San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-07-08

WHO hno,ns it totIs,i't that aUOmdn7''
Spread ont the map again. Put your
finger down at the town of Great Bend,
in southern Kansas, on the Arkansas
river. Annihilate by backward step
of forty years all signs of the white
mans presence that now lie so thick
throughout the length and breadth OF
this fertile valley of the ''Nileof Kansas
the mysterious stream whose noun
tain fed walters are said to flow more
below ground than above.
Picture vast rolling prairie covered
with all the shades of grass that ever
grew Fresh and spring green in the
sloughs. lush and long and June green
on the river margins, burned brown on
the southern slopes and misty and gray
ON the uplands where the buffalo grass
spreads. The river is hidden by it.
Higher than mans head the rank grass
waves in every passing breeze or stands
motionless in the August sun. To the
waters very edge the traveller must go
to look upon its slow sliding food.
Down from the higher lands, north
and south, come narrow paths worn by
the feet of the mighty buffalo as he
Journeys with the seasons and halts and
stamps at the river brink while he slakes
his thirst. His "wallows" dot the up
lands here and there-bare, round
patches ten or twelve feet across, where
his lordship has rolled and turned on
every Journey till the tough sod is worn
through and not spear of grass sprouts.
At right angles to these deep, slim
paths run the Santa Fe Trail; at times
near the brink of the river, again cut
ting across a loop from bend to bend,
and them climbing to the highlands to
avoid marsh or deep ravine.
Along its track is strung long cayal-
cade, the returning Santa Fe train for
the summer of eighteen hundred and
ffty-one Rows of immense covered
wagons, four abreast, and drawn by
many yoke of oxen, weary plodders
with heads downbent and heavy yokes
rubbing their CALLED necks. Pack mules
with their tight padded panniers strapped
on their sides and their huge ears flap
ping in time with their trim feet
Bronchos with gay, careless riders, and
with none, nipping the tenderest tufts
of grass and weed tops that are to theil
liking. Frontiersmen with furtive eye
and ever ready rifle, clad in buckskir
and cotton&de of indescribable cut
United States infantry in decidedly I'm
dress uniform, weary of the march anC
thirsty for war-Indians, Spaniards
ambush, anything, they said, to breal
the monotony of sun and heat, the climb
ing of one "rise" to see another beyond
and the never ending sea of grass
Stragglers from nobody knew whence
going nobody knew where. The name
less hangers on, outcasts and speculatOr
in whatever was easily carried and coult
be dishonesty won.
OF little children there are none, than
heaven; though two young women liv
in one of the middle trains-safer there
the captain thinks. The wagon in whicl
they ride is garlanded with flowers. TIL
wear is nearing its autumn, and the sea
son of yellows and puppies has come
Goldemod feathers the ground owe
acres and acres, and stands in solid row
of crinkled gold along the broken line
of the trail. Tall, purplish flower spike
bend stiffiy before the south wind, lik
bayonets in armored hands, and shake
spicy perfume from the sensitive plan
at their feet. Here and there a clump q
fringed gentian hides behind screen G
compass weed; and the modest cycls
men, the violet of autumn, turns its swee
white face down toward its own heal
leaves, bushes a tender pink, fade:
twists its stalk into spiral and bends
earth to deposit its ripened seeds, wher
they may be cherished by its own sui
stance. All these blossoms and man
more, twined with the black and reddis
water grasses, hang from the dusty was
on bows. But now the flower beds al
almost past, buffalo grass stretches fc
MANY miles ahead. and then the desel