Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-02-12

E ~, road. The har
vssES-- ness was com
bination of ropes and well-worl
straps, whose rough edges had here
and there rubbed off patches of hail
from the animals thin sides and sharl
backs.
On the front seat of the wagon sat
girl, with the lines in her hands. Sh'
looked to be about nineteen. A mass
of dark gold curls suTmounted he
shapely head; her eyes We're brigh
hazel in color, and the breath Of thu
chill wind that crept up under the
old wagon cover gave Il vivid tintins
to her pretty cheeks.
Faith, how much farther is it tt
Uncle Ethan's?" asked slender boy
of ten, who occupied a low bench h,
the small stove, that stood almost in
the centre of the wagon-bed.
"a long ways yet, DEAR answered
| the fair driver. more than hun
dred miles, l should say"
''rm gettin' most awful tired,
murmured Bessie, curly-headet
mite, little more than five years old
as she nestled in the folds of huge
buffalo robe near her brother.
"We are all getting tired out, Bes
sie,' said Faith Haskins, a shadow
crossing her brow "But cheer up
dears, well reach Uncle Ethan's some
time this week, l hope. And let II.
be thankful that we have even this
poor shelter from the cold"
AS she spoke she cast her eye
about the Interior of the canvas-cov
cred wagon, then out across til,
dreary stretch of houseless prairie
over which scattering flakes of snow
had begun to fall.
At the rear end of the wagon was
pile of bed clothes, while near til,
centre stood the little stove, in which
cheerful fire was burning On the
ridge pole at the top of the bows, hung
several cooking utensils, and unde
the front seat was large provision
box, n sack of corn meal, side o
bacon and other necessary articles.
Almost year ago Faith Haskins
father had died, leaving her alone OF
bleak Nebraska claim, with ncr littl
brother and sister, Clint and Bessie
Their mother had died only eigh
months before the father. The sorrow
of the lonely orphans was very great
and, being very poor, there seemed
nothing hopeful for them to whiel
they could look forward in the fnture
Faith, however, did not yield to de
spair. She went bravely to work tt
earn a living for herself and the two
children left to her care. Beside.
cultivatng q small piece of groun(
with Clint's help, she had managed tt
teach short term of school in thu
winter. But it had taken nearly al
she made to pay the doctors bills ant
the funeral expenses. Then hel
mothers brother, Ethan Bartley, who
lived on cattle ranch in Southwest
ern Kansas, had written Faith adyis
ing her to sell the claim for whatever
it would bring, and inviting her ant
Clint and Bessie to come and make
their home with him.
Very gladly Faith accepted the Offer
from Uncle Ethan, but finding it i'm
possible to convert their effects into
cash, owing to "hard times" she left
the claim in charge of renter and de
cided to make the journey by wagon
Many of the young claim-h holders il
that part of Nebraska would have beer
happy to have married the girl, but
she cared for none of them.
The travellers had now reached 6
point little south of the centre o
Kansas, and were pressing on towart
Uncle Ethans ranch rs fast as the
! jaled mules could draw them. Faitl
was anxious to reach their destination
as the school near her uncle's HON.
was waiting for her.
1t was n lonely and desolate sigh
that met the girls eyes as they movei
slowly along over the brown, cherries:
prairie. For miles no sign of human
habitation broke the wild monotony
save at long intervals, when lonely
sod shanty or dug-out could be seeI
nesting in the rank dead grass.
1t was about four in the evening
when Faith drove the weary mule.
down little slope that led into low
winding valley A scant growth o
scraggy elms and ghostly sycamore!
and cottonwoods skirted the small
crooked stream. with dense thickets
of wild plum and persimmon scattered
here and there.
A quick glance about decided Faitl
to stop here for the night. She wa!
just turning from the rutty road into
a grassy glade, when there was II sharl
jolt, and one of the wheels suddenl,
went down into n deep, rain washe,
gully. accompanied by sound o
breaking timbers.
An involuntary cry of disma,
escaped the driver as she leaned on
and saw that one of the wheels wa.
broken!
'.Oh, Faith What will we do now? y
cried Clint, as he hurried forward tt
view the wreck. Bessie began to CT,
bitterly.
"Never mind, dears," said Faith
bravely. 1--WE can get the whee
mended somewhere.
She climbed out OF the unfortunate
wagon and with Clint's assistanc.
began unhitching the team Bessie
with tear.wet face, watched them from
under the canvas-cover.
The snow storm was increasing il
power and the icy wind blew the flake.
through the long, dead grass with {
} sharp. kissing sound.