The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1898-02-10
DEAD WIFES VOICE.
Pathetic Story Told at the State Free En-
pIoymeat B1reau.-Figured in
Tragedy During the Opening Of
the Chernkes Sfrin


Post-Dispstch
/ A wrinkle3, sad-faced man tottered
into the State Free Employment
/ Bureau Yesterday Afternoon and
asked for work.
why, what can you de-" asked
the clerk as be noticed his nervous
hand and feeble tread.
"AnYttiog. am willing to do
anything for little money. L must
have little money. She is GU! there
on the prairie and she calls to me l
fear LOW that the coyotes have dug
her up and carried her away. Oh I
must have a little money to get far
Their, to get nearer, and bring her
back promised that 1 would bring
her back"
Bring who back'" What are you
talking about" asked the clerk. who
had come to the conclusion that the
old man was out of his mind.
''No, l am not crazy" continued
the old fellow, as if answering the
clerks thought, but it is a wonder
that am not. You see am only a
poor old man with great sorrow. I
want to get to the Cherokee strip
and bury my wife's body in Chris
tian graveyard. OF course, my trou-
bles are nothing to you, land l should
not have spoken as l did"
go On, tell US the story" said
the clerk. The others in the Office
had j ined in attention to the old
mans words
"Well, it Is sad one. 1 cannot
get it fl my mind. You see, myself
and wife made the recs into the
Cherokee strip several years ago. 1t
was foolish thing. But we were
led By the glowing descriptions of
wealth to make the attempt We
went in little southwest of Arkan.
sas City. We had a spring wagon,
which proved too light for the trip
over the uneven prairies. When we
GO 10 miles into the Strip the
wagon broke down and we decided
to stake the claim on which it rested
All might have gons we'll but for the
prairie fire. The m an who led in the
race thrsw matches in the dry prairie
grass, so that those following would
be driven back by the flames and
delayed in the race. We saw the fire
coming, wall of flame rushing from
the south under a fierce wind. It
Kissed and cracked aud roared.
Rabbits ran by in terro4'. fleeing from
the flames which bad whipped them
from their nests.
II looked fer a match with which
to make counter fire, but could find |
none. The fire kept coming closer
and closer. Not far away there were
some trees and apparently a small
creek. Thinking that there would be
water there, and tina. my wife would
be safe from the fire when il swept |
in and over US, told her to run for
the creek, while came on with the
horses. She set out When / had /
the horses ready the flames had run
in between me and the trees. l look
ed about me and saw a man standing
at the side of his horse in a circle of
fire. He called to ms to come to
him. l let the horses go and went.
| leaped over the flames from his
counter fire without damage. Then
the wall Of fame broke and blistered
and eufoca'ed US Then it passed
and ] went 10 look fer my wife. 1
found only charred body. There
was no water in the little gully. It
had been long dry and the grass had
grown taller and thicker
there than anywhere else The man
who hid built the counter fire came
up and with his spade dug a shallow
grave. l buried her there. 7 did not
stay. l promised myself that /
would return aud brig her back to
my home in Chicago 1 have never
had the money. In despair of max
ing it here / have started for the 1
Strip to sse il 1 could make it there.
Any way, l will be near her there.
When he had concluded tears