Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1889-02-28
MARKS ON THE PRAIRIE.

rusty old tea kettle, horses skull and a
baby's shoe. Their storyl This;
Early morning, May morning in Kansas.
Over all the hand silvery mist, palpabIe
dewiness, delicious freshness, the peculiarly
rich and subtle scent Of freshly turned earth,
much Of it being soil "brolzen for the first time
A pround and prosperous young meadow
lark poised upon a 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 springing
prairie grasses. The mist begins to rise
Upward still higher, one marvellous scroll IL
curls revealing the pallid primrose of the
eastern sky. Aud now the yapory 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quite withdrawn, and all the soft rose fires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 bali Of flame. Up and up A thrush
from Its nest in a cottonwood lifts its voice in
jubiant mathis, which are chimed in upon
by the brisk bravuras of a rival robin.
Men and horses appear in the fields; plows
are hauled OUT the work Of the day begins.
In the phrase Of the Kansan farmer, 1T is
sun-upn
Having numbered through the tiny town
which lies upon the state line separating
Kansas from Nebraska, crossed the railway
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, 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
habitntion 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 a par
ticularly lonely appearance Whoever saw
one without childrenl Children Of all ages,
tow headed, brown skinned, healthy, hearty
children, including She inevitable baby star
ing solemnly from the clasping mother arms.
Perhaps you may have seen some day
Roses crowding the selfsame way,
Out Of a wilding wayside bush
The driver. whose broad back obscures the
light Of the front arch, turns in his seat, and
glances into the comparative gloom Of the
interior.
How Is she, Corryw
Asleep
Tho woman within-a young woman with
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,
unhitches the horses, finds twigs, builds
fire, goes to the nearest farm house for
water, and comes back with full kettle,
which he suspends over the blaze by couple
of crooked sticks. Soon the smell Of sizzling
bacon and boiling coffee become appetizingly
Then be goes to the wagon. His
wife lays the child gently down; alights.
He notices that she is white. "Air you
sick" he asks, quickly.
mo, no, she murmurs, But quite sud
denly she sways and falls forward into his
arms The journey, the rough, strange life,
the variable weather, the exposure, all have
been too much, no decides, for one delicately
reared as she When she reviyes he insists
they shall proceed no farther for a few DAYS,
perhaps not for a few weeks About fifty
.,..l- r.,,,,, Az, ,.,,l q. 4. 1,44i. t..ai it.
OUT Some distance from it now frame
house testifies to the prosperity Of the former
From them the campers obtain
permission 70 take temporary possession Of
the queer little cabin. Tho whole interior
consists of one room, and that roo,a 10 feet
by IL To enter it is necessary to descend
several rough steps. The walls and floor are Of
earth just as when dug quite unconcealed by
board or plaster. Tho sloping roof is Of logs,
irregular in shape and length; these covered
with sod from the prairie Here, through
the changeablo weather Of May and into
warm, beautiful June, live the three, the
woman protesting all the time she is strong
enough to so on, but growing gradually
Trailer, weaker. A complete contrast she
and her husband lie is TALL brawny,
handsome young fellow, animated by intense
admiration OF his wife and gentlest devotion
TO her, but Enthusiastically her inferior socially
and intellectually. She, delicate, dreamy
eyed, wrapped up in her baby and her mem
cries 70 his almost utter exclusion. Ono day
the child sickens, grows violently i'll, dies
Her grief is silent, but intense. She win
neither eat nor sleep; just sits stin as stone
in the little "dugout," and looks and stares
at the wee waxen thing which lies therein.
So, when her husband rides into town to buy |
the little colin, he calls in to see tho doctor |
and ask him to come out and visit his wife.
AT sunset he digs the grave-such a small |
gravel An around is isolation, prairie, sky. |
The woman, crouching on the ground near
the dwelling, is the only other mourner.
The task done, no goes down into the dug
OUT and comes up again with the nttlo |
naaed down box ia his arms. Tenderly he |
lowers it; softly he lets fall upon it each |
shovelful of earth He is blind with tears.
The fresh brown mound smoothed over, he |
goes up to his wife. She does not soein to |
SO him She is looking straight ahead.
''CorryIn
"Don'tln she says savagely. "pvelo him |
and now i'll wish was dendln
Hurt, iresolute, he stands eth a momena. I
Then he goes within cnd sis down By TIE
~. waero tae baby haz Lain $40 Il G-isyins