Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1892-12-22
IN THE WIDE PRAIRIE.
A Lonely;Lifo That Finally Brought
Domestic Happiness.


IIi.
..soh, the drcariness Of the prairie!
Uow vast it was; never ending it seemed
~ Clare, us She stood in the doorway
pt their adobe cottage and gazed sadly
OF toward tho northwest where herd
pf sheep could be seen.
"l]ow can they live on the dry grass,
and how can Charlie even pretend to
like II. the horrible, lonely life in such
desolation and isolationl Hush! baby
dear, am coming; how the mosquitoes
and flies do tease and torment him,
poor little whitening blossom--for even
he has felt the blight"
The sun rose higher, the wind blew
harder aud it seemed to have touch Of
fire.
II wonder why baby's checks are so
red; can he be seriously i'll? Papa
won't be in until evening, darling;
mamma will do the best she can"
Charlie Dean wondered why no wife
was visible as he approached home;
wondered why no smoke issued from
the chimney rs was usual mt supper
time. Had anything happened, he
wondered, Fastening his naturally
slow steps.
The scene that met his gaze US he en-
tered his home was one never to be
forgotten.
His wife, his pretty, little, girlish
wife he had brought from her city
home, lay back in the wooden rocker
white and still, while the baby, the
little six.months-old Walter, was mo-
tioulcss within her arms, and the sweet
face wore look the Mortified father
understood
"Clarc! Clare!' he cried, brokenly.
"Baby-oh, my loved ones.'
Then Clare opened her arms and per-
mitted him to place the child in its
sradlc--a cradle he had made out of
woodcR box.
In voice nc scarcely recognized she
said:
you knew the life was to share
put here, why did you not tell me?"
"But he seemed we'll this morning
well as he has been lately, mean. oh,
never expected this! The ranch is no
lonelier than hundreds of others
never thought"
''No, but you have had to think now.
He died an hour ago. / could not leave
him to seek you-it did not matter
after tpat. I'll never forgive you for
bringing me ont to this"
''Clara! You knew owned the ranch.
You knew was poor"
81 never guessed what it'would be,
especially in case like this" pointing
to her child. 81 little realized what it
was to be woman"
After that Charlie Dean was n.
changed man. He felt cross and mean,
and found the cold creature he called
wife anything but cheerful COM
panion.
LET her sullS" he said; 'shc enjoys
It, Anyway, I'll find other friends"
And he did. lie Sc cured the services
of boy in whose care he left the
sheep, and went off almost daily to q
little town, pleasant ride for him of
only about fifteen miles. When there,
his place of lounging can easily be
guessed.
lbS NluTC , QolhBo, uc iuoCb'
'women like to send men to the dogs"
If Clare saw anything more than
usual she remained silent. Sometimes,
when he came home almost too stupid
to talk, he caught glimpse of con-
tempt in the cold eye of his wife. Her
silence was fairly maddening.
.Why don't she howl and storm like
other women?" he muttered 'She
never oven wept over the baby. I'd
give a good deal to see her cry just
once"
The summer had gone and winter
had come as usual on Saturday morn
ing, Charlie had ridden away in the di-
rcction of the town, without a word of
farewell.
1.-TWO years ago." said Clare, bitter
ly, she sought me in that cozy homo
of my aunts, with its soft carpets, its
loving friends, and he persuaded me to
marry him and come out to this dreary
place, where he has even forgotten to
be humane"
Then glancing toward the northwest
she saw mass of black clouds lying;
threatening aspect growing over all
the sky.
There's storm coming and I'm
glad; one of the freaks in my make up
is that | like storms, particularly now.
Had been tilnid lass | would long
since have died of fright have felt
sometimes even n bear coming in at
the door would be change" and
Clare smiled sadly, as the masses Of
black clouds Increased and the wind
tore around the little mud ranch with
frightful violence.
Don't detain me, boys, must go
home!"
impossible in such storm as this.
You'd be dead in less than am hour.
Take things coolly, Charlie. Why, it's
the first time / ever saw you anxious.
Your wife's all right; being showed in
few days don't surprise folks in these
parts"
But she's--out-of- she made
biscuits this morning, and there were
only enough-and She
"Oh, no, she's got other things, trust
woman for that; there's canned
fruit, dried corn, there's beans and
no danger of her suffering Anyway
YOU can't help her; an army could not
force its way over those miles"
''God forgive mel" thought Charlie
Dean, his face in his hands, land God
help her, for know how precious lit
tie the small house contains. I've seen
her hunting among the weeds for
something green to help out the salt
pork and bread. | know how she's
tried to cook something we could eat
when l brought her home almost moth
ing. She may have something for din
fter that-Oh. heavens. boysi