The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1875-10-29

he had assumed in awakening him to a
sense of duty.
''I told you that your wife would be
no disgrace to you, if you would dis
charge your duty as. well as she did hers.
L pity the mountaineers who married
squaws when there were no white
women here much more than I pity
those who married children to save q
half section of land"
''I tell you, Munson, half section of
beautiful prairie, joining a bachelors
half of the best of timber, looked very
tempting, though 1 acknowledge that
if L had been living among genteel peo-
pie, 1 would have scorned the idea of
marrying to secure it. / was little bet
ter then a savage myself, before saw
you."
Effie took Mrs Willard's eldest chill
dren home with her, and Florence and
her aunt were enjoying private chat.
"Gustavus began to treat me better
after you was there last fall. I don't
pretend to say that he was ever cross,
but he didn't once care how much 1
suffered, or how hard 1 worked. Now,
he won't let me sell any more butter,
and he keeps a man and woman hired to
do all the hard work. He says he'll get
me sewing machine next summer. We
go to church every Sunday, and am
just commencing to live"
1t was evening in Herbert's cottage
home, and Maurice, Ada, Mrs. Welden,
Hubert and Effie had assembled to
spend the evening there, attracted by
two new pianos, belonging to Effie and
Florence, which had been received and
carried first to Herbert's house, that
their respective merits could be tested
when together. The music was sound
ing its sweetest when loud
"whoa" was heard in the highway.
Farmer Gray was going to the city to
sell butter and eggs, and made it con-
venient upon such occasions to visit his
friends.
''I thought maybe ye'd like to hear
J from Ike Hammond. got letter from
Tom Simmons, the old Iady's brother,
, an he says that the old rascal is dead,
, and his still-house burnt down, and his
wife run away, and his children bound
out"
This was the first news of the old
homestead that the brother and sister
had heard for years.
, "God forgive me for the way hated
J that man p' said Herbert, with emotion.
The remembrance of old scenes caused
Effie to sigh, and lean her head upon
! her hand.
CAN there's suthin' else. There's GO
ing to be big emigration across the
} Plains next summer. wish 1 had that
: trip to go again. I'd leave the Missouri
l by the fifteenth of April, an take good
: healthy fodder along, an show folks
l that crossin' the Plains is no hazardous
= trick at all, if they'll have any sense
s about fxin' for it an startin' early.
/ The reason folks was sick so much when
] we crossed, was cause the buffaler was
all skeered from the road, an it was hog
2 meat from beginning to end. An then
folks started so late that so many cattle
s starved, an the stencil of dead oxon was
f enough to kill skunks. If they'd star
D out by the middle of April, grass or nc
grass, they'd find it in few days. travel
an hundred miles or two along'll be
a good deal in an emigrant's favor thii
side O. Fort Hall.n
a "The gold excitement here and hare
times in the States will cause many t.
undertake the journey, and IapprehenC
v no danger at all if the emigration il
e large. The eastern papers all contain
u horrible accounts of Indian outbreaks
a but if the editors knew how few of theil
e awful communications are true, they'C
L learn to swallow them like we do golC
news. have no doubt but that golC
b mines exist in the British possessions
S and other places much nearer to US, bu
q the stories of collecting it by handful
are all humbug," said Herbert.
n ''That's sense, boy. But want t.
: hear some o. that music. Of course
o think planners is all nonsense, but
don't mind hearin' from 'em once in
g while"
d Florence was seated at her instrument
r carelessly and lightly drumming tn
1t keys. When Farmer Gray spoke o
e wishing to hear music, she involunta
It rily struck the tune of "My Mother
e Grave" AS if an unseen spirit pos
), sessed her, she broke forth in singing
s al love to stay where my mother sleeps,
: And gaze on each star as it twinkling peep
, Through that bending willow which lionel
weeps
e o'er my mothers grave; o'er my mother
2, grave;
i Through that bending willow, o'er my moth
er's grave.
Z al love to kneel on the green turf there,
A1ar from the scenes of my daily care,
And breathe to my Saviour my evenin
. prayer,
i o'er my mothers grave; DER my mother
d grave;
Through that bending willow, DER my moth
er's grave.
4 {" well remember how oft she led
And knelt me by her as with God she plea
That I might be His when the clods wer
o spread
IL oer my mothers grave; o'er my mother
u grave;