Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1922-01-27
THE BIG GRAY DOG OF
THE PRAIRIE


The bright sun had been shin.
ing all day, and there had been
no cold wind or singing snow
for week, but the ground was
covered with almost n foot OF
snow which had been there ever
since The first big snowstorm Of
the season. For, out in the big
prairie country the ground is
covered nearly all winter, as it
never gets warm enough to melt
it all away until spring, Ben
had gone down toward the creek,
his skates hung over his should
ers, whistling mcrrily
Bctty's mama had put on warm
legginS, wool hood, and heavy
coat on her little girl, then with
her pretty red mittens she was
ready to have a frolic in the
snow. Oh, what fun it was
Daddy helped her to build a
wonderful snow man that was
much taller than she was. Then
he took her for a ride on Bonnie IS
sled. Betty would say, "Get-up
ponyl Get-up faster!" and away
they flew over the SNOW almost
as fast as Santa himself could
travel with the eight reindeer.
Out at the edge OF the prairie
where the steep bank dropped
away to the creek bottom, the
snow had drifted and packed
until it had formed a splendid
sliding place.
Betty's pony cantered briskly
along until they arrived at the
snow bank. Here the pony sud
denly changed into daddy again,
He drew Betty to The forward
end of the sled, sat down sideways
at her back and gave quick
push with his foot. Away they
Went down the long slope and
out upon the ice of Vie frozen
creek. Dear me! What fun they
did have. "Who is that?' cried
her father and Betty looked far
away up the creek where the ice
was very wide and smooth.
Benny" cried Betty. "It is
Benny skating. | think maybe
he would be dreadful cold. " Then
Betty's father thought Of his
little girls wee fingers and
scampercd away once more and
in just a jiffy she was with mama
As the setting sun sent It's
last rays to say Good night"
to the people who lived upon the
lonely prairie, Betty went and sat
among the cushions of the little
window seat. Here she could
watch for Bonnie as he came
skating down the broad icy way.
For it was time that he should
be at home to feed his white pig
and help daddie with the milk
ing.
The twilight came on and still
Bonnie did not come. Then, as
she watched, her eyes suddenly
grew big with surprise, for, from
the snow covered sand hills be-
You'd the creek came trotting a
thin hungry looking gray crea-
ture. 1t came right down to the
creek, crossed the ice and trot-
ted along in the direction of
the barn. Betty called, Mama,
mama, where is daddy2 There
is a great big doggie coming to
ee us. :"
Mama, very much surprised,
came hurrying to see, 20,
she cried, "it's great gray
prairie wolf.
Then she ran outside and call.
ed Betty's father who was at
the corn-crib getting grain for
the horses. He came running for
his gun which was hanging on
the wall in the lean-to shed, and
all the time the great hungry
looking wolf had only looked at
them and shifted the air in the
direction of the chicken house
and calf pens. He was very, very
hungry, for even the sage hens
that lived among the clumps Of
sage brush had gone from the
prairie to find shelter from the
storms of winter.
But the old wolf was wise as
well. As Betty's father snatched
down the gun and started for
the barn, Betty's mama called
she has just gone around the
corner of the cows corral. Hurry
dear"
The wolf, out of sight of the
house, dashed quickly down the
creek bank, and as Bctty's father
! IL I,.,,, Ia, .,,,1l CON