The Huttig news., 1909-02-27
The Father
 of His Country
(Copyright. by shortstory Pub Co)
By FRANK E. CHASE.

der it's present circumst ances only because, as far as the eye could reach over the treeless and illimitabe prai- 1 Tie. there was not living creature in sight to behold it. It was caravan of three vehicles, drawn by sorry looking teams of horses. One clumsy wagon, covered with a tilt that had once been white, was the prototype of the prairie schooner" of later days The others were gaudily painted vans, boldly inscribed with the legend:
 PROF. TODHUNTER'S GREAT MORAL
 WAX WORKS.
 Day after day, week after week, it had crawled along over the untraveled plairs, toward the golden promise of California. The railroads which now make this journey trifiing affair had not then been built to simplify the managerial problem, but in managerial energy the dauntless Todhunter was ahead of his time, aud he did not per init mere difficulties to stand between him and the professional rewards of the new Eldorado There were, be- sides. compensations. He had exhib- ited, with varying fortune, as long as there were settlements to provide au- diences; and if the pace of his little procession was that of a snail, it eharecteristically carried its house along with it. for the eanvas-covered cart bore all his household wife and two children Altogether, his progressive domesticity had been rather pleasant business, his closet containing but one skeleton the noble redman. But now the end of his long journey was near at hand, and the dread of this peril of the road had all but worn itself out and given place to a pleasant sense of security.
 Thus it was with him in the after noon of an oppressive day when, all at once, the horses. guided by some in s:inct, suddenly pricked up their ears and quickened their weary pace. and the driver on the foremost wagon. looking ahead, saw the tree tops that l told of water and camping place. He announced the long hoped-for discev- cry without excitement.
 lIttt y alC, 6uN gut dntdtl, he called out, lazily.
 Prof. Todhunter rose up at the sound from the seat of the tilt-wago at the rear of the caravan, and from this elevation peered ahead under his hand without speaking As he did SC the curtains behind him parted and a woman's face looked out
 What is it, Bill?" she said
 Matthias seen suthin" replied her husband. still staring intently ahead.
 Not Injuns?" she asked anxiously.
 At this word two children, boy of 12 and little girl, appeared at either side of her
 No, not Injuns. M'ria," he said, re 1 assuringly. Gods country ag'in. Trees An grass Giddap." And sit ting down again he smote his horses lesurely and impersonal blow with the reins. at which they slightly quick ened their pace.
 "Ain't they goin to be no Injuns pop?' said the boy. an active lad brown of skin and resolute of eye.
 You don't wanter see no Injuns Sam" replied the father.
 "Yes. I do" said sthe boy, sturdily That's all come for"
 Prof. Todhunter chuckled proudly at this as the boy climbed 10 a seat at his side and looked sharply about him after the manner aseribed by his ia vorite writers of fiction to that just ly celebrated connoisseur of Indians. Comanebe Dick.
 Suddenly far away to the north his rowing eye caught sight of nov ing speck crawling like a fly along he line Of the horzon. Soon another speck appeared, then another and an other. As the boy gazed breath lessly at this phenomenon. which was elo ueat with meaning to the faithful stu lent of the career of Long Tom the Scout, the professors satisfaction at he prospect of camping expressed is self in quavering. but resonant scrap of a halfforgotten hymn, more CT less appropriate to the circum stances of his approaching deliver. ance:
 He gave my sharpest torments ease,
 And sileneed all my fears.
 violent nudge from Sam who was pointing in speechless excitement at the ominous signs in the north. inter | rupted his song at this point and he looked inquiringly in the direction the lad indicated. Though he lacked the second hand experience of his gifted offspring, it did not take him long to make up his mind.
 4lniuns," he ejaculated; and his en- ergetic "whoa.' suffieed to bring the entire caravan to a stands ill. The creak of the axles had hardly ceased when, as If by magic, the moving specks entirely disappeared from the horizon.
 Sans vast if wholly vicarious ex- perience of western lie easily enabled him to read these signs alright, and he expounded their meaning with obvious pride to the excited little council that was gathered ahont Pref Todhuuter The Indians had been watching them