Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1893-03-22
XLpENA XRGU6
MISCELLANEOUS.
MY PRAIRIE ADVENTURE.

yoice-"come I'M" and ], half fro
zen, of course went i'll.
AS the door opened to my hand,
beheld the rotund form OF a
woman of some thirty years OF
age, whose smiling countenance
welcomed me, as she placed chair
by the fire, and with true western
hospitality invited me to take a
seat and make myself comfortable
/ accepted the invitation, and
hugging the fire as closely as due
sense of duty to my new grays
would warrant, ! informed her | had
got bewildered when the storm
came on, and the snow had covered
the always blind tracks that run
so unintelligibly over the prairies,
had lost all knowledge of the points
of the compass, had wandered on
until nearly discouraged, had hail
ed with delight the CLEAN OF light
from the window, struggled up to
it, and should trespass upon her
kindness for the night, and get
some of her folks to convey me to
my stopping place in the morning
She informed me that her hus-
band had gone to the mill with a
jag of wheat, and would remain until
noon the day following, but / was
entirely welcome to such accomoda-
tions and humble fare as her poor
roof could afford for the night.
The house was one of those log
buildings so common through the
western country, containing but
one large, low room on the ground
floor, clay-chinked wall, rough
plank flooring, bed in one corner,
and number of treacherous looking
benches scattered promiscuously
about the apartment.
Ihad got so far III my survey,
when a black-haired, rosy-faced ur-
chin of some twelve winters, burst
open the door with the alarming
information that the sheep had es-
capped the fold. and had wandered
into the wood, no one knew when
or where.
With the energy and descision of
a pioneer woman of the West, my
hostess seized cloak and hood,
told "Chris" to saddle Ned and
Bally, with ~ shan't be gone long"
to me, hurried out of the door.
Soon the soft tread of horses,
mufiled by the snow, passed the
door, and melted gradually in the
distance.
Well, here was an adventure. |
was left in sole possession of the
establishment. | would make the
most of this when | reached home,
'twould be worth telling.
Rugged the fire still closer in
my contentment, congratulating
myself upon the fact that | was not
the possessor of flock of runaway
sheep, leaned my head against the
rough logs of the wall, and prepar-
ed myself for a comfortable nap,
pending the search for the sheep,
which | mentally concluded would
be an unsuccessful one.
Cogitating the foolishness Of sheep
in general, and this lot in particular,
| closed my eyes involuntarily, and
had nearly lost all consciousness,
when a low, smothered chuckle
from the corner by the door, where
the bed stood, caused me to open
my eyes in some haste.
had imagined myself alone in
the house, but what could it be-?
No noise-no movement for the
space Of a minute or more. | sat
watching the door and listening in
tently. Could it be that | was
dreaming when l heard the chuckle?
No twas too real.
A movement of the bed caught
my attention. / watched it closely.
| am not man gifted with great
personal courage. | am constitu-
tionally nervous and timid, and
when the suppressed chuckle was
repeated, and the. covering of the
bed stirred, ] could not have stood
alone conveniently; my knees were
decidedly shaky.
Rooted to the chair | sat, as the
covering of the bed was removed,
and | beheld woman of colossal
proportions rise up, and swing her
bare feet clear of the clothing, over
the side of the bed.
She gazed at me steadfastly and
wonderingly. She was woman be-
tween fifty and sixty years of age,
strong and MUSCULAR perfect
giantess, large-featured q never
shall forget that face) dark, gleam-
ing bloodshot eyes, thick, protrud-
ing lips, pallid face surrounded by
a mass of tangled, prisly hair.