Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-20
A TALE OF THE PRAIRIEs.
Lights and Shadows OF Sunday Scene
In Dakota.

Great is the land Of the Dakotas. lying be-
tween sundown and the laughing waters Of Min
nesota, but greater are its wondersome ways
Five or six years ago while wandering through
That prairie realm STAR man passed q quiet
Sunday at an inland town. The day was one Of
those on which all nature seems 20 say this 10
the Sabi ath. The sun shone with q sacred
hight, the dewy landscape sparkled with di-
vine radiance. the birds joined in the chorus Of
the spheres. while the lowing OF the herds and
bleating OF the hocks seemed meIlowed, as IL
even the brutes were touched by the hallowed
influence Of the day. ItwAs a time peculiarly
fitted for the spirits of the dead 10 be borne buoy
antly away TO the land of the redeemed; and,
accordingly, the spirit Of a young man had
taken its flight but the body was left for hu-
mar disposal The morning was vet fresh
when the country procession was seen like
caravan Of the desert moving slowly along the
winding prairie road. ignorant of metes and
bounds. toward the drowsy village. The
friends OF the deceased. eager 20 paw him q
parting courtesy. had drafted INTO service such
vehicles as they possessed, and the gathering
was none the less earnest and sincere IL carts
instead Of cushioned carriages bore them 20
the village church aud again took mp the Jour
ney 10 the new-made grave.
THE MoURNERs
Some of the mourners-and none bat MOURN
ers gathered there-were drawn by horned
and cioven-footed stceds, and one conveyance
was a wagon mounted with n hay-rick on
which a score OF serious people sat cushioned
by lew forkIuls OF sun-cured prairie grass
But the most noticeable and painful feature Of
the procession Was the lumber wagon heurse
containing the plain pine coffin. astride Of
which the driver sat Uamoved and immoy-
able as If determined that whatever became
OF the departed spirit it's deserted abode
should be held in the rural church yard for
rent TO lesser worms than man. He chung
eagerly to the earthly spoils, unmindtul OF
the fact that he was out of keeping with his
surroundings, and at last stolidly beheld the
tenantiess handiwork of God consigned 20 the
dust from which il came. There was no pro-
fesslonal weeping and no set program for the
mourners. They sobbed in solos or broke forth
IN symphony of emotion rs. under changing
feeling, the heart leaped forth and reooiled.
WHO WAS.
The deceased had come from his maternal
roof near the Baltic sea only few years before,
but so quick is the transformation here that he
seemed altogether an American 1 was told.
He had taken a homestead under the stars and
stripes. and his sister, pretty Danish girl. had
recently Joined him. Her loneliness and sub
dued sorrow made her more than usually inter-
esting and attractive. As the only relative Of
her brother, she succeeded to his estate and
kept open the little prairie home. In six
months che knew enough English TO conjugate
the verb Ito love. and within a year she was
married to a young school teacher, who, be-
coming enamored Of her beauty. succeeded in
winning her affections. Sorrow for the dead
was transformed into love for the living-crape
gave way to flowers and clouds 20 sunshine.
The young husband was the next year elected
TO the legislature. in which he has since taken
an active and prominent part. and stands now
IN the line of political promotion. Ii is more
Than likely that ere many years pass by he viii
coEe TO Congress as the representative Of his
people and the pretty DANISH girl who wept
her lonely weep at her brothers grave in for
eign land and would not be comtorted will be-
come "A bright particular star in the social
armament OF that nations capital. Yes. great
are the Dokotas but greater still the inspire
tion and possibilities of our country