— mu ii
Fi'om tli^? ('uiint/'iii
CiaASJCO;
A Froai!aca' Story of
HY TltEf^nOUA K. .fENXESS.'
‘‘Evevyl''otty ought to know it's
file lioppei’S tl'iat’s to blame, and
hot Joliimie and me. We never
begged bet'm-e, sir, and please
tjod, we )U‘verwiJl a.g'ain,”
Tlie Keliid’ 1 Jominissioner look
ed kindlv down in Bess idelson’s
pleading face, and ainswered,—
“Bletis you, sis ! there isn’t the
ffhadow oi' an apology due. We’re
all alike in Kansas this year,—
prairie chickens, as it were, .with
O'ltr piiifeathers picked clean out;
lighting otir -way througdi the
coldest' Weather, too,, that has
Itjen known for tliirty years,-”
“Always bad luck iii Kansas,
I blame the day that ever I
squatted o’fl its onery soil,” gruin-
b'led a settler, who stood behind
Bess and Johnnie,
•.‘'Look here, sir,” said Johnnie,
forning upon them with disap
proval,- “Kansas isn’t busted }'et,
not by a long, way round. Blie’.s
Ihe best State in the Union, all
things considered. I reckon if
■Hie grasshopiiers had lit down in
file valley of the Connecticut,
they’d liave cleaned things out as
fiCa’tly as they did here. The on
ly difference, the people there’d
have bade crops to’ climb up on.
We' haven’t; but w'e’re going to
iiavfe, sometime. Then we’ll in
vite the ho]>pers down again, and
tell ’em to pitch in and -stuff tbem-
ifolves,”
‘That’s the right kind of talk,
foy boy. Better days for siift'er-
fn'g Ka,nsa.k We’H try lier again
next year for better luck,’ said a
lliinly-clad _ but , ijoble-looking
ffbtffier'sman, laying an appro’c-
ffi^g band oh--Johnnie’s .slioulder.
tfohnnio and Bess Kelson had
AiVme up to Fort Dodge from tlioir
father’s claim, fifteen mile's awaty
fq'aijiplv to the Ilkslief Oommis-
?ioiler ibr supplies to carry to
fiiViir destitute home.' Shivering
folder their sCinity gannents,
'‘‘‘with stomachs' big as’ Mamiiioth
Cave,-’*' all adternoon they had
tyaitefi for the train which tvas to
bVing the n'eeded aid sent b)' the
good peo])le Kasttvard.- About
tironi sto'od a’ band of anxious,
C'ai’e-ivorh’ farmers, all having
' fibmo ifjioii' the same pressing er
rand as Bess and Jolnuiie.
Late, ill tlio afternoon the train
a rri'Cedi The wintry twilight had
almost set in ere Johirnio' and
Bess had received in full cliO lib
eral shill-e' of stqiplie-y allotted
■ffifem. But a more jubilant boy
a'Ad gifl jlet'er’st.arted: on a, home
ward trip: They had flour, hom-
fny and‘ham,' teas coffee, sugar,-
fold' otk-e-i’ articles-' of food ;- shoes
fof, the’ listfe barefoot brothers,
fold’ biilVy' Bell, at home’; ivoolen
Clbfhbk;' foul' even medicine for
fooflibr's chills and father’s rhou-
fo'A'tism:-
Johnnie drove his o-vvn red
i^lustang, Prancer, harnessed to a
hickory jumper,—a ruefe but ser
viceable affair,, made' by Mr, Ke-K
son.
'Sow,, the*,- We must', travel
lively,-’’ said Johnnie, as they
glided OVei' the snoiry prairie be-
^S’een Fort Dodge and Smoky
Jlill timber. Fifteen miles home,
and-- after- sunset.
‘’Tivoiild be no matter only
tliat pa and ina are sick, and they
are all so liungfy itt home,’ said
Bess. ‘It’s brig-lit inoonliglit, and
we have a big buff’alo robe to
keep us warm. I’m so glad the
grasshoppers couldn’t eat this up
anyhow.’
Wrapping themselves snugly
in the robe, Bess and Joliiinie
fell to eating eagerly the supper
of crackers and dried beef they
had spared themselves,—-small,
indeed, because of the hungry
loved ones waiting in tlie ])rairie
cabin. "Wlieu they had finished,
Bess took a nap, while Johnnie
wliistled softly and ni.ule future
plans, into which grassho’ppers,
drouth and chinch-bugs did not
enter.
The road home led most of the
ira.y tliroiigli Smoky Hill timber.
The trees were thick on either
side, but tlie moon shone bright
ly overhead, and stars gliiiiniered
ill the c lid, clear sky.
In the loneliest part of the tim
ber tired Bess an oke. Prancer
had settled into a lagging gait.
‘Poor little Mustang! how-weak
he is !’ said Bess, pityingly, ‘lie’s
been so nearl)' starved all -winter,
I’m afraid the tripi will use him iipi
entirely.’
‘Hush, Bess!’ tvaa Johnnie’s
only answer.
He had tlirowii off his buffalo
robe, and was sitting in an erect
and listening attitude.
Bess pushed back her brown
hood from her ears, and listened,
too.
‘Johnnie,’ she said, at long-th,
‘I hear soniethino- howling lie-
hiiid us. Hover didn’t go with in
to Fort Dodge. Do yon suppose,
there’s a strange dog following;
howl of rage and jiaiii the savage
creature released his hold and fell
backwanl in the snow. The scent
of blood maddened the roinaindor
of the pack. They paused in the
punsuit to rush upon the wound
ed wolf, quarreling ferociously-as
to wliich should taste the last
dro]) of blood.
This gave Johnnie a tempora
ry rest, altlioug'h lie knew the
-ivolvcs would be after him again
w'lien they had finished tearing
theirleader in pieces. Prancer,witii
true animal instinct, felt his dan-
-er, and sjied with almost su[ier-
natiira! strength along tlie frozen
road. Bess, uttering no sound of
the alarm that filled her heart,
held tightly to the reins, and did
not feel the cold that cut her
liaiuls and unprotected ears with
cruel sliarpness.
Again and again the -wolves re
newed the attack, and often did
brave Johnnie repeat his firing,
killing or wounding one of the
pursuers -with, nearly every shot.
er and slower,’ sndd-enly came to
a dead halt, uttering a long, lend
neigh. Bess iurned her head, ex
pecting to behold soin’e new dmi-
ger nioeting her, but cxp-e,rionced
joyful relief instead. -She was
within a clearing in- the timlier,
not -far distant from a little cabin,
in the door of -lyhich ii bright
light glimmered,
‘Help!’ called Boss, with all
her voice, and then sank down
almost as poivcrless as her wound--
ed brother. ’I'lio settler who
owned the cabin iieanl the cry;
and hastened out with two stout
boys. When they reached the
spot the' wolves had vanisliod.
Johnnie and Bess -were taken
to the cabin and kindly cared for,
and as soon as possible wore car
ried to their borne,- some five
miles distant. The next morning
the settler and his boj'S went
through the timber on a prospect
ing tour, and found that six
wolves had n-iet their deatli in the
fierce combat of tbd night before.
.lolninie only listened more in
tently.
Bess gave Johnnie’s hand
nervous clutch,
‘It sounils nearer now, and
tliere’s a lot of ’em howiing to
gether,’ she said, in a low, fright
ened tone. ‘They say tiie wolves
are nnnsnaliy fierce tliis w'inter
Wolves sound some like dogs,
don’t they V
Jolini'iie’s answer was’ quick
and resolute. ‘You can be a brave
girl, Bess. The rfolves are after
us. Get down in front and. bold
the reins. Wliip Prancer hard,
if need be,—finto a dead run,’
As Joiuinie siiid, Bess could be
a brave’ girl. Slie quieWy saw
fh-e'fearful danger that tlireatened.-
Slipping down in front,- slie seiz
ed tlie reins and cruel stick, with
which to whip the tender little
jiony, -\vliom she loved almost as-
well as Johnnie. Holding in his
liand a loaded revolver, whie-h he
had brought along a-s a jn'eea.n-
tion, Johnnie turned hi.S'faee to
wards the backward road.
At the first tonch of tlie -ivhip,-
to which ho was so unused, Pran
cer leaqied forward into a desper
ate run, but the- terrible pu-rsuers
gained upiou him rapidly. Soon
a violent panting’ cottld be beai’dj
and the' leader' of the pack ap
peared in rigifi.- Nine wolves
were closdly -- folio-wing at his
heels.'
Almost* i-r# a twinkling’ the for’e-
most wolf Was tearing at the buf
falo robe, one end of v liich had
fallen from the sleigh behind.
These were quickh’ torn in pieces,
as the leader of the j.iack had
been, thus making fortunate in
tervals in this horrible chasq.
‘Faster, Bess 1 faster 1 I’ve got
to reload my pistol,’ exclaimed
Johnnie, during one of these short
intervals.
‘Praucer’s giving out. I’d ratli-
er die than whip him any more,’
cried Bess, despairinghv
Joinmie’s hands had become so
stiff with cold that he could
scarcely j-emove the cylinder ol’
the pistol to reset the charges. If
ho should fail in that, one chance
remained. The hams might sein-e
for brief delays ; but that would
rob the hungry ones at home—
almost as hungry as the wolves
themselves, he thought with sud
den pain.
He made a desperate effort,
and reset the eliaige ; but when
he had re'ilaced tlie cylinder,
through some mismovenienf, an
accidental I'.all took flight and
lodged in Johnnie’s hand. IVith
a loud click the pistol dropped in
to the sntw beside the wav',
while the wounded hand fell par-
al.yzed.
Dro’ppiiig Praucer’s reins, Bess
threw her arms about her brother,
with a cry of terror.
‘Don’t hold me! See, thej-’i-e
coming on again 1 There’s a
hatchet in the bottom of the sleigh
that I’d forgotten/ said .lohunie,
with,a desperate impatience.
lie stooped and seized the
hatchet; but the Iiand that tried
to raise it fell as powerless as the
wounded one, from which the
blood was flowing fast.
‘Bessie,’ lie said weakly, ‘I
can’t d-o any more.- Thro'w out
tlie hams, and then—’
Poor Johnnie fainted ere the
sentence could be finished.'
Brave little Bess ! Her courage
rose to meet the peril of that- mo-
nient. The wolves were gfolier-'
ing hard upon her. Slie could
almost feel the brea-tfo of one up
on lier face. Taking the liatchet
from Johnnie’s'liand, she dealt a-
blow that spilt another victim’s
blood in the pathway of the cla-ni-
oi'ing pack.
Bess now prepared td’ throw
the hams if more attacks- were
made, but a uevf Circn-mstance
rendered this unnocessarv: Pran-'
A 'Toiiclsiii;? laacuSeiat,
most of them weeping. An at-
'.empt to dcs'driiie what 1 wilness-
od is alir.d.it 'J'ntilc, Boine said;
‘God bless the ’I'l+fle girl.’ Hear
ing some jicrsViiis ,say that she'
was an an'gel, the little girl earn-’
estly rejilic'l, ‘Yes my ma nS-jd
to say I would be-an angel some
time.’
Addressing herself onct’ nioro’
to the eondnetor, she asked hint,
do yon love Jesus f I do, and if
von lo-fe him he will let yon ridef
to heaven on liis railroad; I am
going there, and I -ivisli j'on wonkl"
go wiili ni’e; I know Jesus will
let me into lidaven when I get’
there, and he will let you in too,
and everv body "elifi will ride on
hisrailroatl—‘‘yes, all tliese people;
Wouldn’t you like to see h'eavei.,
and Jesus, and your little girl '!’
In traveling, we often meet
with persons of different national
ities and languages. We also meet
tvith incidents ot various charac
ter, some sorrowful and others
joyful and instructive. One of
the latter character I -witnessed
recently, while traveling uiion
the cars. The train was going
IVest, and the time was evening.
At a station a little girl about
eight years old came aboard, car-
rpng" a little budget under lier
arm. She came in the car and
deliberi'.tely took a seat. She
then commenced an ea ger scrutiny
of faces > but all were strange to
iler. She ajipeared wear)', and
-placing her budget for a pillow,
slie jirepa.red to try to secure a
little sleep. Soon the conductor
came along collecting tickets and
fare. Observiirg him she asked if
Johiiiiie- fired- upon him. YvTtli
she might lie there. J he gentle
manly conductor replied that she
might and then kindly asked for
her ticket. She informed hin-r
that she had none, when the fol
lowing conversation ensued
‘Where are you going ?’ She an
swered, ‘I am going to heaven.’
He asked again, “Who pays yonv
fare f’’ She then said, ‘Mister,--
does- this railroad lead to heaven,
and docs Jesus travel on it t’ He
answered, “I tliiivk not. Why
did you think so '?” -‘ iVhy, sir,
before my ma died she used to
sing to me of a heavenly railroad;
and you looked so nice and talli
ed so kind I thought this was the
road.' My nia used to sing- of Je
sus on the heavenly railroad, and
that he paid the fare of everybo
dy ; and that the train stojiiied at'
every station to take people On
board; but my Ilia don’t sing to'
me any more.' Nobody ^sings to
me now, and I thought I would'
take the- cars and- go to ma.- Mis
ter,- do you sing to yonr little girl
about the railroad that goes to'
heaven?’ ‘You have a little girl
havent yOii f
I'le rejilied weeping,*‘No my lit
tle dear, I have no little girl now.
I had'one once, but she died some
time ago,' and went to heaven.’
Again she asked, '“Did she go ov
er tins railroad; and aro you go-
ifig' to see her now ?’
'jiathotically uttered, brought a
great gush of tears from all ev'c;-;
but most profusely fi'Oiii the ev'- S'
of the conductor.' Some who
were trp.veling on the’ heav'-
enly railroad shouted aloud for.
joy. She now asked the conduc
tor, ‘Mister may I lie here until .
we get to heaven *’ ,Hs answer- .
ed, Yes, dear, yes.’ She then su ’
ked, ‘Will yon wake mo np tlion, ,
so that I might see my ma, v'our .
little girl, and Jesus ’? for I-.do S(f
much want to see them all,’ ' The .
answer came in broken aceents,’
but in words very {enderly sjiqk-
on, ‘Yes, dear angel, yes; Goct-
bless you.’ Amen,’ was sobbed by
more than a score of voices. - .
Turning her eyes again u))of?
t!. e bbnductor,-she interrogated him-
again,
‘What pfMl I tell yonr little'
girl when I see her ? Shall I say
to her that I saw her pa on Je-’
sus’ railroad i Shall I ?’ fl’liis'
brought a fresli flood of tears front
all present, and the, conductor,
kneeled by lier side, and enlbrae-
ing her, w'epf the' rejjly he-’ could
not utter. At thisjunetnfe the'
brakeman called'out, ‘II—s,’ The'
conductor arose and requestCif'
him to attend to his (the condne-'
tor’s), dut)' at tlio station for he'
was engaged.' That wa.s a. pro-'
cions place, I thank God that I
was a witness'to the sce ne ; but I
was soiT)' thiit at this point I was'
obliged to leave the train.'
lYe learn from-tire incident tliat
out (if the mptilhs of even babe-s'
God lias ordained strength, and
that we' o-fight to be willing to'
rejirese-nt the cause of onr blessed
J esus even in a railroad- coach.—'
Chri'ntian 'Expositor.'
ccr, whose puce
had I
slo-w-
By this time evtry per&m ;n
the-coach yas upon las feel, and
Howard Crosby tnily'..5ays’j’ I;
do not care what thc'.s'dbject is, I
believe that the child’ Jan always'
1)0 made to love' fae subject in
which he is ins’trncted,' and that'
the fault always lie.?;in the teacher
if the child is iios plelighfed willi‘
his instruction.' This may be’
hard doctrine for .some to,endorse,’
but it is the trne doctrine, iiCv-'
ertheless: If our children aro not ’
pleased with our instruction in
the Sunday school,' it is- becanse’
we" are- not proper instructors';
y/e liave not seized hold of tlii.s'
principle, and from it derived oUr
])i'actice. There must be some-'
thnig- wrong in onr methods if we
cannot reipre-ont to (lie young-
heart,' in a de.lig'htl’iil imiuner/
this ‘naudest ol'ad i.ruths.’