Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-02-05

strange world beneath them. with
WHAT purpose and what feelings 1t re-
mains for some imaginative writer of
animal stories to inform us From the
ledge to the valley below the trail
Is 1ree from distractions and broader.
more beaten and less devious than
above. Indicating that it has been
formed by the generations of men toll
ing up from the valley to the natural
watchtower OH the heights.
Reaching the edge. the prospector
found that what seemed from the an
gle above to be al irregular pile of
large powders was an artificial forti-
fication, the highest wall being toward
the mountains. Entering the inclo-
sure, the prospector discounted, re-
lieved his horse of its saddle and his
burro of its pack and Preceded to
prepare his midday meal. Locking for
the best place where he might light
fire, he observed in the most protected
corner fiat stone marked by IRE and
near it in the rocky ground a pothole,
evidently formed for grinding maize.
The ashes of ancient fires were scat
tered about, and in cleaning them off
his new found hearth the man discov-
cred potsherd apparently of a ma
tive ola or water jar, and a Clipped
fragment of flint too small TO indicate
whether it had formed part Of an In
dian arrowhead or had dropped from
an old fintlock musket.
Lucky strike" observed the pros
pector. II was down to my last
match" And, gathering some mes
quite brush for fuel and rubbing dead
branch into tinder he drew out
knife and, rapidly and repeatedly
striking the back of its blade with the
flint, produced stream of sparks,
which fell on the finder. Blowing the
while, he started a flame. When the
fire was ready the man shook his can
teen. Precious little drink left" he
said. 81 wish that potsherd carried
water as the flint chip does fire. How
ever, there's lots of cactus around
here, and they're natural water jars.
My knife may get me drink out of
the deserts thorns as we'll as kindle
a fire from its stones And right here's
my watermelon. the bisnaga. the first
one I've found In months!" he exclaim-
ed, going over to the edge of the cliff.
above the level Of which peered the
fat head of cactus covered with
spines that were barbed like a fish
hook. Its short taproot was fixed in
crevice a few feet below the para
pet. Lying on the edge of the cliff,
the man sliced off the top of the cac-
tus and began jabbing into its interior,
breaking down the fibrous walls Of the
water cells, of which the top heavy
plant is almost entirely composed. In
few moments he arose.
Now l can empty my canteen in the
coffeepot, sure of fresh supply OF
water by the time l am ready tc
mosey along"
4 He filled the pot, set it on the fire
and then pressed the uncorked anC
empty canteen down into the macer
ated interior Of the bisnaga.
While his coffee was boiling the pros
pector continued his examination o.
the fertilization. beginning, in the man
ner of his kind. with the more minute
"signs" and ending with what to d
tourist would have been the first and
only subject Of observation-the view
On the inner side Of the large bowldel
in the wall he discerned the faint out
line of cross painted with red ocher.
Scraping with his pick beneath the
rock to see if the emblem was the sigr
Of hidden treasure or relic. he unearth
ed rattlesnake. Before 1t could strike
with quick fling of his tool he sen
the reptile whirling high in the air to
ward the precipice. But from the clumI
of cactus growth along the parape
arose sahuaro. with branching arms
and against this the snake was flung
Wrapped around the thorny top by thu
momentum Of the cast, 1t hung, Missing
and rafting with pain and hatred.
The prospector looked up at the I'M
paled rattlesnake with smile. Rem
iniscences Of Sunday school fiashe,
across his mind.
Gee. I'm a regular Moses!" he ejac
ulated. First l bring water from tn
face of the rock, and then l lift up tn
serpent in the wilderness. The yea
I've spent in the mountains and deser
seems like forty to me, and now a
last l have sight Of the PROMISE
land. God. what magnificent view!'
Dropping his pick, he stretched on
his arms with instructive symbolic
ton of the wide prospect and expires
sion of an eXile's yearning for his ne
tive land:
"Over there is Gods country, sur
enough" he continued, giving the trit
phrase reverential tone which he ha
not used in his first expression Of tn
name of Deity. THANK him, the para
lei with old Moses stops right herr
Many time l thought would neve
get out of the mountains alive and tha
my grave would be unmarked by S
much as a bowlder with red eros
upon it. But now before night I'll /
back in the States and in three MOI
\ days at home on the old ranch.
promised to return In year. and L
make good to the hour. sure did hat
to leave that strike. though, after a
the hard luck had been having. SiXt
dollars day and growing richer! B,
the last horn was blowing-no Tobacco
! six matches and nothing left of IL
bacon but rinds. Well. the gold
a there, and the claim II bring whatev'
I choose to ask for it. And Echo sha
i have home as good as Allen HI
cienda and ranch as fine as Bar On
Yes it'll be Bar None. my ranch!"