THE COUNTRY BOY 137 



help me, then this man that we yelled to in the 

 storm, came unsolicited and came every day 

 and stood to the windward side of the house 

 and asked after my needs. But," said father 

 again, "I would have done that for him, al- 

 though smallpox in those days was looked upon 

 as death itself. But I wouldn't go with Jake 

 to-night if he gave me all of his money. 

 Common sense wouldn't permit me to go into 

 those mountains to-night. It's only a few 

 hours till morning, then I'd go, but not to- 

 night, no siree! I owe too much to my own 

 family." 



We reall}^ hated to go to bed, it was such a 

 pleasure to have such a strong character so 

 forcibly impressed upon our minds. INIorning 

 came, the poor landscape looked bewildered; 

 it had been through an awful night. The 

 trees were resting, they hadn't had much sleep 

 and they looked tired and worn out. The 

 streams were out of their banks, and we heard 

 of some bridges that were gone, down on the 

 prairie. 



We were afraid we would hear that Jake's 

 body had been found. We went over to see 

 his wife to see if his horse had come home, and 



