The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-08-04

| commonly called Russian thistles. .
/ and were subject to constant warfare
from the human race
Salsol and Sa1sOIa escaped destruc-
ton, and, in the early fall, ripened,
| ready to fulfill their destiny
! A north wind, accompanied by much
1 buster and dust, tore them from the
/ dry SOIL and started them on their
! travels, in the course of which they
met with many adventures. As twins
they were too closely entwined, one
/ with another, for even the ruthless
/ wind to part them.
! Once. they were two whole DAYS
! struggling to get over a railroad track:
at another time a week was consumed
! in an attempt to escape from a wire
/ fence But the wind finally proved a
! friend in need to these children of the
car.
! On a certain stormy night they came
I rolling into the town of Mellette and
! lodged against one Of the huge red
I elevators.
( Next day Johnny Howe found them.
/ tied a stout string to them and
/ imagined he owned a team of horses
he pulled them I'D the street against
/ the wind, only to turn at the end and
chase them back again, laughing and
shouting with Elee. When he became
tired OF this sport he tied them to the
end OF farm wagon, an imaginary
stable.
Ivan Tyskler came out of the store
where he had cashed mis- wheat
checks. He was looking happy and
content :. Fortune had smiled on him
and he could add goodiy sum to the
fund laid by for his marriage
He took out his knife TO cut SaIsol
and SalOla loose from his wagon. but
hesitated and put his knife back into
his trousers pocket as he thought ''IlI
take them home to sister. Sophia,
and tell her I've brought her some
Russian VisitOrS-She's always weary
ing for something from old Russia. {"
Ivan enjoyed his fun. and. although
1t made Sophta's heart ache she never
let the pain show on her fair face but
laughed merrily at the doubtful joke
Sophia Tyskler stood in the doorway
of the little sod house that night as
the long twilight was drawing 10 a
close. and watched the twinkiing lights
shining out from homes Of her neigh
bOrs, scattered over the prairie. Oc-
casionally one would 80 out and leave
blank Gods candles. the stars,
shone brightly.
AS she stood there, she thought OF her
old home in faraway Russia. of the
parting with Michael Manstrikof, and
OF his goodbye kiss when he had
I called her his little wife for whose
sake he would work so hard in the
new world across the seas to which he
was going. Many years had passed
since then. but time had not dimmed
the memory of that kiss.
Then came that time of trouble when
the father, before he went into exile,
had made the mother promise TO take
the family to America. to freedom and
never to reveal to the smaller children
their fathers sad fate.
Even into Sophia's sorrow crept hap
py thoughts Of again seeing Michael
but the new world was long and wide
and Michael had never been found
Her brother. Peter. had discovered the
fathers secret. and il had .enbittered
his whole life and he had wandered
westward The mother had gone to
her last rest and Sophia. hoped her
father had met her on the bright shore
of Gods land.
The little sister. Anna. had grown
to WOmanhod in their adopted country.
and. even as she fingered ia the door.
Sophia could see the light in the win
dow of her sisters new home. where
a Yankee baby was trying TO lisp
Mamma"
Ivan was planning the new frame
house for his future VIE. and he de-
clared that no one should be more
honOred in the new home than Sophia.
but it made her feel Old and her years
seemed many as she thought Of these
things.
She walked out 10 the wagon. and
touched the thistles earessingly. as
though they were human and could I'M
derstand her. Then a new thought
flashed through her mind.
Returning to the house she wrote a
note. fastened it 10 the thistles. car
ried them out into the road. and start
ed them on their journey, once more.
with a prayer IN her heart for the