The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1902-06-13

TO Abner's settlement from the Bow on
Tuesday OF each week, and 80 timed
their trip as to be able to ride out
with the postman
On a Monday evening they arrived
az the Bow, and the next Morning they
left the hotel and made their way. un-
der the guidance of a small boy. to the
postohice store, where. they were told,
they could find Klondike the mail
carrier.
When they reached the store they
found Klondike busily engaged. help
ing the merchant pack some boxes of
provisions to take out to the settle
ment.
He told them very cordially that
they were more than welcome to ride
out to Abners ranch with him, and he
directed them to sit down on a case of
overshoes until he was ready to start,
which would be in few minutes.
The two women obeyed watching
the packing of the boxes with wonder.
Surely a curious collection OF things to
be taken to a farming district, as they
termed the settlement-such quantities
Of fruit and vegetables! When Klon-
dixie had finished putting up a large
box Of condensed milk and cream,
olives curiosity overcame her diff
idence.
Are there no cows in Little Medi-
cine?" she asked.
"Yes'm," answered Klondike re-
specially, as he fitted a lid on the box,
there's slobs and gobs of cows, but
we amt much struck on roundin EN-
up nights"
The sisters, not understanding Klon-
dike's phraseology, looked at each
other in silent perplexity and in some
dismay. But when they were once out
on the vast praries their spirits rose.
Looking back they fancied the crest of
white on Elk mountain resembled a
stately marble palace. with turrets,
towers and corinthian pillars.
They saw herds of antelopes feeding,
and then, whisk! puff! the creatures
vanished in the open like a Whit of
smoke. At intervals they came upon
bleached skulls, the only reminders of
the vast herds of buffalo that once fed
on the table-lands; or the desiccated
carcases of sheep, which had persisted
miserably in the storms of winter.
Looking backward, Klondike, with
his whip, pointed out some of the sur
rounding towns, marked by puffs of
blush vapor lowering in the clear,
dazzling atmosphere. The column of
black at the right was Carbon, that
next to it was Hanna, while far down
at the left the tiny ring of smoke, like
that from mans pipe was Larimie.
Before them the wonderful prospec-
tive held still greater surprises. A
small white sunbonnet outlined against
the blue became gradually transformed
into a sheep wagon; in the remote dis
lance they deserted a wasp and two
black ants, which on nearer acquaint-
ance proved to be man on horseback
and two dogs.
''Well," sighed Elizabeth, at last
with a tone of one who admits 9
damaging truth, there's more sky in
Wyoming than there is in Connecti-
cut"
"And more land" added Olive. 81
believe we shall always go on like this
and never get anywhere. 1t is an TN
changing earth and an unchangine
sky" she continued, in an awed voice
'and l feel like little worthless atom
sandwiched between the two"
There is certainly something il
this country calculated to take thu
conceit out of one, said her sister.
Olive, overcome with drowsiness in
cdental to the high altitude, finall!
crept into the back of the wagon
where she slept with her head on (
sack of dried apples. When she awoke
she was sure they had stopped all tn
time to rest the horses, for nothing
was at all changed The mountains
the plains, the sage, everything re
NAMED the same, while the gray bron
cos pushed forward tirelessly on thei
quick, round trot.
1t was between six and seven o'clocl
in the evening when the two womel
arrived before the door of Abner's tw
roomed log cabin. Elizabeth knocked
AS there was no reply, she ventured t
lift the latch.
cab can't be very far off, for tn
doors unlocked" said Olive, as Klon
dixie drove away
Hes probably working in the-i
the fields" remarked Elizabeth
doubtfully, glancing vaguely over tn
expanse Of sage brush. "Ther
doesn't seem to be any garden" sh
added gravely, nor a sign of anythin