The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1892-05-27


plain stretched away 70 the unbrolscn
curve ~ the horizon without another
CLEAN 70 relieve il uniformity
The meadowlarks. balancing them
selves On long weed stalks forgotten by
the winds ~ winter. saw Il. and with
gieeful trills SCARED away A bic-cyed
rabbit beside the path gazcd AZ il in
wonder, aud then. a. the banner gave a
sudden, quick toss, scampercd fyr a
grass clr,lp.
Folks probably think I'm foolish or
crazy" unused Hester talking 10 the
horse. for want Of better company
'Eut don't care. Ther amt nobody
here ~ viii take hold an remember TIL
boys tibet fell. an 50 In do il. amt
forgot il in twenty years. an don't in
tend ter begin now Its all right any
way. fer Whoa. What's that?"
She had left the high prairie and was
driving through narrow ravine, the
sides Of which reached upward on either
hand
rattling Of wheels caught her ear.
Nearer and nearer came the sound and
then over the crest Of little knoll in
advance came two horses heads. and be-
hind, creaking and swaying as the ami
mails dashed madly down the declivity,
white canvas-coyered prairie schoon.
err that familiar ship Of the plans 81
often freighted heavily with hope Oh
disappointment
Frightened, yet with her wits about
her. Hester refined her horse to one
side and gathering her skirts leaped L
the ground. a white face showing in
side the approaching wagon determined
her to stop the runaway at any cost.
Snatching the flag by its staff from
her buggy. she suddenly waved it will
all her strength directly in the path d
the horses. now 80 nearly upon her.
With bound they leaped backward
and then aside. bcwildered by thu
strange sight. Then a crash. and ther
the heavy wagon was lying on its sid
among the dead sunflowcr stalks ans
tumble weeds. while the furious horses
broken loose from their fastenings, has
left the ravine and we're tearing ava,
across the level prairie.
What have donc?" moaned Hester
her nervous strength vanishing a. sh'
saw the chaos at her feet
| A groan from the heap Of wheels
boards and canvas AT the foot of tn
! little bluff aroused her.
! Going TO the heap Of debris she tor
away the cloth from the top Of tn
wagon. mans form lay beneath il
/ pinned down by heavy cross-boar'
! which had been a part Of the wagol
box. brass button on his coat toll
| that he was not stranger to the fiai
/ she had waved. and with stouter hear
l she set TO work 10 drag him from hi
position.
| At last she succeeded and had laid I'll
/ now fainting form on a patch Of gras
1 dimpled with violets that lurked in tn
| rccesscs Of the ravine. She turned tn
form over and wiped the dirt and bloc
4 from the clean-Shaven face.
| With a cry she started back and san
J for a moment helpless beside he
charge. Then with an effort she puile
her strength together and went on wit
| her task
| Revercntly she wrapped the stars an
stripes around the stranger. and some
how managed TO lift him into the oil
surrey. Then with one arm steadrin
the unconscious man she turned IN
( horse homeward.
Stretched out on the scrupulousl
clean bed in the plain yet comfortabl
cabin he was not bad looking. franz
boyish expression was on the still face
and yet gray hairs told Of a man
! wears. Sickness had evidently mad