The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1905-08-31

winds were being born In the col air
Of the xulches. and no noise came from
the mountain except the whispers Of
the pines to the cedars.
When Pedro had made i've miles
straight out from the base he pulled
In his horse and sat and waited. bis
face to the west and his ears alert for
the slightest sound. For an hour he
waited, and then Of q sudden a cold
chill struck the back Of his neck He
whlrled his horse about with an oath
on his lips.
1T Ii the sand Storm he muttered
as be jumped to the ground.
He had o blanket for himself and n
for his horse. The animal lay down At
the word and suffered his head to be
wrapped, and just as the first sharp
grains began TO dy the man snuggled
down beside the animal and mufled his
head aud wor
He had seen a hundred sand storms
on that desert They came with a pun
and went the same way. In Eve MIN
utes be would be mp and watching
again. but when i've minutes had
passed the gusts were stronger. Al
the end Of ten they began circling Int
running across the sands like wraiths-
They also dug deep into the sands.
and when they net with an obstruc-
ton they covered IL in Man and horse
were soon In danger Of suTocauon and
had TO struggle up to throw on the
weight. They were Just In time to be
caught by a circling breeze and spun
around as II they were straws. and
when the man was fung on his face
at last and covered q foot deep In an
instant the horse uttered a neigh OF
terror and galloped heavily away.
ut will pass. it viii pass. and l viii
have my revenge" muttered Pedro as
be stood mp with bis back TO the blast.
but II did not pass.
He was flung this way and that. car
ried along or left half senseless on the
sands, and not for a full hour did the
wind scream out its goodby to the
desert and return to Its sleep. Then the
surface of the desert was smooth again.
and the nan who came riding from the
west could not tell that under bis
horses feet lay a human body buried
two feet deep. There had been a Pedro
Diaz. The sands Of the Mojave had
blotted him out.
whsn the sun q was ~a-sinking. n ths
chickens were a~-biinking.
And the ~whippoorwiil was raising OF .
row
Then Salty Of the dairy. with a smile just
like q fairy.
Would 60 out to do the milking OF the
COW.
Upon this one occasion. IND without tho
least persuasion.
And while upon q stool tho strl re-
cl.red-
Yea. while her tender fingers yet rpcn
the udder fingers
That devil OF a COW kicked out behind.
Poor Sally went a-sprawiing ana for her
sister calling.
And shortly she was carried on to bed.
But the doctors soon announced in tones
the most pronounced
That ere the sun had risen she'd be
dead.
o maiden young and fair. With a life so
free from care.
Be careful when a-milking you do gol
Keep II ever on your mind that the COW
may kick behind
When the golden sun Ii sinking In his
glow.
The blacksmith IL a strong, rugged
fellow. and I did o look for senti-
ment in his composition. Great was
my surprise. therefore. to see him
burst into tears after reading the poem
owe to himself and to have him take
me by the hand and exclaim In a
broken voice:
ABE. II Is the sweetest thing eyer
written 10 ell this world. 1t will make
my wife faint away when she reads II.
but as soon M she comes to she will
begin to feel better and soon shake
OF her sadness. BY thunder. but I'd
give q million dollars IL | had ii II !
could touch the human heart Ike you
can. Your horse can cast every shoe
and your cart break down every other
day. but all repairs win be made st
this shop free gratis"
A day or two later I learned that his
wife did faint away upon reading the
poem and remained In q swoon for
eighteen hours. but came out Of 1t AT
last to ask for fried pork and potatoes
boiled with their jackets on. and after
q hearty meal began to live again.
There was only one more call on my
muse that day. The Widow Spicer.
whose husband died nine years ago.
suddenly remembered the fact rs I
stopped to hand out her mail. and to
comfort and console her I invented the
following:
Nine years ago the ciarmy hand
Reached out and seized my Harry.
And hauled him up to dweli above.
And left ms free to marry.
But ] am still a widow and
Am for my loved one grieviny.
And hat III never wed again
I'll keep on stIil believing.
Sleep. Harry: sleep and worry not.
Your Martha ant forget you.
And. should she change her mind and
wed,