My Boyhood on the Prairie

The cabin faced a level plain with no tree in sight. A mile away to the west stood a low stone house. Immediately in front of us was a half-section of unfenced sod. To the north, as far as I could see, the land billowed like a russet ocean, with scarcely a roof to fleck its lonely spread. I cannot say that I liked or disliked it. I merely marveled at it. While I wandered about the yard, the hired man scorched some cornmeal mush in a skillet. This, with…

For a few days, my brother and I had little to do other than to keep the cattle from straying. We used our leisure to become acquainted with the region around us.