Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1895-08-26
up prayer?" the man asked difdent-

ly
"Tt amt night yet" she answered.
cit don't matter 1t amt quite regl-
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 yourSelf?'
the child asked, with wondering eyes.
'T disremember them he answered.
ST hain't said none since I 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 ciloruses."
",rhen you'll need to kneel down,
and me, too,' she said, laying the
shawl out for that purpose. you've
got to put up your hands like this. 1t
rel es you feel kind Of good"
1t was 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 adj
yentllrer. 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 ha, .sh-united
in the entreaty for mercy and forgive
rtss. The PRAYER finished. they re-
sl1med their seat In the shadow Of tie
boulder until the child fell asleep, mes.
ting upon the broad breast of her pro.
tectC1 He watched over her slumber
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
e, clids 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 dec. and dreamless
Slumber
Had the wanderer remained awake
for anotaher half hour strange sight
would have met his eyes. Far away
on the extreme verge OF the alkaH plain
there rose UP little spray 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 it formeS q well de-
fined cloud This cloud c,>-tinlcd to
increase in size until it beca.sr evident
that it could only be raised " a great
lEt1llItiuC VI u1ON iIiS CISdIulCSs LII
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 APP
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-coy-
cred tits Of wagons and the figures Of
armed horsemen began to show III
throrgh the haze. and the apparitior
revealed itself as being great caravan
upon it's journey Tor the west. but
what q caravan! When the head of it
reached the base Of the mountains the
rear was not yet visible on the horizon.
Right across the enomOdS plain
stretched the struggling array, wagons
and carts, men on horseback, and men
on foot. Innumerable women, who
staggered along under burdens, and
children who toddled beside the wag-
ons or pceped 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 new country. There
rose through the clear air a confused
gathering and rIllnbling from this great
mass of humanity, with the creaking of
wheels and the neigIing horses Loud
as it was. it was not sufficient to rouse
the two tired wayfarers above them.
Go Be Continued.(