Page:The Prairie Flower; Or, Adventures In the Far West.djvu/29

 lly away

from the river's bank, teeming with the growing products of the husbandman; while yonder a beautiful lawn, anon a vil lage, or a pleasant farmhouse, rendered the whole scene picturesque and lovely beyond description.

The longer I gazed, the more I felt my spirits revive, until I began to resume something of the joyousness of by-gone days. A similar effect I could perceive was beginning to tell upon my friend. The first keen pang of leaving home was becoming deadened. We were now in a part of the world abounding with every thing delightful, and felt that our adven tures had really begun. We thought of home and friends occasionally, it is true; but then it was only occasionally; and mingling with our feelings, were thoughts of the present and glorious anticipations for the future. We were strong, in the very prime of life, and bound on a journey of adventure, where everything being en tirely new, was calculated to withdraw our minds from the scenes we had bid adieu. The future is always bright to the imagi nation of the young and inexperienced; and we looked forward with delight to scenes on and beyond the broad and mighty prairies of the west.

"Well, Frank," said Huntly, at length, with something of his former light-hearted nir, " what think you of this?"

"It is superlatively beautiful," I ex claimed, with enthusiam.

"I agree with you there, Frank," he replied; " but then this will all sink into insignificance, when we come to behold what lies beyond the bounds of civiliza tion. 0, I am in raptures with my jour ney. What a beautiful land is this West! I do not wonder that emigration sets hith- erward, for it seems the Paradise of earth."

"Ay, it does indeed."

"But I say, Frank, there is one thing we have overlooked."

"Well, Charley, what is it?"

"Why, we must engage a servant to look after our baggage; and so let us em ploy one with whom we can have a little sport. 1 am dying for a hearty laugh."

"But that mav not be so easy to do," said I.

"Pshaw! don't you believe a word of

it. Now I have been standing here for the last ten minutes, laying my plans, and if you have no objection, I will try and put them in operation."

"None at all," I returned; " but let me hear them first."

"Do you see that fellow yonder, Frank?" pointing to a rather green-look ing specimen of the Emerald Isle.

I do. Well?"

"Well, I am going to try him; so come along and see the result; " and with this Huntley strode to the stern of the boat, where the son of Erin was standing, with his arms crossed on his back, gazing around him with an air of wondering curiosity.

He was a rare specimen of a Paddy, and bore all the marks of fresh importation. His coat was a wool-mixed gray, with bright metal buttons, and very short skirts. His pants were made of a greenish fus tian, the upper portion of which barely united with a very short vest. Heavy brogans encased his feet, and a hat, with a rim of an inch in width, all the worse for wear, beneath which his sandy hair came low upon his brow, covered his head. A large mouth, pug nose, ruddy cheeks, and bright, cunning gray eyes, denoted him daring, witty, and humorous. In fact, he was Paddy throughout, dress and all; and being a strong, hearty fellow, was just the one to suit us.

"Well, Pat, a handsome country, this," said Huntly, in a familiar tone, as he came up to him.

"Troth, now, ye may well say that same, your honor, barring the name of Pat, which isn't mine at all, at all, but simply Teddy O'Lagherty jist," replied the Hibernian, with great volubility, in the real, rolling Irish brogue, touching his hat respectfully.

"Beg pardon, Teddy though I suppose it makes little difference to you what name you get?"

"Difference, is it, ye're spaking of? To the divil wid ye now, for taking me for a spalpeen! D'ye be afther thinking, now, I don't want the name that me mother's grandfather, that was a relation to her, barring that he was'nt her grandfather at all, but only her daddy, give me?"

"O, well then, never mind I will call you Teddy," said Charles, l