Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1895-03-21

full dry. ain'tit Ain't there no water
nor nothin to eat?'
ND there amt nothing. dearie.
You'll Just necd to be patient awhile,
and then you'll be all right. Put your
hand up agin me like that. and then
you'll feel better. It amt easy to talk
when your lips is like leather, but i
guess I'd best let you know how the
cards lie. What's that you've got?"
Pretty thingsl Fine things" cried
the little girl enthusiastically, holding
up two glittering fragments of mica.
"When we goes back to home. I'll give
them to Brother Bob"
you'll see prettier things than them
soon, said the man confidently. "You
Just wait bit. Twas goin to tell yor.
though-you remember when we left
the river?'
"Oh, yes"
"Well, we reckoned we'd strike an
other river soon, dye seei But there
was somethin wrong, compasses or
map or somethin. and it didn't turn up.
Water ran out. just except little drop
for the likes of you. and-and"-
"And you couldn't wash yourself"
interrupted his companion gravely, star
ing up at his grimy visage.
"No. nor drink. And Mr.. Bender, he
was the first to go, and then Indian
Pete, and then Mrs. McGregor, 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.
Eyes. they all went except you and
me. Then / 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've improved matters. There's
an almighty small chance for us now"
''Do you mean that we are goin to
die, too?" asked the child, checking her
sobs and raising her tear stained face.
II guess that's about the size Of it. "
"Why didn't you say SO before?" she
said, laughing gleefully. "You gave me
such fright. Why, of course, now as
long as we die We'll be with mother
again.
"Yes, you will, dearie."
"And you too. I'll tell her how awful
good you've been. I'll bet she meets us
at the door of heaven with a big pitcher
Of water and lot of buckwheat cakes,
hot and toasted on both sides, like Bob
and me was fond of. How long will it
be first?"
II don't know-not very long" The
mans eyes were fixed upon the northern
horizon. In the blue vault of the heaven
there appeared three little specks, which
increased in size every moment, SO rap
idly did they approach. They speedily
resolved themselves into three large
brown birds, which circled over TIE
heads of the two wanderers and then
settled upon some rocks which over
looked them. They were buzzards, the
vultures of the west, whose coming is
the forerunner of death.
Cooks "nd hens," cried the little
girl gleefully, pointing at their i'll
omened forms and clapping her hands
to make them rise. "Say, did God make
this country?"
''In course he did," said the compan-
ion, rather startled by this unexpected
question.
"He made the country down in Hi
nois, an he made the Missouri, the lit
tie girl continued. II guess somebody
else made the country in these parts. It's
not nearly SO well done. They for
the water and the trees"
"What would ye think of Offering up
prayer?" the man asked diffidently.
"It amt night yet, !" she answered .
"It don't matter. It amt quite reg
ular, but he won't mind that, you be-
You say over them ones that you used 70
say every night in the wagon when we
was on the plains.
why don't you say some yourself?"
the child asked, with wondering eye.
| II disremember them, he answered
II hain't said none since I was half the
height O. that gun. guess it's never
too late. You say them out. and I'll
stand by and come in on the ohoruses. "
"Then you'll need to kneel down. and
me, too, she said, laying the shawl out
for that purpose. You've got to put
your hands up like this. tt makes you
feel kind Of good
It was strange sight, had there been
anything 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 adventurer.
! Her chubby face and his haggard, an.
gular visage were both turned up to the
cloudless heaven in heartfelt entreaty te
that dread being with whom they were
face to face, while the two voices-the
one thin and clear, the other deep an6
harsh-united in the entreaty for mercy
, and forgiveness. The prayer finished
they resumed their seat in the shadow
of the bowlder, until the child fel
asleep, nestling upon the broad breast O.
her protector. He watched over hel
slumber for some time, but nature proved
: to be too strong for him. For three day
, and three nights he had allowed him
self neither rest nor repose. Slowly tn
! eyelids dropped over the tired eyes, ant
! the head sunk lower and lower upon tn
breast until the mans grizzled bear'
: was mixed with the golden tresses Of hi
a companion, and both slept the same dee
and dreamless slumber.
q Had the wanderer remained awak
+. for another half hour a strange sigh
N
q the extreme verge of the olkali plail
h there rose up little spray Of dust. YER
d slight at first and hardly to be distin
guished from the mists of the distance
b but gradually growing higher an
broader until it formed solid, we'll de
: fined cloud. This cloud continued to in
o crease in size until it became evider