Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-11-13

slough, which cleaned in the lightning
| like an enormous CHASTITY eye. Where
was Pete? BY his pony2 Under the
trees? In the saskatoon bushes?
Struck to the ground? Surely not in
the bottom of the dreadful slough?
look, his picket rope is taken OFF the
saddle, Keep silence. When the next
fash comes watch the top of that
poplar tree. The rope is fastened to
strong branch % feet above the
ground. The other end winds secure
frightful conclusion) chest. He sits
cramped in a crotch. The rope is for
safety in case he should grow dizzy.
Lost, bedraggled, half-stripped,
roped fast in the top of a tree, amid
darkness and downpour and thunder
bolts,
The strange tree-dweller knew that
trees are dangerous in such a storm,
but he could not stay on the ground.
He still dreaded the BULL Ten times
more monstrous than at first, the de-
stroyer might rise out of his weird
burial place-at least while the night
and the elements cast such a spell
over it. Such things had happened in
myths, which Pete read with a sly
subconsciousness of literal belief
At last dawn came The cayuse
rose. The shivering tree-dweller de-
scended.
Come, Zebe," said his master, lead
ing in the direction of log shack,
just like his own, only the door was on
the north side instead of on the south.
He wondered who could be living in
so sorry a howell and how many miles
it was from his own. Pete poked his
head through the broken window and
hooted. No response. He walked in
for bite to eat, and not until he saw
his corn-cob pipe and fap-jacks scat
cred on the window ledge did he
notice that he was at home.
well, Petei" he exclaimed, and al
most wanted to stand on his head for
surprise. He footed as he hobbled to
feed his hens.
The sun rose in the west that morn
ing.
Pete's heart withered and swelled
and withered with that dreadful any
where-but-here inconsistencies which
pioneering bachelors who live alone
suffer on entering their dens after a
trip, and which would drive them
away from their possessions forever
If they knew where to go. He was
starving 'for mouthful of human
speech" The world was null and
void Life was blank. There was
nobody to ask question or be fright
ened, nor dog to lick a sore. Had
Pete only had a fellow-bachelor to
make fun of his sorry plight it would
have been blessing to him. He did
not boot now.
A man in this mood will not so
much as turn hand to make himself
comfortable, and Pete didn't even
| take off his abominable rags to lie
down in his chilly sleeping corner
where he dozed until shutdown. Then
he wanted to rise, but couldn't move
a limb-infiammatory rheumatism,
For " hours he lay suffering, utterly
helpless. alone, and parched with
thirst. His nearest neighbor lived
three miles away. On the fourth day
he rolled himself to a mud puddle to
drink, groaning.
During convalescence he worked at
the restoration of his overalls. His
heart ached for his pony. How he
wanted to apologize to him, He
could hardly endure the pity. Had he
only let him go up the cross trail!
Had he only been kind to him. Had
he only given glory to his bukskin
and cursed himself! "Hooh!" Pete
hooted as he watched Zebe shaking
his head for the missing ear-tip. Peter
believe that his cayuse ran into the
| slough knowing that the bull would
sink there with his split hoofs and
heavy weight, while pony and rider
would stay up,
To dumb beasts we say no idle
words. Pete did all he knew for his
| pony brother. He trimmed his fioofs.
poulticed the sore ear, bought a new
currycomb and brush, when he had no
coat to put on, let Zebes name and
tail grow for mosquito brushes, robbed
his (Pete's) nest of blanket, and
used it for a saddle pad to make the
saddle feel softer, and denying him
self of his daily egg he traded off his
three hens for four bushels of oats:
|