The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1875-09-24
CHAPTER XIX


"Oh, Herbert! guess my surprise ~
and Effie held up letter to her broth
ers view, few days after their return
to Oregon City.
IA letter with Valley Brook post
mark Let me see it.n
ayes. A letter from Mrs. Stanton
with complimentary you, and an apology
for neglecting US so long. They are
coming to the exhibition in June"
"Read the letter, wont you, sis ?m
"MY BRIGHT-EYED BLUE-BELL:-My mani
fold duties for the day are done, and with a
pleasure only equaled by my desire to see you, L
take up my pen, lately so seldom used for this
purpose, determined 10 redeem my character by
writing all that may be of interest to you. If
you knew of the tasks that daily perform, that
knowledge would be a sufficient apology for my
seeming neglect, but as you are not expected to
be acquainted with the duties of mother, and
the wife Of a frontier farmer, you will probably
be interested in my experience as such a'conse-
quentiaI personage.'
'LOng years have passed since was last per
mitted to behold your sunny face. Each of us
have had trials, but each has received count
less blessings from Him who watches over
us all.
'In the autumn of 1852, we settled here upon
n section of land, and began with but little Of
this worlds possessions, besides our willing
hands, healthy bodies, and n square mile Oi
real estate.
ave now have good farm, well improved
are surrounded by many of the luxuries of life
and are what our neighbors call rich. In five
years, I have made with my own hands more
than two thousand pounds of butter for mar
ket, besides doing all my other work-washing
ironing, sewing, mendiDg and cOoking-mos
OF the time in summer for a half-dozen men
and being sole nurse of my two children, VIII
are models OF beauty and good health, Il woul'
add goodness but you might think me inca
pable of Judging, as I am partial witness).
wonder what my Eastern friends will thinl
when they get my letters, for 1 assure you tina
1 have boasted good deal in my late message
to them of what have performed as a farm
er's wife.
my father-in-law, DR.. Stanton, arrived ol
the last steamer. He is dighihed, aristocrati
old gentleman, has but little to say to me, bu
is agreeable with the children, who are YER
fond of him. Now that we do not need hi
help, he has come to us and given all his pos
sessions into our hands. Maurice would no
keep. them for himself, but bequeathed all +
Flora and Henry, except five thousand dollar.
with which he headed a subscription 70
erecting a church and seminary at Vale
Brook. He says if we were still poor, the doc
tor would not deign TO help us, and when "
don't need his services, we won't accept then
The doctor is a profound scholar, and thong
we differ in many theories, can learn muc
from his conversation when he is in a comm
nicative mood. He has consented to aid me i
the magazine enterprise, and with his help an
Maurice's, hope 10 succeed in what am d,
signing soon to undertake.
MRS. Welden lives near Valley Brook, abot
a mile from here. You ought to see how hapr
she is with her children. Howard is a fin
manly boy of eleven; Lucy, lovely lit
creature OF nine; but Johnny is the favorite
the household. Mrs. Welden says that if hi
husband had lived to see their children so n,
bic, she would have few things now to troub
her. You remember the black woman she M
at Lagrange. She received a letter from h,
master, Mr.. Harris, a short time since, statir
that she was dead, and that her last PRAYER hs
been offered in behalf of little Miss Meggie.,
We have a Farmer-Gray sort OF neighbo
hood here; attend church regularly in the Il
schOOl-hOuse, and have any amount of old fas
toned singing-schools. The women, general
speaking, care for nothing but making butt
and cheese, and raising chickens for mark
besides making patchwork quilts, and 'goi
TO meetin'' The men like horse-raees, Co
whisky, big yarns and tobacco They consid
select few, ourselves among the number,
being very conventional; but we treat the
well, and if they don't fancy our mode of Iii
they have no reason to tell us So The girls al
boys from ten years old and upward care (
balls, backwoods play-parties, and gettil
married, more than for anything else. B
sehoois are multiplying, and society is grown
Detter every year. Ihope the rising generate
OF youthful oregonians will be an improy
ment on the old frontier stock. Hook compl
Gently at two specimens Of the former. wi
will, hope, be exceptions to the general m
OF women(7) who ought to be in pantaIett,
and menl?) who ought to be arrayed in check
aprons, ciphering in addition on the villa
blackboard
81 suppose you are wondering II 1 am I
same wild romp used to be. answer, VI
When all healthy, outdoor creatures cease
romp and play in their own way, then "
sit down In the rocking-chair, when not In b,
or over the cook-stOve, mop or wash-tub, a