The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1890-12-18
STORIES OF THE t)ZARKS.
PATHETIC TALE OF BENSON
AND THE FAIRIES.
Short Anecdotes of Life in Southwestern Mis-.
sOuri-The Dialect Of the DID, Timers
- Happily POrtrayed-The Mount.
~ alnoer's Request.

Ihere IS no other place under the
heavens where the early mornings OF
summer and fall have the charm OF
those down in the Ozarks of Southern
Missouri. With the first peep Of the
sun over the groups of exaggerated
hills the mist OF the night settles deep
in the valleys, and before the full
blown CLEAN Of the morning comes
the atmosphere is as fine and clear as
that of monday. Only the tint of a
blush haze IS discernible miles and
miles away, and that is so slight and
so blue that it seems to mingle with
the line of the horizon.
It was on one Of these fine mornings
about the middle of last August that
Benson set out across tho hills tc
catch a few fish and do a little shoot
ing.
"Good bye, Ben," he shouted back
to the youngster that stood in the door
of the little log house. Good bye,
and be er good boy"
Good bye, dad" squeaked youth
full voice; good bye, an don't forgit
the fairies.''
The little fellow waved his hand en-
ergetically until the mountaineer
father Was lost to view in the brush
beyond the cleared patch. Benson
knew more folk lore and fairy tales
than any of the other natives. He had
read of the brownies aud their moon
light antics, and when Bonnie became
able to talk he was told of the little
elfins and the big COLLINS and the
shiny, golden water sprites. Benson
was in all other respects rough,
homespun mountaineer.
'Jes' wait" were his last words be-
fore breaking through the underground
on that golden Ozark morning, lies
wait, an I'll bring yer fairy, sure
pop"
All day long the little native sat in
the cabin door and peered off into the
woods.
"lt's no use fer yer ter be settin'
there" said Benson's wife, 'fer yer
par'll not be back afore night.
but eff he gets er fairy he'll come"
said Bennie, "cause Their fairy'd die eff
hit WANT brought home right erway"
Bennie watched until the sun went
down and then when it grew so dark
that he could no longer see into the
woods he went inside of the house and
laid down on the dirt floor Pretty
soon he forgot about the fairies and
was fast asleep. When the sun of an
other beautiful morning broke over
the Ozarks the little fellows eyes
opened and the first thoughts were of
the fairies. =
"Ain't dad come yet?" he cried; but
Benson's wife shook her head.
''Not yet, Ben," said she, IAN nav
by-mayby-"
"Mayby he's got more fairies than
he kin er bring home," suggested
Bonnie, and mother smiled feebly and
patted the boys head with her rough
hand.
Then the brush out across the clear
ed patch parted, and four roughly clad
natives pushed through. Between
them they bore the limp body Of Ben
son, the mountaineer.
''He hut hisse'f ez he war shootin'
at err flynn squir'l,'' explained one of
the natives.
"One-one er Their fairies,'' gasped
the wounded man, 'but-but 1 didn't
git him fer yer, Ben."
The little native put his hand in
Benson's rough one.
"An' yer didn't git no fairies,
daddy?' he asked, eagerly.
The mother drew him awav. but
Benson pulled the boy back.
mo, ] didn't git none. Ben, but I'm
goin' back to fairy land-1'll be there
ter-day, Ben-fer-fer good"
kin I go, too, dad?" cried the bow,
leaning over the mountaineer's breast.
But there was no answer. Benson had
gone.
Then Bonnie sat down on the dirt
floor and cried-because he was left
behind.
He Was in Search of knowledge.
Several months before the Memphis
railroad had penetrated the region
about the point now known as Thaver.
in Oregon county, party of engin-
GERS in charge OF the locating survey
stopped for a night near the Howell
county line. About dark the camp
was visited by a gaunt, tall and stoop-
ed mountaineer.
II wanter know" he broke out sud-
denly and without ceremony, "ef this
hyar steam keer road is err gwine ter
be built?' ~....-5.
THAT is the intention of the COM
pany." replied the chief engineer.
II don't know responded the ma
tive: "Say, where's she gwine ter
be?" -
1.-THE track will in all probability
run through this Valley said the
spokesman.
. "It must cOst on ni1a ~, :,