Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1860-12-14

Though brown and rough with exposure,
hi. arm was smoothly fashioned, and hi'
hand. were ra,h er small for man Of eI,
executive lilo. wondered. while at
there whi, kind Of life had slved-if IL
we're indeed saved. Was thu, man, beside
whom | was kneoling-thsse muscles, lip.,
eycs-a living power for good virtue and
truth. or was checking tho outflow Of q
sor, Of self.llfc OF which the ashes would be
scarcely les valuable than the perfect sirue'
ture tcfore me1 lwondered
Who vas hs Gihcr
who ~a' NJ. mn her
Had hr sister
Had h. shroihsf
o. was thur t-ifsf one
SuU, snia nesfrf on-
Vet than sll other
What made the man look at me so1 Wa,
II because looked ~ odd and ugly2 did
not ehro; bad saved hi. life. any way,
surely be need have little concern i1r n,
looks OF her who va. holding hi. heartbeat
under her finger, be she ever 80 ugly.
At length the doctor arrived. was rc.
leased. and the wound was dressed
Llfc had 80 nearly ebbcd that I, was ne
cc..ary TO have gentle care !or a few day.
and a. thsro were no women in the depth.
Of ,ha, forest within thirty miles, mother
would have us remain AMI rc't, that she
nigh, care Tor tho stranger. Father was
no, unwilling Tor he aid
Taint no usc to ovcrtriyc and worry
our. elves, and then, agin, its no los. to
help a young fellow Ike him to live"
We .taii four days. | remember moth.
ing remarkable about Il, elcer; that the
stranger became likely and inierc.,ingAs hc
grew stronger, and ,ha, father and mother
both likci him.
They seemed to regard him a' a superior
in some way. liked him too. Bu, then
| vas only a child and mother had Away.
taught me to b. un o b,rusivr and quis, in
the presence Of strangers. uscl to wal,
on him a good deal though. and often read
10 him, and answered hi,quc.,ion' concern.
ing the ho,s, which hal fallen In my way.
I thought him rather Inqui.iiiSc sometimes
Hot then he seemed ,1 know - much il
gave him sort Of right ta bS irco with
simple people liko us. and especially with
an uncouth Child Ike myself u.ci 20
wonder what mae him look at me 80 much
no, ruiely. bat with studying expires.
sion foil Of good breeding bot eArne,t.
In,ai,i,ely know h; wa. reading me.
Ne hop,i tina, hc liked i,.
When We leli him. fs,h'r gave a minute
description of the locality which be design
~ To select a' our iuturc home. I, was TO
BE- On such " quarter section" in such a
- township" and on such " range"
IL shall find you all again" he sail as
We rolled away.
Some disappointment, concerning the land
on which father had intended to s,,tlc. to-
gs,hcr with rather glowing account. Of a
moro northern section OF the country, pro-
lucsd an important change in hi, plans
aud the final location Of our home.
II there we're time TO give them. the
rough 'icis'iiui,' Of pioneer life wouli be
be suggestive Of some description in which
the writer II no, the reader would take On
interest. There wa. hard work for iathcr
borne stouily and eheerily, however.
Those great forest tree, came crashing down
one by one, spreading moro and more Of the
Ky above ~. and with their smouldering
in heaps. filling tho air with a perfume
which soon came to have touch Of home
in IL.
Mother made the log cabin very com.
Portable place indoed-a tidy, losable. at
,rac,ivc home. for US Of simple tastes and
habits. Mother aud had full .urerinten-
tendencc Of the garden, and no, unfre-
lusnily Drowned our faces in keeping il
freo from weeds. For myieli was gwen
more liberty than ! should have taken, per-
haps; but loved 20 well to roam under
the trees, in search Of flowers and cuuOsi.
ties, that 1 fear | sometimes forgot the
house and garden work at home.
lived rather an unrestrainej, rather
wild lite, ia keeping with my rolickins ten
lencies.
While the three years were going by |
used to wonder sometimes when should be
A woman in that sense OF the word which
lmplIe.a consciousness Of different style OF
nature ani existence. Father would often
,pelk OF me as a young woman now. The
dresses Of three years ago were quite out.
grown the little broken mirror--all We
could boast-told story Of more symmotri.
cal features aud deeper life in nay face /;
travellers, who often came hat way, treated
mo with consideration never evincei toward
a child; rustic young men were shy Of me I;
and We, II seemed to me that | was the same
girl had ever been.
Laushingly. | said to my father one day,
i I'm a woman after all, unless get sober
81 suddenly"
lie only looked up with an expression Of
honest pride on h.. good latherly face. We
are not the leas, alike, ye, | love my father
dearly.
Mother said to mo one day. as she 'a,
sewing in the breeze, BY the open doorway /;
i've 80, something to tell you. child"
Iaw by the 'lishtes, possible catching
Df tie breath and constraint OF tone. that
the subject was embarrassing.
dropped my work upon my lap, and