The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-07-21
PAW Paw. MICH, FRIDAY Y, JULY Fl, 1871

An underbrushed road which was in any
shape but straight, winding wherever it
was the least labor to cut it. Oar tired
travellers remained two days in Kalama!
zoo before they could procure a convey
anco to the Bloomingdale woods, at the
Base Line, distance of about 30 miles
Mrs. Lane had young child, not quite
two years old, and with the care and
trouble the rough journey was tedious
Mr.. Mower lived in log house with his
young son alone his wife died the fall
previous. The Kalamazoo teamster, a
Mr.. Weeks was an acquaintance of Mr.,
Nj. s and he took his load to his house
Both members of the family were absent
the young lad with the Indians hunting
porcupines and the master, the eccentric
hunter, was looking after bear.trap,
which had been carried off by an unfor-
tunate victim to its strong embrace. -
Five years afterwards the trap was found
in distant swamp with tuft Of bear 5
hair in its savage jaws. Mr. Ms COM
pany, who had taken possession OF his
domicil during his absence had keen ap-
petites, as they had been riding all day
on a rough road, without food, and they
set about exploring the house for provis-
ions. They found plenty of pork, -four
aud potatoes, and a plentiful supply Of
cream. Mrs i. went to cooking at
once, while the men were finding a suit
able place to yard the horses for the
night, as there was no barn. Mr.. and
Mrs. Ward went on foot to Mr.. Hum
phrey'S, a distance of five miles, though
it was nearly sundown when they arrived
at Mr. Movers While Mrs. L. was in
active preparation for the welcome meal
and alone in tle house, except her baby
rolling over the floor, Mr.. NJ. made his
appearance, standing, the first that she
saw of him. in the door, clad in u sheep
skin coat made with the wool on. The
mutual surprise may well be imagined
Thank God" said the rough hunter,
with upliftcd hands, G" he has sent me a
woman, " At that moment the other
men entered the house and an explana-
tion followed. Notwithstanding the
rough exterior Of the host, warm heart
beat under the sheep.skin coat and new
er were visitors made more welcome
Blessings brighten as one after an.
other leaves US. The lone man could
scarcely retain his emotions as they
drew around the well-flled table, it was
his first meal cooked by woman's hands
since the death Of his wife, more than
six months before, That meal tasted
the best to the travellers of any in their
remembrance, before or since. The
cream short cake was baked by an en-
tirely new process to Mrs. Lane, as
there was neither oven, or tin reflector
in the house, an old spider was used
over the Goals, and then set up perpen
dicular to bake the top before the glow
ing fire After the supper was cleared
away and the past talked over, with the
probabilities of the future canvassed,
the weary went to their rest, not only
tired but homesick and heartsick. Mr..
Mower overheard Mr.. and Mrs. Lane
talking over their disappointments until
a late hour of the night. Had it not
been for the name of it they wovld have
returned to the old place of residence
without unpacking. Reuben Ward
they said had deceived them, the pine
stumps would not rot out in forty years.
and the roads would never be passable.
But time and perseverance have reveal
ed different state of things. Both
men and women went to work with a
will, though the women had frail health.
They brought money with them to buy
a COW, and the two families lived together
until the last of August, and the men
patches, which they planted by
the side of the logs, to corn, potatoes and
melons. They bought pork aud other
provisions in Paw Paw and Kalamazoo,
until the earth yielded its first harvest.
Eagle Lake was alive with fish, and
they had plenty of pork drippings aud
butter to fry them in. Before the first
Of September Mr.. L S cabin was com.
pleted, without doors OF windows they
moved into it, The first winter both
men made shingles for the Paw Paw