Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-11-13
Short STORY
Of the Dav
Ephraim Weber in the Springfield
Republican.
IN A NIGHT RIDE.

Ephraim Weber in the Springfield
Republican.
Pete was on his way home. Not
having a trail, he took the wind for
his guide. The wilderness grew dark
and uncanny. In the unreasonable
solitude of his life. the thickening of
the dusk always uncaged his magma
ton for dragon flights. Neither spurs
nor quirt could impel his buckskin to
speed that eased his spirit. Riding
after him on the Black Camel came
the Dark; moreover, at home-oh that
shivering ghost Of home!-his three
dear hens were roosting unfed and
sleepless on their stick. If he could
communicate his mood to his pony,
the little fellow could go bit faster.
he was sure. For experiment he
reached to his hlp-pocket for his
sheepshears, and sure enough, their
whack. whack. whack. put the desired
witchery into the cayuse's nerves. He
loped like a wild thing Pete hooted
light frightened delight.
At last they struck trail which
soon brought them to cross-trail.
where the cayuse switched off at right
angles. Pete was sure this was wrong
for they must keep straight ahead.
facing the wind; SO he neck-rained his
cayuse TO put him back to the old
trail, but he would not obey. Sud
denly he flew into such a spasm of
wrath that writhing and sizzling. he
jerked and spurred the poor creature
most furiously. so that he soon had
him back on the old trail. Still hiss
ing like a mad gander, Pete clipped
off the tip of one of the pony's ears.
Into the dark they rushed. Mile after
mile they fed, arriving nowhere
Fainter and DINNER grew the trail
until there was danger of losing IL al.
together. II was near midnight. and
Pete thought of his hungry hens and
the mysteries of the night. He nfpped
the tanks of his pony and gained new
fleetness, when, quick as lightning.
the pony lodged to one side. letting
the unseated rider continue his wild
flight headlong into wire fence sur
rounding haystack.
Pete effervesced with impassioned
figures of speech He had a t:mo
gathering his senses and limbs to,
gether. He lay on his back one dis
tant foot hanging on barb OF the top
wire. Two loose ends of wire coiled
around him as only barbed wire knows
how to coil, and when he felt its fangs
from head TO foot. he imagined him
self in the antennae of devilish Be
sides. he had constant dread OF
imaginary snakes, After frantic
CONFUSION he disentangled himself
He felt hundred cuts and was
thankful the darkness hid HIS gore
The wounds he did not mind: they
would soon heal: but his beloved blue
duck jacket and overalls. which his
mother made when dying with heart
breakdown would he ever mend them
fit to be seen in? And where was
Zebe, his pony? He listened, but
heard only his heart
"aere. Zebe, Zebei Zebel" No re
Spouse. Pete sighed and threw him
self against the hay stack, rejecting
that the wind often turns suddenly in
that country. and is treacherous
guide to ride home by. Perhaps the
pony was right after all at the cross
trail
well, Pete" he addressed himself.
how d. yeh like this? Yeh mooncalf,
next time yeh know enough to let the
little sinner have the reins, He'll
smell the trail home. an II it's dark
enough to color yer skin black"
Then he prayed to have his pony