The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-03-17
A Glimpse of Life.

nual supply of roots and herbs, such as
snakeroot, and ginseng, and calamus,
and boneset, and hOarhound, and To-
bella, and was very glad of the opportu-
nifty. 1 meant to have our attic rafters
hanging full of useful medicines.
We followed the path in and out, over
mOssy logs, around fallen trees, between
rocks, and walked in it when it was all
hidden among nodding ferns, pausing
every minute to say, "How beautiful !i
"How fine the picture I" "What a de-
lightful woodsy odoru' We shifted and
smelt, and drew each other into cozy
places, and on to mOssy, cushiony seats,
and upon rocks, and into places where
it seemed never human foot had been.
forgot all about the herbs, and filled
my hands with huge boquet made up
of wild crimson pinks, maiden's hair,
partridge-berry vines, and wild lilies.
Soon we came to an old crumbling fence,
with lichens making the rails mottled,
and green, and gray-rich fence corners
heaped up with wild vines, and poison
Gus berries, and rank, fanny flowers.
A few rods beyond the fence, in
dimple in the hillside, stood the home
a modest white cottage with spreading
wings, suggestive of comfort and con-
Yenience.
While we stood admiring the scene
this little gem of a home-nest in its
wildwood setting-Lily twisted her
hands together in way expressing en-
thusiasm without noise, and which we
understood.
"Could there be anything funnier
The playful little lambkins ~ said she;
and drawing me down beside the fence,
I could hardly contain the admiration
that wanted to yell out, "Whoop, hur-
rah p'
On the cellar door at the west end of
the house were four bOy-babies, ranging
in years from seven to three, and the
cup of the little dears was full TO the
brim, for the slanting cellar door was
long and wide, and as smooth as ice,
and made a delightful sliding-place
They took turns, one right after the
other, in sitting down and sliding the
precious little length of those doors.
They were beautiful children, plump
and rosy, with limbs of marvellous
beauty, pinky and white, and creased
and dimpled. l particularly noticed
their hair. One of the babies was olive
tinted, with chubby cheeks, and his
mouth was red and sweet-looking as a
rosebud; his hair was shiny, and black,
and abundant. Another had hair of
pale auburn, and, as he bobbed about in
that low western sunshine, his dear lit
tie head shone lustrous as gold. An
other was brown-that color which is
yellow in the sunshine and dun in the
shade-the blended hues of ripe fruit,
and dead leaves, and afternoon sun
shine. But the beauty of all was a
frisky little fellow whose yellow hair
was very mat of short, shaking curls,
that lay like a slouch cap all over his
round, restless head
We beckoned to Ida, and she stole
softly up in the shadow of a giant oak,
and we three sat in the edge of the
woods, pressed closely down against the
old rail feace, and peeped through, and
whispered, and pinched, and nudged our
admiration, and looked our enjoyment.
We all laughed softly on our arms, and
wished an artist, beauty-loving, could
feast upon the picture before us, and
with his ready pencil give it to the
world.
Just as we rose to leave, the mother
came out of the door with babe at her
breast, and called the names of two OF
the y-babies-both good old orthodox
Methodist names. They disappeared
round the corner of the house like rays
of sunshine. The mother saw US, and
then, to avoid wonderment, we had to
make some excuse to speak to her. ]
united my silk calash, wiped my brow
on the wrong side of my white apron,
and said: "How DE do, madam? Is
there any yellow percoon root about
here among these romantic hills, that
you know of? Ive been looking fol
some, and am warm and tired, and
would like drink of water"
She politely invited US to enter, while
John Wesley would go and get some
fresh water. We sat on the porch. The
new home was perched up like an eyry
on the dimpling hillside, and from the
porch we looked right down into q
woody dell and up steep hill crowned
with oaks.
By this time the flock of boy-babies
had darted off out of sight like shy
quails. The mother was exceedingly
embarrassed, and, though tried not tC
observe her, just feasted my eyes or
her health, and beauty, and. strength
and sweet country grace. She wore 6
short, scant dress, with tucked-ur
sleeves, her feet and shapely ankles were
bare, her breast was quite uncovered
though she clutched spasmodicalIy al
her dress to hide the full white bosom
In which the hungry little nursling was
rummaglng with his round, rosy fist
while he praised his supper with sundry
smacks ana chirks that suggested how
enjoyable it was.
The dear little wife and mother
When she would essay to cover hel
beautiful white breast, she would be.
think herself of her "ankles bare anc
brown" and would tuck them out Of
sight with shy, bird-like movement
then her sun-tinUed arms would be
drawn close up to her sides like tremb.
ling wings-then anon her hair, all
waves and curls and abundance, would
sneak, curl at time, with soft
creeping, misehievous way, down on bel
neck, and in spite Of herself she would
blush and be embarrassed, and apollo
gize.
I said: ST want no farmers wife tc
apologize to me in harvest time. I've
been over every inch of such ground
often and often in my life. 1t is all ia.
miliar to me-"
II don't have much time to myself, y