The Mesilla Valley independent. [volume] (Mesilla, N.M.) 1877-1879, 1878-08-17

night fait reached Big Silver creek, and the
bridge beng out Of repair was compelled 10
ford the stream, the west bank was steep,
and very muddy At the l0Wes edge. Here We
stuck fast and had to return to old Billy
Bakers, half mile 70 get yoke Uf oxen
and log chain to pull out, this cOuld not be
done - the hind wheels were almost buried
IN the mud. | had to draw the wagon back
into the creek, there was just room 70 aqneeGs
In between the bottom Of the wagon bed and
the mud. and by fastening the cliain to the
hind sxletsee drew the Wagon bsck into the
creek took fresh start and reached the top
Of the bank. was just as muddy a. mud
could make me and went into the creek
without taking OF my clothes and washed
the mud from them IS hest could, took the
road TO Sc Louis and reached the east bank
Of the Mississippl just as the sun was rising.
After selling my load Of oats / found my
self noddmg on the streets as was getting
up our small store Of supplies. On my re-
turn bOmein the evening, the house Of old
man Baker gave out lights from ell she viz
dows, how vividis the recollection It was the
occasion II James marriage to Thomas Brad
ford; you did not know janet Well, she was
an old fame of mine: had kind melan-
eholy iesIing in my knights drive Of four
miles horac, which ran as fcllows:
Tae saen decree as length 10 past,
The dreadful news hest at last.
That tlsou hast changed thy single life.
That thou aFs nos Tom Bfads0Fds Wtfs.
Ms sa4aes. hopss nj length are SslGhaea.
Bat O. II eaador was 3 right
To wiring wfth grief this fr0abled heart
And from ms hopes fosesex part
Thy fairy 1omIT always see
In days 10 come where ere be,
Because I'm not Of thee p0ssest
But sorrow On my 6FOw must rest
NJ doom ike thine ID past
Ihate the tie that binds me fass
But fate has so ordained my eAse.
And must occupy my place.
So then with fase IN be content
And ci nv l0E LII nos repent
But AZ pass along throush Isfs
IN often sAlnk 0f Bgadsords wifs.
do mot know how / came to get Oh 90
crazy an efftision, believe was reading
Byron at the tims. Poor Jane twelve mOnths
from that night she past into ths land Of
shadows. They were q gifted family, (ths
Bakers) Grafton died thirty Ave years ago At
LOuisviIle, Kys,~hiie studyinR Law, had he
lived he would have l'ecome q star of the
first magnitude in the legal frmsment. Jehu
was good lawyer, man of pare morals, his
tastes were literary and be u said to have
been the anthor Of some Of the dnest msga-
zine articles that have appeared within the
past fifteen years. he twice represented bis
district in Congress and was succeeded by
John b. Hay. Of BelIstille. A friend from
St Louis writes me that he has been ap-
pointed Minister to Yenezuela, and that he
would have received better position had be
not been suspected Of being honest.
But have wandered, the farm viii sell
for about ten thousand dollars, suppose We
invest shcnssnd dollars in cottage. We
will still have nine thousand dollars to in
vest in U. y. Government bonds that will
draw annusily four percent interest, which
win be about one dollar per day. Now take
one hundred dollars Of that to pay territorial
and county taxes, one per cent being the tax
y .E.5
on valuation, il will leave ns two hundred
and sixty dollars for curent expenses; this
looks like small sum but we have lived on
less 1t seems to be our only Alternative
and with our habits Of economy think we
w,ll succeed. Iss y trJ sad saSOy Equisa