Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1869-06-09

Decu III luls iHOThlHS. Win Offers VI aSSlsIdnce
She has promised to show me how to boil
potato and to make corn bread. Her skill
doesn't go much beyond that point, l imag-
inc; but Miss Beecher's cookery book will
prove my good fairy, and before long you
shall have something to tempt your poor
appetite"
''It is dreadful moaned Mrs Buel, ''to
think of your doing the work of servant. !"
"Oh, no, it isn't bit dreadful ~ respon-
ded Ellen, with vivacity. Every day l am
learning something new and quite enjoy
it. | have found out what splendid thing
it is 20 be useful Any kind of work can be
made pleasant if we go about it in the right
spirit. The boys are very hopeful and l see
how | am going to gain great influence over
them. Arthur has promised to wipe the
dishes every day, and I, in turn, have agreed
to practice singing with him. So you see
we shall forget it is drudgery, and turn it
into kind of jubilee.
"What singular girl you are, Ellen. You
don't appear to have the least consideration
for your hands. They will soon be red and
coarse.
Il wouldn't mind if they grew as rough
as nutmeg graters," said Ellen, cheerfully.
''if they are only able to weave spell that
shall bring back the smiles to your face. +"
Mrs Buel closed her eyes with an injured
air; and the brave young girl tripped away
to attend to the duties of the kitchen. Her
pretty, fashionably made dresses bad never
been unpacked. Her dainty gloves, hats
and laces were lying buried in the depths of
a Saratoga trunk. Ellen adopted the Gus
tom of the country, and went about in cal
leo dress, blanket shawl, and wooden hood.
The older boys were out of doors most of
the time, attending to a small drove OF cattle
thai roamed at large over the harmless prai
rie. The house was so badly contrived for
work or comfort that the poor girl was sore
ly tried 10 know how to exist at all. The
rooms were destitute of cupboards or
closets; great cracks ventilated the side
walls, and let in dangerous drafts ard cur
rents of air; the roof leaked, the chimney
smoked, sulked, or utterly refused to draw.
Mrs. O'Rooney, in spite of her proud po
sition as an independent Hoosier' wife, did
condescend occasionally to do days wash
ing for the Buels; not so much for Ellen S
pay as for her pleasant, friendly ways, and
because she had offered to teach her shock
headed boy to read.
Mail day, which came semi occasionally,
with its shower of letters and periodicals
from the great world, always caused immense
excitement at the lonely Egyptian farm
house. Now and then arrived a mlssive
which Ellen read alone by herself, and then
laid away by bunch of dried flowers. 1t
was noticeable for whole day thereafter
that her feet tripped about as if keeping
time to some delicious measure beating in
her heart.
Later in the year the terrible prairie winds
brought storms and whirling drifts of snow.
One morning Ellen woke with little spike
lets of ice formed by her breath upon her
pillow, and heard the poor, unhoused cattle
moaning about the door. At this time she
wrote as follows to friend in New York;
1--WE have had the Egyptian plague of
mud, and now we are suffering from the bit
ing sea that surrounds us, sometimes fancy
myself in the polar regions, with DIR. Kane.
The walls of our frail castle are draped with
the oldest kind of tapestry-woolen bed
blankets, hung up to stop the wind from the
cracks. The boys and take turns keeping
the fire going all night, else fear we should
turn into statues before morning. Instead
of promenading on Broadway, or taking an
airing in the Park, | wrap my head and
shoulders in a shawl, bury my person in one
of fathers old coats and pair of mems
boots and go with the boys to break the ice
in the brook (or branch, according to Hoo
sier dialect) tor the poor cattle to drink
Then, together, we give them their break
fast on corn fodder.
MY old, pleasant life with you at home
begins to seem like dream. | can tell you,
who know all my weak points, how terribly
blue get sometimes. / try to bottle up my
rebellious feelings for poor mothers sake !;
but, if those who praise me, as you say peo-
pie do, for being brave, could only see the
wrong side of my heroism, their admiration
woulo speedily evaporate.
''Tell me all about the fashions when you
write. What are peplums and chignons p
Almost two years had sped away since that
wet, dismal evening when Ellen took leave
of her city home. She was still the good
angel of the Egyptian farm house; for Mrs.
Buel continued feeble and sriritless, and the
burdens of life rested upon her shoulders.
But the prospects of the Buel family were
Frightening. The father had secured good
situation for Fred in Cincinnati, and the way
seemed opening for the removal Of the whole
family to that pleasant Western city in less
than year.
One evening, just at dusk, in the hazy
Indian summer weather. when the larger
boys were off shooting prairie chickens, Ell
len sat milking her favorite COW, Brindle
Bess, behind the corn stuck. A great yell
low moon was beginning to gain little
power over the wide plain.
''Here, Arthur" said she, hearing step
near her, take this pail to the house"
A hand was stretched forth, but it was
not Arthur hand, and the smiling face of
Charley Morton was revealed to her gaze.