The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1894-08-02

frock, with it's little linen apron, oil
bespoke mothers care. The child
was pale and wan, but her healthy
arms and legs showed that she had suf-
fered less than her companion.
How Is it now?" he asked, anxious
ly, for she was still rubbing the towsy
golden curls which covered the back OF
her head.
kiss it and make 1t WELL" she said,
with perfect gravity, showing the in
jured part up to him. That's, what
mother used to do. Where's mOther|
Mothers gone. 1 guess you'll see
her before long"
"Gone, eh!" said the little girl. Fun
ny, she didn't say good-by; she most
always did If she was just goin' over
to auntie's for tea, and now she been
away three days. Say, it's awful dry
amt it? Amt there no water nor moth
ing to eat?" sSs-
mo, there amt nothing, dearie.
You'll just need to be patient awhile,
and then you'll be all right. Put your
head up agin me like that, and then
you'll feel better. 1t amt easy to talk
when your lips is like leather, but
guess I'd best let you know how the
cards lie. What's that you've gotY'
Pretty things! fine things? cried the
little girl, enthusiastically, holding up
two glittering fragments of mica.
when we go back home I'll give
them to brother Bob"
you'll see prettier things than them,
soon," said the man confidently. You
just wait bit. 1 was going to tell
you, though-you remember when we
left the riverT ...~
"Oh, yes"
well, we reckoned we'd strike an
other river soon, dye see But there
was something wrong: compasses, or
map, or somethin', and it didn't turn
up. Water ran out. Just except a
little drop for the likes of you and
and
And you couldn't wash yourself"
interrupted his companion, grayely,
staring up at his grimy visage.
mo, nor drink And Mr. Bender, he
was the first to go, and then Indian
Pete, and then Mrs. MGGregor, and
then Johnny Homes, and then, dearie,
your mother"
Then mothers deader, too,'' cried
the little girl, dropping her face in her
pinafore and sobbing bitterly. e
Eyes, they all went except you and
me- Then I thought there was some
chance of water in this direction, so /
heaved you over my shoulder and we
tramped it together. 1t don't seem as
though we'd improved matters.
There's an almighty small chance for
us noww
do you know that we are going to
die, too?' asked the child, checking
her sobs, and raising her tear-stained
face.
81 guess that's about the size of it.
"Why didn't you say so before?" she
said, laughing gleefully. you gave
me such a fright. Why, of course,
now as long as we die we'll be with
mother again."
Eyes, you will, dearie.''
"And you, too. TIL tell her how
awful good you've been. I'll bet she
meets us at the door of Heaven with
pitcher of water, and q lot of buck
wheat cakes, hot, and toasted on both
sides, like Bob and me was fond Of
How long will it be first?'
'I don't know-not very long," The
mans eyes were fixed upon the north
ern horizon In the blue vault of the
heaven there appeared three little
specks which increased in size every
moment, so rapidly did they approach
They speedily resolved themselves into
three large brown birds, which circled
over the heads of the two wanderers
and then settled upon some rocks
which overlooked them. They were
buzzards, the vultures of the West
whose coming is the forerunner Of
death.
"Gocks and hens" cried the little girl
gleefully, pointing at their ill-omenet
forms, and clapping her hands to make
them rise. "Say did God make fthfs
country" eX .
@'In course He did," said her com
panion rather startled by this unex
pected question.
He made the country down in HIN
OILS and He made the Missouri" thu
little girl continued. Il guess some
body else made the country in these
parts. It's not nearly so well done
They forgot the water and the trees.
What would you think of Offerin:
up prayer?' the man asked, diftident
ly.
'It amt night yet" she answered.
cit don't matter. It amt quite regu
lar, but He won't mind that, you bet
You say over them ones that you uset
to say every night in the wagon whel
we was on the plains"
"Why don't you say some yourself?
the child asked, with wondering eyes
81 disremember Them" he answered
81 hain't said none since was half tn
height O. that gun. / guess it's neve
too late. You say them out, and II
stand by and come in on the choruses.
'EEhen you'll need to kneel down
and me, too," she said, laying TIT
shawl out for that purpose !'4on'y,
got to put up your hands ike this. [
rel es you feel kind of good"
1t was a strange sight had there betl
any thing but the buzzards to see 1t
Side by side on the narrow shawl knel
The two wanderers. the little, prattlinl
child, and the reckless, hardened nd
ventllrer Her chubby face, and hi
haggard, angular visage were botl
turned up to the cloudless heaven II
heartfelt entreaty to that dread bein!
with whom they were face to face
while the two notes.-the one thin ant
clear, the other deep and hal' sh-unitet
in the entreaty for mercy and forgive
ross The prayer finished, they re
sllmed their seat in the shadow of tn
boulder until the child fell asleep, mes
ting upon the broad breast Of her Pre-
tectc1 He watched over her slumbe
for some time, but nature proved to b
too strcng for him. For three day
! and three nights he had allowed him
self neither rest nor r6pose. Slowly TIL
es clils dropped over the tired eyes
and the head sunk lower and lowe
, upon the breast until the mans gri7
zled beard was mixed with the gol,
, tresses of the his companion, and bot
slept the same deep and dreamles
slumber.
Had the wanderer remained awak
, for anotaher half hour q strange sigh
, would have met his eyes Far ava
/ | on the extreme verge of the alkali plat
there rose up a little spfay of dust
! very slight Mt first, and hardly to
! distinguished from tho plists Of the dis
lance; but gradually growing hieile
: and broader uneil 1t formed well dt
. fined cloud. This cloud continued t
, increase In size until it bect.ne eyiden
4