Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1894-08-09
What would you think Of Offering
lp prayerY' the man asked, diffident-

What would you think Of Offering
up prayerY' the man asked, difident-
ly.
1T amt night yet" she answered.
1T don't matter. 1t amt quite regu-
lar, but He won't mind that, you bet.
You say over them ones that you used
to say every night in the wagon when
we was on the plains"
why don't you say some ~yourselfg'
the child asked, with wondering eyes.
II disrenember Them he answered.
II hain't said none since l was half the
height o that gun. i guess it's never
too late. You say them out. and Ill
stand by and come In on the choruses."
Then you'll need to knael down,
and me, too" she said, laying the
shawl out for that purpose. you've
got to put up your hands ike this. 1t
rel es you feel kind Of good"
1t was a strange sight had there been
any thing but the buzzards to see it.
Side by side on the narrow shawl knelt
the two wanderers, the little, prattling
child, and the reckless, hardened i'd
venturer. Her chubby face, and his
haggard, angular viSage were both
turned UP to the cloudless heaven in
heartfelt entreaty to that dread being
with whom they were face TO face,
while the two notes.-the one thin and
clear, the other deep and HI. sh-united
in the eptreaty for mercy and forgive
rtss, The prayer finished. they re-
sumed their seat In the shadow Of the
boulder until the child fell asleep, nes-
ting upon the broad breast of her pro-
tectCI He watched over her slunIber
for some time, but nature proved to be
too strcng for him. For three days
and three nights he had allowed him
self neither rest nor repose. Slowly the
eA elids dropped over the tired ey es,
and the head sunk lower and lower
upon the breast until the mans griz-
zled beard was mixed with the gold
tresses Of the his companion, and both
slept the same deep and dreamless
slumber.
Had the wanderer remain ID awake
for anotaher half hour a strange sight
would have met his eyes. Far away
on the extreme verge of the alkali plain
there rose up a little sp;ay of dust,
very slight at first, and hardly to be
distinguished from the mists of the dis,
lance, but gradually growing higher
and broader uneil Ii formed a well de-
fined cloud. This cloud continued to
increase in size until il becine evident
that it could only be raised by a great
multitude Of moving creatures. In
more fertile spots the observer would
have come to the conclusion that one
Of those great herds of bisons which
Craze upon the prairie land was ap'
preaching him. This was obviously i'm.
possible in these arid wilds. AS the
whirl of dust drew nearer TO the soil
tary bluff upon which the two casta-
ways Were reposing, the ~canyas-cov-
erad tits Of wagons and the figures OF
armed horsemen began TO show up
through the haze. and he apparition
revealed itself as being a great caravan
upon its journey for the West. But
what a caravan! When the head of 1t
reached the base of the mountains the
rear was not yet visible on the horizon.
Right across the enomoIS plain
stretched the struggling array, wagons
and carts, men on horseback, and mel
on foot. Innumerable women, who
staggered along under burdens, and
| children who toddled beside the wag'
ons or peepcd from under the white
| coverings. This was evidently no or
binary party of immigrants, but rather
some nOmad people who had been com
PEELED by stress of circumstances to
| seek themselves a new country. There
rose through the clear air a confused
| Gathering and rumbling from this great
mass of humanity, with the creaking OF
wheels and the neighing horses. Loud
as it was. ii was not sufficient to rouse
the two tired wayfarers above them.
ITO Be C~ontinueG.)