e the waves of the sea; overhead the blue
sky, stretching out in a dome unbroken by hill or forest. The sun above
him seemed to shine with a brighter splendor than he had before known.

The beauties of nature filled the soul of this city-bred youth with
wonder and admiration.

He rode on and on.

At one moment the joyous song of a lark captivated him; at another, the
capering of some colts, or a sleek herd of cattle quietly grazing in a
nearby pasture attracted his attention; or a colony of prairie gophers
which dived excitedly into their burrows at his approach, amused him
with their antics.

At last he began to wonder how far he had gone.

Seeing nearby a large, well kept farm-house, he rode up to it, to
procure such rest and refreshment as it might afford him, before
undertaking his long ride back to town.

His knock at the door was answered by a beautiful girl, apparently about
fifteen years of age. John explained his errand to her, and requested
such courtesies as could be granted without putting the people of the
house to undue inconvenience.

The girl expressed her regrets that her parents were away in town, but
saying that she expected them home very soon, she invited him in, and
ushered him into a cool, spacious sitting-room.

Mutual introductions followed and John learned that the name of his fair
young hostess was Lily Long, "but," said she, with a slight blush,
"father calls me the Queen of the Prairie."

They visited together for some little time, until Lily, exclaiming that
her father and mother were coming, went out to greet them.

Left to himself, John glanced around him.

An old-fashioned piano stood in one corner of the room. He noted also an
ample, well filled book-case at one end of the room.

"Music, books, and Prairie Queen. If this is a typical example of
country life, I must say that I rather like it."

Mr. and Mrs. Long greeted him heartily and gave him a cordial invitation
to stay to dinner--an invitation which he gratefully accepted.

And what a dinner it was; vegetables fresh gathered from the garden in
abundance; fried chicken prepared as only a farmer's wife can prepare
it; and the countless other good things which go to make dinner on the
farm. To this dinner John brought an appetite sharpened by his brisk
morning ride; he did full justice to the tempting viands, nor could he
remember so thoroughly enjoying a dinner before.

Everything on the farm was so clean and well ar