San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-12-10

on it's my nerves, Silas."
After this year Wen feel easier" said
he reassuringly. "Our cotton is good, and
I'll have some 3year-Olds TO sell. Well
put it all by with the rest against pay day.
Mrs. Willard glanced at large chest by
the head OF her bed.
"Glad will be-" she said cmphatically,
when that money is out of our hands and
we are free from debt"
The next morning Mrs. Willard unlocked
and OPENED the chest. Her husband was
breaking prairie sod half annie away the
baby was asleep, and jess with the two old
err children had gone to the well in the
creek bottom after wafer. She took from
ono corner a buclskin bag, sat down and
emptied roll of notes into her lap. On
the frontier, with no banks near, people
often hid their savings in this way.
She began counting the money, when she
heard a shutting of bare feet at the half
open front door. Sweeping her apron hur-
riedly over her lap, she waited. But in
stead of entering the steps receded round
the house and toward the kitchen. She
replaced the bag and it's contents under
some clothing i'll the chest, and began sort
ing over some sheets with an air Of uncon-
Germ. Directly Jess came i'll by the back
door to ask for rag TO tie up his foot,
which he had hurt ia some way.
"Where did you leave the children" she
frctfully demanded.
They're waitip' on yam side of the
garden fence" ne returned rather sullenly.
You shouldn't leave 'em on the prairie
alone. Mr. Willard says there are more
copperheads about this season than ever"
jess took his strip of cloth and retrcated
without replying. Then Mrs. Wilia.d
wondered why the boy had gone ROUND a.
the litchen, after starting in at the fruut
door. Could he have seen her at the Cne,J
counting over the money they were hoard
ing to complete paying for the stock Silas
had bought the year before' If so, the
maneuver was ominouS. But other more
tangible cares soon drove this fear from
her mind
During all that summer and early fall
her vague distrust of the lad was never en-
tirely laid at rest For this, dubious ante
cedents We're largely responsible; and
though she strove to do her duty by him,
he received. her occasional acts of kindness
as internationally as he did her censura. o.
In the autumn there came IA season of
drought The long prairie grass shriveled
and the shallow well in the bottom got so
low that Mr.. Willard threatened more than
once to finish one he had begun nearer the
house some time before. Prairie fires began
to be SO frequently heard of that he an
nounced his intention OF firing" round his
place. But the next day he found that he
must butcher a steer, and on the day after
that he really had to attend county court
at Sherman.
"5ilas," said his wife rs he rode away,
stop and ask Mrs. Scott TO ride over and
spend the day Seems like hate to be left
alone worse than ever"
"All right" he called back; but on reach
ing the Scott place, seven miles away, he
found that Mrs. Scott was sick and could
not go. Never mind, :" he thought, "Ellen's
only little nervous" Then his mind re
verified To other cares. prairie seems
powerful dry; must surely do that firm
round when get back" ,.
The day was hazy yet clustering. A fine
red dust whipped itself into little, scurry-
ing clouds over the bleaker spaces of soil
Along the gentle ridges the matted grass
ratified harshly; the air had faint, stale
smoky taste; the horizon was hazy and in
definite. 3D..
Mrs. Willard was spinning before the
fire. A bundle OF carded wool rolls, sent
as present from her father in East Ten
nessee. lay in the top Of the now open chest.
The baby was asleep upon the bed. Down
at the cowpen Jess, leaving his work, was
dexterously lassoing frightened yearling
with clothes line which he had surrepti-
tiously obtained. The two older children
were looking on, dumb with admiration
and fear. Toward II o'clock Mrs. Willard
stepped outside and called the boy to make
fire in the kitchen stove. Jess came very
leisurely
Comet" she scolded. Are you going
to be all day."
81 can't please her, and it amt much use
in trying" murmured Jess to the children
with whom he had always been a favorite.
The pungcnt flavor and hazy appearance
Of the ut mOsphercs seemed more pronounced.
81 wish Silas hadn't put off firm round
the place" said Mrs. Willard anXiouslys
Jess ran up ladder that was leaning
against the nearest folded stack and looked
all around.
Did ever see suCh fool boy" she be
gain complainingly, but Jess suddenly be
gan to wave his hat and point to the wind
ward.
There's fire" he shouted.
whats fire." she called, and her pulses
quiclened their beat.
'The pratriew jess waved his hand along
the whole northern horizon 81 can see
the smoke just a bilin' up, and the wind
BLOWN right this way"
Then he came down. Mrs. Willard fell
to trembling. A prairie fire in the dry
season upon the plains has something Of
the terror bred by a similar alarm at sea.
Dinner was forgotten. While they looked
the wind seemed to increase. Distant pufTs