The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-07-28

children which she did crying as she
went, aud one little girl who had been
hurt by falling from The wagon using a
stick to hop along. While they were
there making the best of their way
along they were met by two gentlemen
on hoi iseback, who inquired into the
cause of their trouble and learning that
they were going to Jackson County,
one of them endeavored to comfort
Mrs. b. by saying; "Why my good
woman cheer up, Jackson County is
paradise" PARADISE exclaimed the in.
dignant lady on arriving there, if this
is paradise let me see no more of it,
After their arrival Mr.. B remained at
Mr. Graham's for about three weeks
and hoped to have obtained employment
for some time; but man with whom
Mr.. Graham had made previous en-
gagement-arrl7ing about this time
he was obliged to continue his journey.
His next stopping place was Albion,
where he was hired by man named
Peabody to work his farm, with the
privilege of occupying part of Mr..
Peabody's house. Soon after making
this arrangement Mr. B. was attacked
with fever which seriously interfered
with his plans rendering him unfit for
labor for several weeks, and before be
was able to sit up Mrs. B. and the chill
dren were attacked with illness, some
having the ague and the rest fevers,
so that often there were no we'll ones to
do anything for the sick. During the
continuance of the illness the money
with which land was to have been pur
chased, gradually disappeared until the
last dollar was gone; nothing was now
left to Mr.. b. but to establish himself
upon piece of Government land hoping
to pay for it in the future, accordingly
with the help of his wife and one or
two kind neighbors some small logs
were rolled toge' her for house but
such house, the roof was covered with
pieces Of timber split out with an ax
and called in those days shakes, and
these were fastened down by poles laid
across the top and into this the family
moved without floor, windows, or doors,
Mr.. b. however soon split out pieces of
timber which be pinned together with
wooden pius to door, and floor was
made in the same way, the house when
completed not having had nail EN-.
pIoyed in its structure. But the mis-
fortunes of Mr.. Is. were not to end
here, wealthy speculator coveting the
land upon which he had located, al
though he was obliged to make oath that
it was uuoccupied, succeeded in obtain
ing it, thus leaving Mr.. j aud his
family again homeless, but to expel them
from the place he was obliged to agree
to pay fifty dollars for the improve
ments which had been made, twenty
five Of which were paid down La
the neighborhOod was another piece of
land OF forty acres which could be OBJ
tained for fifty dollars, and this Mr.. b.
vas anxious to secure, bGt the greedy
eyes Of the specuator were fastened
upon i; also, so Mr.. b. being sick at
the time, Mrs. r. walked four miles to
hire twenty five dollars which with the
twenty-five they already possessed were
sent to Kalamazoo, then called Bronson,
where the land office was situated. But
VeaSey, the speculatOr, hearing Of this
also started for Bronson and overtaking
MIR. Blanchard, Mr.. BIS agent, they
Travelled on together, arriving in Bron-
sou Saturday night, nothing could be
done until Monday morning, when Mr.
Blanchard succeeded in bribing the bar
tender to go down and enter the land
for him before breakfast, then waiting
very composedly the two sauutered ar
round town for while and finally
going to the land office it was found
that the land had been secured. Then
as might be expected wrath was dis
played aud 10 revenge Mr.. Veasey de-
cIared that for every week spent 10 his
house Mr. y. should pay two dollars =
This of course was out Of the question,
SO again Mr.. b, his wife aud a few
neighbors assembled to roll together
logs for a house, this time only waiting
for the walls, the family took possession
without roof, floor, windows, or doors.
Their dwelling at this time if not an
air castle i; was at least an airy castle,
it was in due time completed in the
same manner that the first had been,
except that few nails were used in
this. For the first few days however,
blankets were hung up for doors, few
rails with covering of hay formvd the
roof, and, instead Of stove or fireplace
fire was built on the ground against
the green logs, and the smoke allowed
to escape through hole overhead until
fireplace could be built Of stones aod
clay. While living in this place Mr. b..
and his family suffered many inconven.
iencies and passed through many scenes
which though they may interest US,
could hardly have been very amusing to
them, for example At one time their
whole supply of bread, potatoes, and
meat. had disappeared: true Mr.. Is.