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A WAIF OF THE PLAINS
A WAIF OF THE
PLAINS
by Bret Harte
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A WAIF OF THE PLAINS
CHAPTER I
A long level of dull gray that further away became a faint blue； with
here and there darker patches that looked like water。 At times an open
space； blackened and burnt in an irregular circle； with a shred of
newspaper； an old rag； or broken tin can lying in the ashes。 Beyond these
always a low dark line that seemed to sink into the ground at night； and
rose again in the morning with the first light； but never otherwise changed
its height and distance。 A sense of always moving with some indefinite
purpose； but of always returning at night to the same placewith the same
surroundings； the same people； the same bedclothes； and the same awful
black canopy dropped down from above。 A chalky taste of dust on the
mouth and lips； a gritty sense of earth on the fingers； and an all…pervading
heat and smell of cattle。
This was 〃The Great Plains〃 as they seemed to two children from the
hooded depth of an emigrant wagon； above the swaying heads of toiling
oxen； in the summer of 1852。
It had appeared so to them for two weeks； always the same and always
without the least sense to them of wonder or monotony。 When they
viewed it from the road； walking beside the wagon； there was only the
team itself added to the unvarying picture。 One of the wagons bore on its
canvas hood the inscription； in large black letters； 〃Off to California！〃 on
the other 〃Root； Hog； or Die；〃 but neither of them awoke in the minds of
the children the faintest idea of playfulness or jocularity。 Perhaps it was
difficult to connect the serious men； who occasionally walked beside them
and seemed to grow more taciturn and depressed as the day wore on； with
this past effusive pleasantry。
Yet the impressions of the two children differed slightly。 The eldest；
a boy of eleven； was apparently new to the domestic habits and customs of
a life to which the younger； a girl of seven； was evidently native and
familiar。 The food was coarse and less skillfully prepared than that to
which he had been accustomed。 There was a certain freedom and
roughness in their intercourse； a simplicity that bordered almost on
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A WAIF OF THE PLAINS
rudeness in their domestic arrangements； and a speech that was at times
almost untranslatable to him。 He slept in his clothes； wrapped up in
blankets； he was conscious that in the matter of cleanliness he was left to
himself to overcome the difficulties of finding water and towels。 But it is
doubtful if in his youthfulness it affected him more than a novelty。 He
ate and slept well； and found his life amusing。 Only at times the rudeness
of his companions； or； worse； an indifference that made him feel his
dependency upon them； awoke a vague sense of some wrong that had been
done to him which while it was voiceless to all others and even uneasily
put aside by himself； was still always slumbering in his childish
consciousness。
To the party he was known as an orphan put on the train at 〃St。 Jo〃 by
some relative of his stepmother； to be delivered to another relative at
Sacramento。 As his stepmother had not even taken leave of him； but had
entrusted his departure to the relative with whom he had been lately living；
it was considered as an act of 〃riddance；〃 and accepted as such by her
party； and even vaguely acquiesced in by the boy himself。 What
consideration had been offered for his passage he did not know； he only
remembered that he had been told 〃to make himself handy。〃 This he had
done cheerfully； if at times with the unskillfulness of a novice； but it was
not a peculiar or a menial task in a company where all took part in manual
labor； and where existence seemed to him to bear the charm of a
prolonged picnic。 Neither was he subjected to any difference of affection
or treatment from Mrs。 Silsbee； the mother of his little companion； and the
wife of the leader of the train。 Prematurely old； of ill…health； and harassed
with cares； she had no time to waste in discriminating maternal tenderness
for her daughter； but treated the children with equal and unbiased
querulousness。
The rear wagon creaked； swayed； and rolled on slowly and heavily。
The hoofs of the draft…oxen； occasionally striking in the dust with a dull
report； sent little puffs like smoke on either side of the track。 Within； the
children were playing 〃keeping store。〃 The little girl； as an opulent and
extravagant customer； was purchasing of the boy； who sat behind a counter
improvised from a nail…keg and the front seat； most of the available
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A WAIF OF THE PLAINS
contents of the wagon； either under their own names or an imaginary one
as the moment suggested； and paying for them in the easy and liberal
currency of dried beans and bits of paper。 Change was given by the
expeditious method of tearing the paper into smaller fragments。 The
diminution of stock was remedied by buying the same article over again
under a different name。 Nevertheless； in spite of these favorable
commercial conditions； the market seemed dull。
〃I can show you a fine quality of sheeting at four cents a yard； double
width；〃 said the boy； rising and leaning on his fingers on the counter as he
had seen the shopmen do。 〃All wool and will wash；〃 he added； with easy
gravity。 〃I can buy it cheaper at Jackson's；〃 said the girl； with the
intuitive duplicity of her bargaining sex。
〃Very well；〃 said the boy。 〃I won't play any more。〃
〃Who cares？〃 said the girl indifferently。 The boy here promptly upset
the counter； the rolled…up blanket which had deceitfully represented the
desirable sheeting falling on the wagon floor。 It apparently suggested a
new idea to the former salesman。 〃I say！ let's play 'damaged stock。' See；
I'll tumble all the things down here right on top o' the others； and sell 'em
for less than cost。〃
The girl looked up。 The suggestion was bold； bad； and momentarily
attractive。 But she only said 〃No；〃 apparently from habit； picked up her
doll； and the boy clambered to the front of the wagon。 The incomplete
episode terminated at once with that perfect forgetfulness； indifference；
and irresponsibility common to all young animals。 If either could have
flown away or bounded off finally at that moment； they would have done
so with no more concern for preliminary detail than a bird or squirrel。
The wagon rolled steadily on。 The boy could see that one of the
teamsters had climbed up on the tail…board of the preceding vehicle。 The
other seemed to be walking in a dusty sleep。
〃Kla'uns；〃 said the girl。
The boy； without turning his head； responded； 〃Susy。〃
〃Wot are you going to be？〃 said the girl。
〃Goin' to be？〃 repeated Clarence。
〃When you is growed；〃 explained Susy。
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Clarence hesitated。 His settled determination had been to become a
pirate； merciless yet discriminating。 But reading in a bethumbed 〃Guide
to the Plains〃 that morning of Fort Lamarie and Kit Carson； he had
decided upon the career of a 〃scout；〃 as being more accessible and
requiring less water。 Yet； out of compassion for Susy's possible
ignorance； he said neither； and responded with the American boy's modest
conventionality； 〃President。〃 It was safe； required no embarrassin