The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-07-05

CHAPTER XXI.
The sparse population Of new coun-
tries, where the peoples interests are
linked together by common need, are
always prone to help each other. Hu-
man nature in the aggregate is much
the same in every locality, and under
every condition, where I have yet en-
countered it. There is always a large
proportion Of good people, whose many
virtues not only offset The vicious or
selfish elements, but often SO control
and modify the evil propensities Of the
weak and erring that The crooked ways
OF the helpless are made straight.
There were a halfdozen families In
the little colony of us that banded to-
gether for mutual assistance and pro-
lection in opening mp home for them
selves i'm the wilderness. Each hus-
band and wife being allowed a section,
OF six hundred and forty acres Of virgin
earth, and 90 family being willing TO
accept a square inch less than their al
lotted quota, our homes were necessa-
rily long distances apart; but every
family wirR a sober head was safe
enough from danger, their isolation
bringing them simplicity Of life aud
manner, making their wants few and
their eujoyments-such as they cared
for-easily attainabie.
Each family assisted The other 20 erect
a hut, enclose "a field aud garden, and
make themselves comfortable. And ],
though since my sojouu in America
had been unused TO outdoor labor, was
surprised at tie strength that seemed
suddenly born % me, which enabled nFa
% perform prodieies OF labor that aston
ish me now, as ] look back upon my
many achievements. I felied trees Of
the small, straight fr that grew pienti-
fully 20 the praire's edge with which
TO build our house; I made fences,
spaded my garden. caught fish, killed
grouse and phea=au.s with my hus-
bands rhe, anu, in snort, Gid every
thing my bands found t6rdo, and never
tired. Ny children grew and fiourished,
and but for the dread inspired by The
knowledge that when my husbands
periodic drunken spree should be over
in Portland he would join us and make
our lives miserable, 7 should have been
as happy as the day.
Good reader, think 7 hear you say,
"Ethel Grey, you were a simple
hearted, unsophisticated goose. Why
did you not rebel against your lieg.
lords tyranny, and declare yourself
free and independent ."
I answer you that I did Tot one,
dream of the possibility of such
thing. Was he not my husband, an,
the father Of my children? Had / no
sworn TO love him and stand by him
through better and through worse
Had I not saved him from the gallows
And was I not his only friend
But You viii say bis life was no
worth saving, and, for the rest, be haD
forfeited his partof the contract through
out, and had in so doing rendered ml
obligation null and void
I believe it now; but as whatever Is 4
destiny, and must consequently be righ
ia its order Of occurrence, I am satisfies
with the self-assurance that ] acted fo
the best.
toiled on, plodjed on ly neigh
bors assisted me, as they assisted eael
other. And we had many a merry
making at our house raisings, gardeI
spadings, fence buildings, COW tamings
and horse breakiugs. Our teams wer
trained from the herds Of wild Iudial
ponies, which we purchased for csst-ol
clothing and valueless triukets, and al
Indian pony is not a very tractabi
creature until you have half killed him
and then he is as treacherous as "a mol,
/ don't blame him. Judging us fror
his standpoint of observation, whit
folks are his bitterest foes. We curbe
them with Spanish bits; we strappe
up fore leg Of each to break them fror
"ouckiug;" we hitched them 20 load
which they dragged through fear Of ou
Whlps and goads till their muscles wer
sore and when we had worked ther
thus tiI we and they were tired ont. "a
turned them loose witt, -r,,,oels ~, 81
fore feet aud long lariats drar,i,, 49,
their necks, to get their foo5 -, n
prairies, where bunch grass rre,,, ,....i-
high TO men.
our cattle were from the spani.
stock of the wild herds, also owned 3
Indians, and IL was exceedingly diGict
10 break them for milch cows; hut
catching the very young calves and co
fning them, taking good care TO lai
the mothers and deprive them Of th
horns, we managed, after much pati'
eudeavor, TO so far subdue q few Of thD
that wecoUld compel them 20 contfibl
70 our wants.
Amid excitement like this, the d,
and weeks sped ou, and though 7 q
hourly looking for my husband a
dreading bis coming, set ] was tab
by surprise when he did appear, bril-
ing with him Mr.. Malcolm Graer
whom 1 remembered having met