The Cabin on the Prairie

UBLE.–A FRO

he east while he was still in the shadowy land of dreams. The low attic had no window, save a pane of glass nailed

prairie tempest had arisen to interfere w

s cloudless. What could it mean? Assuredly he had heard the rolling of thunde

he ejaculated; "my!

ey flew in a huge body over the little cabin into the field. For this species of grouse (Tetrao cupido) are models of good order and punctuality as to their meals, and many an eastern boy or girl might, we suspect, get a useful hint from them on table etiquette. They assemble, as if by appointment, around the farmer's grain-field, and qu

. It was the combined whirr of their wings that woke him so effectually; many an older person on the frontier has been deceived by th

ths, and from a little box some powder and shot, and a percussion cap; then loading in haste, he rested the weapon on the window-sill, that he might take steady aim, and fired at the fowl. A terrible report followed,

was intense. Mrs. Jones, in her isolated life, had been too many times thrown on her own resources to be wholly overcome by the disaster. Her chief anxiety was lest Tom'

dear child, that yo

hide boots, and wore a red woollen shirt, the soiled and limpsy neck-band of which, coming nearly to his ears, served instead of a collar. He dwelt alone, with his cat, in a rude, claim-shanty, sleeping with his window open and door unfastened; and if his services were nee

nd, when much excited, apt to see "two hundred black cats fighting in the yard," when there was only a frolicsome kitten chasing its tail; and at such times he had the

of herbs prematurely awakened, rubbed his forehead,

-what's

ews-sed off!" reit

cted, and state distinctly what has happened." And holding the lad by t

atically repeated Charley

one so unaccustomed to such sanguinary events should be terrified. But who is the un

rn, did not understand the doctor, but

n. "Was it, I say, an accident, or was

ey, thinking the doctor was now r

ce!" retorted the doctor, out of temper; and, shaking the lad, h

our

ay cat that sat on an oak chest watching the boy with green-glaring eyes; "and if he should mistake you for a

dly interposed Charley,

, stroking his disagreeable pet: "that dirty-faced, uncombed, ill-dressed

y brother," explained Cha

d by his distress,

your Tom any

" answere

hat is y

arl

ley w

ley J

not much matter if all their heads were

come right down quick

ehind him, and a tin pail in his hand, he proceeded to a well-to-do settler's, and narrating the accident with nearly as much exaggeration as did little Charley, he added, with an emphatic jerk of his collar, "I'll fix the fellow up so that he'll be as good as new." He then begged some yeast, and a roll of cotton batting, and, repairing to the Joneses, covered Tom's face with the cotton dipped in the yeast

bbed Bub, clinging to his mo

nswered Bob, giving the child a pus

g ugly faces at the little fellow; f

t was by affection and tact. In this instance she set the older ones at work. One she directed to replenish the fire, another to wash the potatoes, a third to sweep the floor: a slow job the latter was, as the "truncheon," or floor of split logs, was jagged, and the broom worn ne

ss the fawn'

the corn, he saw something flutter, then heard a curious cackle. It was a prairie hen, whose wings had been broken by shot from Tom's gun. The bird moved painfully away, trying to hide behind the leafy stalks. But Bub's bright eyes could not be eluded, and he followed after,

r; now yo

g his chubby hand until it bled; but Bub trudged on w

! I totche

ed on occasions, and his mischievious pranks, in which also he was the equal of Bubs of more civilized communities. As he stood in the cabin door, coolly holding the kicking prairie hen, heedless 32 of its cruel claws, his torn and soil

e breakfast for this!" and she put a baked potato and a piece of corn-cake on the corner of a trunk, and wh

n they rushed out in a body, hoping to find another. Their search was successful, and they brought back two, which they found lying some distance a

were being picked by 'Lize and Sarah, he 33 was comforted by the reflection that his well-meant attempt at gunning had brought the family something to eat. Tom, indeed, had never seen fowl prepared for the household under just such c

We'll save every one; and who knows but when Tom gets well he'll contrive s

bed very nice?

I'll dress it. How fat it is! and so tender! What a feast we shall have! How thankful we ought to be that Tom's eyes were not put out when he shot these

nd she took care to face the bed so that

esent." Then, deftly jointing the fowl, she put the parts to soak in cold water, strongly salted. "That will take out the wild taste," said she. "How I do wi