Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-01-01
STORIES OF THE OZARKS.
PATHETIC TALE OF BENSON
AND THE FAIRIES.
Short Anecdotes Of Life in Southwestern MIS-.
souri-The Dialect Of the Old. Timers
Happily Portrayed-The Mount
aineer's Request.

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.
1t was on one Of these fine mornings
| about the middle of last August that
Benson set out across the hills 10
catch q 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 CIR 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
re ad of the brownies aud their MOON
light antics, and when Bennie became
able to talk he was told Of the little
clfins and the big COLLINS and the
shiny, golden water spritcs. Benson
was in all other respects a 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 pcered 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 aforc night"
} "But eff he gets err fairy he'll come"
said Bonnie, "cause Their fairy'd die Of
hit want brought home right erway."
Bonnie watched until the sun went
down and then when it grew so dark
a that he could no longer sec into the
woods he went inside of the house and
laid down on the dirt floor. Pretty
. soon ho forgot about the fairies and
a was fast asleep. When the Sun Of an
e other beautiful morning broke over
the Ozarks the little fellows eyes
! opened and the first thoughts were Of
8 the fairies.
9 "Ain't dad come yet?" he cried; bu,
1 Benson's wife shook her head.
i mot yet. Ben," said she, IAN may
;. by-mayby-"
"Mayby he's got more fairies than
he kin err bring home" suggested
Bennie and mother smiled fcebly and
patted the boys heed with her rough
hand.
Then the brush out across the clear
I'D patch parted. and four roughly clat
natives pushed through. Betwee.
them they bore the limp body Of Ben
son. the mOuntaineer.
He hut hisse'f ez he war shootin
at err flynn SOURI," explained one o
the natives.
'One-one err Their fairies" gaspet
the wounded man, "but-but didn'
git him fer yer. Ben"
The little native put his hand il
Benson's rough one.
"An' yer didn't git no fairies
daddy?" he asked. eagerly.
The mother drew him away. bu
Benson pulled the boy back.
p mo, didn't git none. Ben. but II
> goin' back to fairy land-rll be Their
ter-day, Ben-fer-fer good"
= kin go. too. dad?' cried the boy
). leaning over the mountaineer's breast
n But there was no answer Benson ha
gone.
Then Bonnie sat down on the dir
floor and cried-because he was lei
Il behind.
y He Was In search of knowledge.
70 Several months before the Memph
1t railroad had penetrated the regio
IS about the point now known as Thaye
10 in Oregon county. party Of engir
GERS in charge OF the locating surve
stopped for night near the Howe
county line. About dark the cam
was visited by gaunt, tall and stool
,e ed mountaincer.
= II wanter know" he broke out SUI
denly and without ceremony, 'ef tn
hyar steam keer road is err gwine Il
be builtp"
81 THAT is the intention OF tho cor
" pany." replied the chief engineer.
" II don't know" responded the NJ
tive. "Say, where's she gwine 4