Year: 1867

Soci0l Characterisucs Oh tHat Enesion
How the Folks Go to Bed.


Fort Harker CKansasl Correspondence OF the


ST. Louis DemOcrat.l


We propose to describe the manner of
q prairie rancheman and his wife going
to bed. and of their eldest hopeful son
and heir, lately married to fascinating
Western lady. We were an unwilling
spectator of the scene herein related.
Far from home or from any civilized
"diggins," we were compelled to seek
shelter at a rancho. In this rancho,
built of adobes, with mud roof, lived
an old gray-headed man and his 'ole
oman" 1t must not be supposed that
this old couple were infirm, unable to
move about-far from it, they were no
less active, and ten times more laborl-
Gus than the young man and the young
woman who lived under the same roof.
The rancho itself consisted of single
room eight by twelve. One large stove
stood in the centre of the room, and oc-
cupying precisely one half of the
rancho were two beds, one for each
couple. The old woman, who was un-
doubtedly to the imistress of the rancho,
gladly consented to give US lodging.
On taking a sweeping look around this
humble abode we doubted her ability to
make good her word. Now, the house
appeared well supplied with furniture
suitable for rancho. There was
large table, there was large tin pans
briln full of milk (for the rancheman
had nine cows), piled one upon another;
there was cupboard plentifully sup
piled with huge loaves of bread, de-
licious yellow butter and pitchers of
genuine cream, loads of dishes and
crockery, knives and forks; there was
a chest of drawers, or bureau, well sup
piled With family linen and household
apparel. Under the table already men
toned were three tame fawns; under
the stove was q cat; under the old lady's
bed was huge mastitf, under every
body's feet there were about a dozen
chickens chirping incessantly, while
around them moved the mother hem
cracking continually, and before
the door, strutting with a lordly
mein, was a 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 lodging. Ten o'clock at night
had arrived, and we began to observe
symptoms of uneasiness in the old lady.
We had been chatting continually from
the hour the chickens went to roost
overhead among the branches that sup
ported the mnd roof-from the
time the dog and cat and
fawns had lain TO rest for the night,
and it was now time for the fam
ily to retire. The young woman had
been sitting in the corner, listening at
tentively to our entertaining stores,
but, on observing the WEAKNESS OF her
mother-in-laM, she rose and retreated
toward her bed After preliminary
haw, and slight hem, she turned
her back to US, and first loosed
the apron, the dingy strings of which
encircled n form inclined to cm-
boupOint. This young lady then took of
her dress, which was made of calico,
and perfectly innocent of the waSh-tub,
and dropped it on the top OF the apron
lying at her feet. Then, sitting down
on an empty soap box which stood ut
the head of the bed, she commenced to
take otf her shoes. She first lifted one
dusty leg over the other, and i'll short
space of time the shoe fell, with thump,
on the floor. She then rolled the black
wooden stocking off, and exhibited TO
our view foot white as snow, though
nat and thick. In the same manner she
undressed the other leg, stood mp and
prepared to take of her surplus cloth
~ ha in IL
her feet encirciing her We're heap
Of clothing; rolling down the cover
let, after putting trillcd nl9ht-cap
on, she stepped into the bed, laid her
self at full length, covered herself, took
two or three uneasy turns to get cun-
Portable position, finally turned her
back to us, and went gracefully and
calmly to sleep. II must not be sup
posed for one instant that we looked ut
her; oh no! we conversed with the old
lady and the two men, but In the mean
time we were helpleSsly compelled 10
watch the interesting proceedings trOm
corner of our eye, in order to be able
to give this accurate account. We now
rose and left the room, followed by the
two men with whom we kept up live
ly conversation, while the old lady, whs
had closed the door, disrobed herself
On hearing voice from the inside ask
ing a question about some cows, we en-
tered again the precincts of the
rancho: that question was a signal
which the old man perfectly understood;
the old lady lay night-capped in bed,
with her face turned toward the brown
adobe wall. On the floor. near the
stove, our bed had been mhde. A soli-
tary lamp lit the apartment In n short
time we were in bed: the old lady ask
ed, How do you find yourself Mr.
Man" We replied, Perfectly easy,
ma'am.p We now watched the men un-
dressing. Standing at their respective
beds, they first took OFT their boats, then
coats and vests At this stage of the
proceedings the young man blew the
lamp out, and, in a second, we heard
the pantaloons thrown of, a creaking
of the beds followed, and the household,
were at rest. Three men, two women,
one dog, enc cat, three young antelopes
and q dozen chickens in house eight
by ten, lighted and ventilated by two
loop holes.


Speaking of the entire freedom with