Year: 1867

on the Kansas prairie went to bed,
and how an old woman and the
''men folks followed her example


We were an unwilling spectator OF
the scene herein related. Far from
home, OF from any civilized dig
gings,' we were compelled to seek
shelter at rance. In this rancho,
built of adobes with a mud roof


lived and old grey-headed man and
his "old oman" 1t must not be
supposed that this old couple were
infirm, unable to move about-far
from it, they were no less active AID
ten times more laborious than the
young man and the womanwho lived
under the same roof The rancho
itself consisted of q single room S
by II. One large stove stood in the
center of the room, and occupying
precisely one-half of the rancho were
two beds, one for each couple. The
old woman who was undoubtedly
mistress of the rancho, gladly con-
sented to give us lodging. On talk
ing sweeping look around this
humble abode, we doubted her abil-
ity to make good her word. Now,
the house appeared well supplied
with furniture suitable for a rancho.
There was large table; there were
large tin pans brimful of milk (for
the ranchman had nine cows piled
one upon another; there was a cup
board plentifully supplied with hugh
! leaves of bread, delicious yellow
and pitchers of genuine cream, loads
of, dishes and crockery, knives and
forks; there was chest of drawers,
or bureau, well supplied with family
linen, and household apparel. I'm
der the table already mentioned were
three tame fawns; under the stove
was a cat; under the old lady's bed
was a huge mastitf; under every
body's feet were about dozen
chickens, chirping necessarily, while
around them moved the mother hen.
cackling continually, and before the
door, strutting with lord mien.
was magnificent Shanghai cock :
We have thus far been careful to
give correct idea of the families
that lived in the rancho in which the
old woman said we should find a
lodging. Ten O'Clock at night had
arrived, and we began to observe
symptoms of uneasiness in the old
lady. We had been chatting con-
tinually from the hour the chickens
went to roost overhead among the
branches that supported the mud


roOf-t'rom the time the dog and cat
and the fawns had laid to rest for the
night; and it is now time for the
family to retire The Young woman
had been sitting in the corner, lis


teping attentively to our entertain
ing stories, hut on observing the
weaEiness OF her mother-in-law, she
rose aud retreated towards the bed.
After preliminary haw and a slight
hem, she turned her back to us, and


first loosed the apron, the dingv
strings of which .encircled form
inclined to be en- onpoint This
young lady then took off her dress,
which was made of calico, and per
fectly innocent Of the wash tub, and
dropped it on the top Of the apron
living at her feet. Then sitting down
on an empty soap-box, which stood
at the head of the bed, she com
menced to take off her shoes She
first lifted one lusty leg over the
other, and;in a short space Of time
the shoe fell with a thump to the
floor. She then rolled the black
woolen stocken off, and exhibited tC
our view a foot white as snow


though fat and thick In the same
manner she undressed the other leg


and after rubbing her fingers be


tween her toes. she stood up an6
prepared to take off her surplus
clothing, which she performed in {
jiffy. At her feet encircling her was
a heap of clothing; rolling down the
coverlet, after putting a frilled nigh


cap on, she stepped in the bed, laio
her full length, covered herself, tool
two Or three uneasy turns to get {
comfortable position, finally turned
her back to us, and went gracefully
and calmly to sleep. 1t must not be
supposed for one instant that We
looked at her; oh, no 1--WE converse6
with the old lady and the two men
but in the mean time we were help


lessly compelled to watch the inter


esting proceedings from the corner
of our eye in order o be able tt
give this accurate account. Wenov
rose and left the room, followed by
the two men with whom we kept II,
lively conversation, while the ole
lady, who had closed the door, dis


robed herself. On hearing voice
from the inside asking question
about some cows, we entered agair
the precincts of the ranch that ques


ton was signal which the old maj
perfectly understood the old lad,
lay night-capped in bed, with he


face turned to the brown adobe wall


On the floor near the stove, our bee


had been made. A solitary lamp Ii
the apartments In short time W


were in be9-the, old lady asked


How do you find yourself, Miste


Man ?" Wereplied, ''Perfectly eas,


ma am" We now watched the me-


undressing. Standing at their re


spective beds, they first took OF


their boots, then coat and vests; a


this stage Of proceeding the youn


man blew out the light, and in sec


ond we heard the pantaloons throw


off, and the household were at rest


Three men, two women, one dog


one cat, three young antelopes, an


a dozen chickens in house ski


lighted and ventilated by two sma


loop-holes Such. reader, is a Yves
:. tern ranche- Next day before dc


parting East, the old lady commits


stoned us to bring her pair of shoe


for herself NO. s., seven yards {


domestic and q novel called sTh