behind But there are
no cows, no dogs, no scrubby ponies be-
stridden by barelegged boys OF the thou
sands of wagons which trundle yearly over
the western prairies this presents q par
ticularly lonely appearance. Whoever saw
one without childrens Children of all ages,
tow headed, brown skinned, healthy, hearty
children, including the inevitable baby star
ing solennly from the clasping mother arms.
Perhars you may have seen some day.
Roses crowdng the selfsame way.
Out of q wildns wayside bush
Tho driver, whose broad back obscures the
light Of the front arch, turns in his seat, and
glances into the comparative gloom Of tbs
interior.
How is she, Corryf'
Asleep"
The woman Within young woman with
a pretty, pale, sad face-directs his attention
by glance to the baby in her lap He mods
draws up the horses by the side of the
road.
Don't you STIR" he says He descends,
unhtches the horses, finds twigs, builds .
fire, goes to the nearest farm house for
water, and CONES back with a full kettle,
which he suspends over the blaze by a couple
of crooked sticks Soon the smell Of sizzling
bacon md bo.iins; coffee become appetizingly
apparent Then he goes to the wagon Ills
wife laws the child gently down, alighta
he notices that size is white Air you
sickf' he asks. quickly.
No, no." size mur,alrS But quite sud-
dc 1ly Sic svTays and fails forward into his
ar:is, The journey. tn rough, s;ran-e life
the variable weather, tho c-To<l!r-a. al have
been too E-ach, he decides, for orc dellca,ely
reared rs sac When she rcvivcs he insists
Trey shall proceed 10 farther for few days,
perhaps not for few weel1S About fifty
yards from the road is littlc deserted dug
out Como distance from it q new franc
house testlfes to tic prosperity Of the former
occupants From them the ''ca-npers' obtain
permission to take temporary possession Of 4
the queer little cabin The whole interior
consists of ozo room, and that room 10 feet /
By L. To enter it Is necessary to descend /
several rough steps The walls and floor areof /
earth Just es when dug, quite uncorcealei by /
board or plaster The slopins roof is of logs,
irregular il SHAPE and length, these covered |
with sod from the prairie. I.ere, through |
the chansnabia weather Of May and into
warm, beautiful June, live the three, the
woman protesting all the time she Is strong |
enough to 60 on, but growing gradually 1
Trailer, weaker. A complete contrast she
and her husband He is a tall, brawny, /
handsome young fellow. animated by ilteno
admiration of his wise and gentlsst devotion
to her, but unElistakably hG inferior socially
and intellectually. She, delicate, dreamy I
sS4A wranpeo un N nH nabv and her m~.-