Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-12-10
cAAPTER


- -s5S CRATER /.
fT1HE coulee was a long >scarlet
cash in the brown level Of the
5S Dakota prairie, for the su.
mach, dyed By the froets Of
the early autumn, covered its sides like
9 cloth whose upper folds were thrown
1ar over the Drinks Of the Winding "a
vine and, Southwark, hall way % TIE
.neY eots0aMa9d ghaek. Of the Lancas-
tefs: Near It, dark band aEallAt the
flaminR shrub stEstcRs9 the Plowsdl
stEei narrow! Rgt NsasRsas WV ..! sasa
9boW-ecss1s-. =. lne leam as I4as 80.
grass grown land was turned by the
mold board to prepare for the corn
DlaE.!ag q me cgmlnk Spring
sfhg SUI, Just risen, Bhone coldly up
b1 the bIai1, and q wind, bearing with
Il hint Of raw Weather and whirling
snow, SWEET down the Missouri valley
from tie north, marshaling its front
hdsts OF gabbing ducks and honkinS
geese that were taking noisy flight
from q region soon to be buried ana
already bleak Yet, with all the chill
In the air, Ben and Betty, the mules
steamed as they toiled to and fro and
lolled out their tongues with the
warmth of their work and the effort OF
keeping straight in the furrow, anC
Dallas. following in their wake witt
the reins about her shoulders and TN
horns of the pillow in a steadying grasp
took off her SLOUGH hat at the turning
70 bare her damp forehead, drew tn
sleeve of her close fitting jersey acros
her face every few moments, and
last, to aid her in making better pros
ress. as well as to cool her ankiei
brought the bottom OF her ski
through the waistband front and bac
and walked in her red flannel petit
coat. AS she travelled she looked SIX.
ward occasionally with troubled faC
and, resting but seldom, urged II
team forward. Clear weather and su
shine would not long continue, and Il
FIRST field on the claim must be turn'
ND and we'll narrowed before the ope
ing Of winter.
"Come, Ben, come" she called Goa
tngly to the nigh mule. IF you dol
dig in now, how d. you expect to ha
anything to eat next winter2 Bet
Betty, don't let Ben do 1t all; l
talking to you too. Come along, col
along"
Ben and Betty, lean and gray W
age, bent willingly to their labor
the sound of her voice. Their harne
es creaked a monotonous compla
with their renewed efforts; the col
came whining behind them. As L
las gently slapped the lines along tn
backs now and then to emphasize
command clouds of dust which
been gathered as mud In the bun
wallow where they went each even
to roll assembled and were blown aw
Faithfully they pulled, not even
ing an eyelid or tapping an ear
protest when Simon, the stray "
ling bull that had adopted the eli
as its home and tagged Dallas ev'
where. beloved about their strain
legs or loitered at their very M
and impeded their way.
Flowing was strange work to the
tient mules and to the girl who
guiding them. To her the level pra
rank with goldenrod. pink fiow'
amartweed and purple aster wa
land OF wondrous growth. For TIVE
years her home had been an arid u
far TO the south. where her ia
captatned the caretakers Of
railroad track. The most western
ton house in Texas. standing
thorny mesquite, was her birthI
and that of her sister Marylyn.
gray plateau across which the emb
ment led was their playground. I