The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1857-01-29

moments to Peter Potter's discourse with
out learning something new and pleasant.
uneducated as he was, uncouth in man
ners, and queer in the style Of his conver-
sation. He had been trained in a school
of his own. Rough experience with a
rough part of the world, and intimate ac-
quaintance with nature, had been his
teachers. The keen observation which he
took with him into the woods and fields
was not waning in bis intercourse with
men; he was quick to read motives, and
frank to confess his contempt for anything
mean or dishonorable. He knew W the hab-
its of all the denizens of the surrounding
plains and forests, and hence was skill
full hunter. He could tell his listeners
more about the wonderful instincts and
curious ways of bees, ants, squirrels, and
birds, than they had ever read in books.
Peter was not always pleased with Mr..
Lancaster. whose English supercilious-
ness would sometimes peep out unpleas
antly, and who often forgot that this
rough man by his side was not one Of the
laborers treated so much as serfs in his
own country. He was quick enough to
resent any infringement of the respect
really due him; and the young English
man had the good sense, usually to cor
rect his demeanor. Alice never offended
in this manner. She was not only the
soul of gentleness, but she had an intui-
tive perception of the good qualities and
natural relative positions of all people,
and involuntarily assigned to all, their
just need, whatever that was. She so
won the hearty admiration of the squatter,
that, had she been left ia any manner un-
protected or in danger, he would have
given his life in defence of the lovely la
dy. Her kindness to his boys, and the
fine influence she was having over their
manners and tastes, was strong link to
bind him to her interests. 1t made him
overlook nrany things in Mr.. Lancaster
which he would otherwise have resented.
The delight of both families, the pet
o. the older couple, the idol of the boys,
and the very eight of the eyes" of the
parents was little May, the roundest,
prettiest, dearest babe that ever brighten
ed the precincts of og-cabin. If she
was the least Bit i'll, every one was dis
tressed, even Peter; but that she seldom
was; and roses bloomed upon her cheeks
when never one could be found out OF
doors.
BY the aid of her enticing ways the win
ter at last was whiled away. Spring
came, and with it came band of ten or
twelve families of Emigrants from one oil
the Eastern States, and took to themselves
rich farms about the surrounding coun
try. The most of them settled upon the
borders of small stream, about FIVE miles
to the west, which ran north, and emptied
into the lake some thirty miles away
Others were nearer neighbors and the
whole settlement received the name oil
Petersburg in honor of the first settler
A regular mail-route was now established
through to the Indian Station, which in
cluded Petersburg in its way SO that
they were to have semi monthly mail in
the summer. and monthly in the winter
Mr.. Lancaster now-sent for papers and
magazines, which were comfort to the
whole country, for everybody borrowed
them, far and near. The new corners
were sturdy men, of the right stuff to
make pioneers, reared upon farms, and
knowing not how to take hold of their
new land. Negotiatiations were entered
into with the people at the Station to take
as much Of their grain as they did moi
themselves require, to be sent up further
to the north to soldiers stationed there, as
| dlSO W IIle 1uUIduS.
Among the arrivals were a Physician
and a minister, both Of them men of edu.
cation, and having wives of good de.
gree Of refinement. With these Alice
had some pleasant association; but, as
they lived five miles from her, she did
not meet them very often.
Mr.. Lancaster was tired of Western life
and wished to sell his cabin and the i'm.
provements on his place to some one Of
the new settlers, and return to the CITY
perhaps to England. But Alice consid.
cred it SO upwise to relinquish certainty
for uncertainty, that he was pursuaded
to continue on for the summer at least
He succeeded in hiring young man, the
son OF one OF the squatters, to assist him
and went seriously to the work of farm
ing. Alice occupied herself in making
their little home at least outwardly attrac
tive. Mr. Potter told her about the un
equalled prairie and found severa
roots for her, which she transplanted t,
} the ground beneath her windows ant
about the doors. Every wild flower