Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-11-14

of lungs fioated softly across the prairie
in pleasing cadence, varying with the in
tensity of the wind. 1t was late in the
afternoon and the sun hung low in the
western sky. All around rolled the vast
prairie, as far as the eye could travel,
until, in the distance, earth met sky, I'M
broken by anything suggesting the hab-
itation of man.
The Man in the Dug-Out.
Whence then was the whistler Sound
travels far ON the prairie and distances
are deceptive. Speculation was suddenly
interrupted.
He's at home." broke in my compan-
ion, who was driving.
"WhoY l yentured TO ask.
why, the man that lives in the dug
out. There he is nowr'
AS though by magic the form of n tall
man suddenly appeared standing on a
slight rise on the hillside. For moment
he stood with one hand shading lis eyes,
for the sun beat directly upon him. Then
he moved toward us
Halo" he shouted. Come in" This
with the freedom and hospitality that
marks the settler on the western prairie.
Behind him the little emlnence, where lie
first appeared, began to assume definite
form, resembling a housetop fiat on the
ground
Home of Tornado ard Cyclone.
1t was in western Kansas, the land
where the wind is always blowing and
the mercury bubbles merrily anywhere
from 105 to 115 in the shade; the home
Of the tornado and the cyclone, the land
of peace and sometimes plenty.
I've brought you visitor who wants
to look at tn dug-out. Never saw one
afore," sung out my companion, to the
settler well known.
''Never saw er dug-out before. Well,
come right in. you be welcome"
Signs of life suddenly became manifest
around the roof top. A small boy, per-
haps years of age, came bounding to-
ward us, sans hat, sans coat, sans vest,
sans stockings, sans shoes. sans trousers,
sans everything save his little short hick-
DRY shirt Then suddenly emerged a flax
en-haired girl. three years his senior.
Then the woman, tall and sturdy.
Life in a Dug-Out.
Your Kansas dug -out is merely cellar
with a roof The entrance does not APP
pear until you are close at hand. It's Il
hole in the ground with a stairway lead
ing down to door at the foot. There
was but one window. that at the other
gable end, a trench being dug to carry
away the water.
1t was gratefully cool within after the
hot drive across the prai,"e. though things
were somewhat crowded as parlor, recep-
ton room, library, dining room, bedroom,
kitchen. garnet and cellar were all com
prised in one But it was neat and cosy.
Thick whitewash lined the bare walls of
earth where they peeped through the
drapery of clothing and utensils of diff
ferent sorts
We've lived here two years." mine
host explained with quaint accent, but
next summer I'm going to build stone
house, though it's nice here; cool in sum
mer and warm i'll winter. Then it's all
right when er twister ltOrnadol comes
along. Ever sec er twlster? Well,
stood at tn window" indicating with a
nod of the head. ''iust week when / saw
one coming erlong. I'd just time 20 get it
shet,' meaning the window, one of those
of the swinging kind, ''and l couldn't a.
done it if tn woman wasn't by to help
1t come erlong just over the edge there
If ther dug-out had been a house ther
wouldn't a-been anything left. 1t picked
up my wagon and lifted her clear over
the hill, but that was ALL Wish one
would come erlong sod yer could see it..
Want to take er picter. Sure"
wait. broke in the woman. motherly
pride and womanly instinct coming to the
front. 'Wait till we dress the children. ;"
III I'VE AAlhuttS thlc uAcesAllS WAS COM
plete.
A Small Boys Delight
''See my new Clothes" excitedly ex-
claimed a small voice from the stairway.
as the small boy came bounding up.
I've got new clothes, the first time
I've had them on, he proudly confided
in German.
It was just the ordinary blue Jeans
that boys in the city often wear when at
play, but to this small boy on the prairie
who knew absolutely nothing of such
things as cities, whose world was made
up of a dug-out. prairie and sky. TO
whom tree was an object of wonder
blue jeans were as purple and fine linen.
Then the 'picter" was took"
There are three types of habitations
for man on the Kansas prairie There
is the dug-out and the sod house. Then
comes the single-storied. low-roofed
board house. It IS 4 mooted question
with some as to whether the dug-Out or
the sod house rank the higher, but that
is because some live in dug-outS. Tho
sod house is just what its name implied
a house erected OF Sods in place OF linn
Der, with the exception of the low roof
which is of board with sod on top.
Some Monotonous Times.
Its all right" said ny companion
who lived in one for some time. "while
the sun shines and faint so bad otber
times 'cept when it rains hard Then
TIE water and the mud comes streaming
down through the roof. Used to be So
that when ut would rain hard for a c0u-
pie Of days d pile everything on tn bed
ana then climb on top With an umbrella.