Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-09-20

will follow him as he steps over that lit
tie strip of prairie, covered with wild
flowers. Now he has reached the gate
what beautiful cottage stands there
on that little rise Tor bluff as il is here
termed) on the portico is a lady, with
three sweet children by her side
There comes Pa" is The joyful cry as
they bound off 10 meet him, he takes the
two youngest by the hand, while the
eldest, a girl of eight summers, skips be-
fore him, saying-"Oh, Pa, we did wan,
you TO come early to tea, for Willie and
L have gathered some beautiful ripe
straw berries for you, Ma would not lei
little Harry GO, for fear Of the snakes,
&c. $50, wife," said the merchant,
drawing her arm within his own as they
entered the door--"so wife, still looking
for snakes in prairie grass, eh! / have
just received letter from Kentucky,
what do you say to moving back!"
'.They will not persuade you to do so,
will they!" said she, looking earnestly
in his face,-"we are very happy here
now, and are you doing good business. -
"No, indeed, they do not ask US to re-
turn; your rich uncle, Myers, will be
here in about six weeks, with all his
family, and your father has sent orders
TO have good house built near our own,
they will be here in October. so you see
we shall be surrounded by friends, and"
added he, laughing, "if it were no. for
the snakes
mo more," says the wife. placing her
hand over his mouth. "You know
love the West, and the life we now lead
is perfectly delightful. Oh, there is
nothing equal TO the West, when you
are once fairly seasoned
This is the same family first described
In this sketch-two years have certainly
done wonders for them. They could
not be induced 10 leave their Western
home.
Now let US take peep at our friends
of the cottage. We cannot find that
lowly dwelling, it has been pulled down.
Can il be that its former inmates have
returned TO the East. We will walk on;
Here is fine mansion, near the Court
House--a talented young lawyer lives
here, with his mother and sister. Let
MS look in al the open windows; quite a
large number occupies The parlor. What,
a wedding party? Yes, there stands the
fair bride, leaning on the arm of her
faithful lover, who has followed her to
the West, and now CLAIMS her for his
own. The mother and brother look
fondly on them-they have no fears;
they are not to be separated, neat house
is preparing for them near by. How
happy they all appear--have they for
gote n their first summer in the Vest
not quite; but they enjoy every comfort
the more now, from having once known
the want of them. They are all in per-
feet health, and delighted with Western
life. We will leave them to enjoy it,
Let me here relate an old snecdote:
"a man once brought home a young
dog, and Tied him out of doors on cold
night, TO harden him. His wife plying
the cries of the poor beast, begged to
take him in. No, said the man, the dog
must be seasoned In the morning the
dog was dead. Well, said the old man,
he wasn't worth much if he died "a sea-
soning,'--had he lived through il, he
would have been hardy fellow"
Thus with the Western settler, if he
don't die "a seasoning" he comes out
strong, and enjoys life with better rel
ish.