Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1896-06-12

the brlght 10y w, h,1 ,
,hoye the mountains. we n 1ln;n a
lew ,'as %. Us, where it surged around
@ pl"ff, crowned with a clump OF
E 0, .,oes. until it. was lost again
PC ' ~ the dark, green ridges a
a 3,w ~ At our feet rushed the
D s liver, which the heavy rains
z n 'd deluged the country during
Tau nreyious had transformed
' e ncarceful little stream into an
a bod so that it stretched out
.' "' and despoiled many q rich
'n.S' ,aborer's home. Now it was
' II It's booty on it's broad, turbu-
s.om to the valleys below, there
e'o ~ aside. On the day before a
Nth frightened fowl perched
, "o its peaked roof. had noateu
s:ot where Sam soper and 1
.,nd;np: several small frame
s'' corn cribs and other rickety
s,;ldincs had gone bobblng mer-
, Iu on the swift current; great
' vnrrooted by the greedy waters,
'p hoxes and household furni-
nd we seen. To-day the flood was
~. ifs strength was gone; the
had ceased, and for the first time
many days we could see the sun
snced from the river into the face
man at my side.
ruess, Sam. we will not see any
houses 90 by" 1 said; nothing
,,rels and such uninteresting OBJ
I suppose, though. they will be
to the people below"
4 IN i'll wind ez blows nobody any
o. Pete Siders sais," he replied.
NV, :'The folks up the valley'll
them bawrels an things, but
i come handy to them below ez
Ies en-.
ughed.
is easy for you to argue in this
er, for you are one OF the fortu-
Iopes, unless some one claims that
/ No chair that you rescued from
hing
hint smile passed over Soper's face.
! quickly gone. and his counte-
resumed it's haHtual stolid look.
replied, somewhat grut1ly:
a Teller don't seize his oppor-
k it won't seize him." He hest
| and then added: ''Ez Pete Siders
Iii me-" ! cried, "who is this oracle
burs whom you are forever quot
] during my few days acquaint-
| with the rough fellow at my side
been struck by the fact that he
|ent]y made use Of ancient adages,
kredit for the invention of which
always given TO the mysterious
Is. ,.-
|eatcd myself upon stump and
ted his reply. He was a crude,
Fr stupid-looking man, clad in a
b garb that betokened his rural
Fonments-a ragged cloth cap, Il
h. we!l-patched suit, which had
been Of gray material, a collarless
and high boots. His hair had
close.cropped a few days before,
oxen Of the coming of summer, and
Inkempt black beard stood out in
contrast to his seeming badness.
nose was narrow, long and hooked,
his eyes were deep-set beneath
|gy brows.
tier a long pause he replied to my
|tion in a arawlirg tone, and with
manner Ct a man perfectly con-
ed Of the Truth of what he said:
u you uns led ez much in your head
Pete Siders hes in his leetle finger,
a be smat man."
But who is he? I exclaimed. II
visited tbs valley yearly since I
a boy, yet never before heard of
| lie does MT live hereabouts, doe S
'per seated himself beside me and
lied:
No. he don't. BE lives up the valley
psf the river I usetcr live near
; tell me an i'm he'd words an fell
You see. P'te he was wonderful
'rt, an l was ID match fer him. NV
e almost iine' his. an he mawried
sister, tie kn"ved heap, did Pete,
NED read mos of the books they is.
uns I'D hev e.joyed talkin' to him.
would, fer hid travelled a lot in
younger days.ln' he'd a good edjur-
|vn' An at ausic. Hedgins! !
1eel that old ,ddle of his'n a-goin
me ylt. 1t jst made you all blue
~ ne played orrerful pieces. He
y a neap Of tht fiddle, he did. AL!
l tell you theyis few men like Pete
Fow o'd you eve happen to part with
pafagcn, San?" 7 asked.
sragone," herepeated. sadly. II
II heard him called tibet. Mebbc he
one ; Ter he WIS most everything
u'u we hev yords. Hawgs; jes.
=" hawgs don it. Sometimes
IN ~ was my falt, an on them days
low I'm to,lame allus intend
ooVer to his plce an make up. But
lever pen ab. to git of at them
m NO. n an when kin git off l allus
4ete an calate he kin come l.:
~ ~, must NJ. have cen a very serious
pole?" said l.
" ~ss' ne rened. "Nawthin' but
mean pigs. Su see was livin' I'm