Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-03-22

Blue Jack. They had found no traces of
the desperate or his companions.
mo use looking for Blue Jack, said the
officer in charge of the party, addressing
Landlord. "There has been party of ST.
oux about this quarter for few days past,
and no doubt Blue Jack has fallen in with
them. The party is hardly large enough 10
attack your train, and understand they
Rave gone up toward Dakotah. Blue Jack
has an Indian wife somewhere up there"
Upon the second day after leaving Fort
Mcpherson, the emigrants made their mid
day halt In grove of cotton-woods, upon
the bank of the south fork of the Platte, at
its junction with q wide, trce-fringed river
which descended from the uorthward, and
here they concluded to settle.
The site Of the village was selected ex-
actly nj the junction of two rivers, upon n
low bluff overlooking tha two streams.
Then public square was carefully laid
out with mathematical exactuess.
Then each mans lot was assigned him.
Mark Heber's was next to Whtman's, on
the eastern side of tho square, facing west,
and his future garden ran back to the edge
of the low bluff.
Mark IIeber did mans work, and
from the first day of his hard toll Whit
man ceased to class the youth among the
boys.
In the course of a week, eight strong log
houses. each n story in height, and pierced
with loop-holes, and each provided with a
single capacious chimney, were finished,
and fronted the little naked square.
Mark Ilebers house was simply arrang-
ed, built upon the plan generally adopted
by the settlers. There were but two rooms,
one being entered through the other. The
inner room was to be Gays. The outer
room was to he parlor, dining-room, kitch-
en-. library, and Marks bedroom
1.-THE house Is your province, Gay" said
the youth. upon the morning after the
house was finished. 81 shall leave You to
furnish it and transform It into home
while | work upon the stocknde. II you
need my help when the stockade and
block house are finished, will turn my
self into housc-carpenter'
81 sha MT need you. sir" said Gay sau-
ely. "You attend to the farm, and leave
the house to me-
The shelter provided, the eight houses
were left entirely to the management OF
the women, the men working upon the
stockade, which was constructed upon
strict military principles and was I model
of worth aud excellence.
1t required two weeks and the labor OF
sixteen men to complete this work.
Whitman and his family had been liv-
ing in their home for week. All the fam
lilies had moved into their homes save the
Hebers, bot Gay with pretty tyranny had
not allowed Mark to cross the threshold OF
".
Now when Mark unyoked his oxen, turn.
| ing them loose in his own yard, and drew
| his wagon under great cottonwood in
| his back garden, Gay called to him with
| bright smile, saying that he might enter
the house with her.
He came pleased and smiling, but paus
| ed upon the threshold in mute amazement.
Was this the room with four rough log,
| which he had given into her hands?
| Was this sunny little home log-hous,
on the plains?
1t seemed incredible.
For little clever-witted Gay, with her del
icate skillful fingers, had fashioned love
| ly home out of her barren materials, sucl
an one as would delight the eve % res
upon, and her sole helps had been two
| kindly boys of fifteen years, who hat
worked under her directions.
ITS the prettiest room I ever saw
cried Mark, with enthusiasm. "Tbere ism
a house in town like it. Won't the peopl,
open their eyesP rs Just lovely" cried
Mark delightedly. "You are a regula
home fairy, Gay. You were meant for tn,
frontier, and you are the fairest flower OF
all the plains! My precious little sister !!
He drew her TO him and kissed her ten
derby. But Gay, most unaccountably brok,
from him, blushing like a rose.
"rll call Whitman in to see the house, :
exclaimed Mark, not noticing Gays con
fusion. I'VE shall set up for the aristocrat
of the town."
He dashed out in boyish exuberance ant
called in the entire population of the vii
lagc.
They all came in, and thee was a gen
eral request that Gay should chrsten tn
settlement
Gays eyes Frightened, even while sh
shrank from the honor thus put upon her.
81 can't" she said. "Mr. Whitman i
the Oldest of us all. and is our Mayor. lie
him name the village"
''Then I'll call it Heber. in honor of on
little CAV" cried Mr.. Whitman. "Wha
do Won all say, my friends?"
"Heber it isW cried a dozen voices, ii
acclaim.
At that moment boy who had bee
playing upon the platform inside the stock
ade came in, Casping the word:
INDIANS ~ The above we publish as
specimen chapter but the continuation q
this story will he found in the New YOrl
Ledger. Ask for the number dated Mare
30, which can be had mt any news Office o
book store. Ii you are not within reach q
news office, you can have the Ledge
mailed to you for one year by sendin
three dollars TO Robert Bonner, publisher
New York.