The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-05-11
,JOSEPH'S ADVENTURE.

aCan't you tell me some OF your adven-
tures?" asked of my friend Joseph, who had
returned from his many years travels In the
bush. and was sitting with me and my wife.
And, though he had been absent 50 long, ne
WAS so to speak, q young man yet.
Adventures Well. have met with plen-
ty. Rough ones some OF them"
aWhen started from home to settle In IN
sreouented districts" began Joseph, Il set up
N theory that no man should ask woman TO
marry him until he has prepared home Tor
far her. II is surprising how much yoube-
uin to think of wife West yonder; which
arises. I suppose from the extreme loneli-
nasa ri ones existence was not an excep-
tion. The land took up was In Rogue river
valley, and after had got 1t bit ship-shape
worked away with only one object in view
to bring home wife.
But, Joseph, had you q selected wifef'
asked
"No, / intended to do that as soon as
could though you may say | was rather
Young to be thinking Of II. ] worked on and
was pretty successful. | built me house,
rot a considerable stock Of cattle, made
flower garden for my wife, and even put up
the neps and nails she would want to hang
her dresses on. intended that same autumn
to mount my horse, ride through the Walla-
mot Valley, find my wife and bring her
home.'
AT the notion OF counting In that Off-hand
style we laughed little. Joseph laughed
too as If the recollection pleased him.
"You think 1t strange, see. 1t was not 80
very strange In those days out there, where
uirls were az scarce as angels. There was
not Girl within forty miles of me; and as !
assure YOU that the very thought of one as
drove In those nails for her garments to hang
IN. went through me like thrill. You don't
believe? Go West yourself and try It,"
"But do believe"
II had about $50 head Of battle, good
house with a garden, a young orchard, vege-
tables growing, sweet-scented fiOwers-all In
readiness for the wife hoped TO bring home
tn bless me and to take care Of these my pos.
sessions. And what do you think happened
to them?
We could not tell
.There came such plague Of grasshoppers
upon the valley that everything persisted,
Crops, orchard, flowers, grass-eyery green
Urasshoppers destroyed all You remember
the second chapter OF Joeif
1.-THE land is as the Garden Of Eden before
them. and behind them desOlate wilderness.
/ was ruined. MY stock died-at least the
Greater norton OF iii the cattle had nothing
to feed upon. Yes, it was complete and abso
Lutte ruin" Observation-Disclosures
III considered myself disappointed In love
fooO he resumed In the guaintest Of tones
"Though had not been out to find my girl
T knew she was somewhere In that other
valley waiting for me; and when the greedy
rrasshoppers ate up everything / felt that
Rad been Tilted. It actually gives me a pang
now to think of those useless pegs on which
NV imagination had 80 often seen g1rls
mink cotton dress and white sun-bonnet.
Joseyh gave great sigh. He was an eceen-
II became misanthrope- said TO myself
that between fate and the grosshoppers had
been hardly used. Packing up my books and
\ few other traps babe adieu to the Rogue
river valley forever, and started Tor the
mountains 1t was longish Journey, as
left me. There In the mountains settled
down again. built myself q fort and played
hermit No iilting girls should come neal
mo now"
"A regular fort; a stockade eighteen feet
high. wit i an embankment four feet higf
around IL and strong gate IN the middle
MY tent was In the midst OF the enclosure
with my books and household goods, lirearms
and all the rest Of my property slowed away
Were you afraid Of Indians2'
Indians and white men. Yes, saw {
good many Indians, at first within the rang
Of my rifle. They learned tokeep away from
nv fort, finding 1t did not pay to attempt al
invasion. Down In the valley below Their
were mining camps; and you perhaps know
what some of the hangers-On Of such cam ~
are. I sold beef that is heads Of cattle. t
the miners; and as | had sometimes It'd,
sum Of money by me, 1t was necessary TO
careful" -,
said Mary. For you, Joseph,
Al herded my cattle, drove them TO mar
ket, cooked, studied, wrote and INDUCED IN
mixture Of misanthropy and rifle practice
by the time | had entered On the seen
home and was getting rich. After all. Tn
life had its charms. man cannot tire OF
when he Is but a few years out OF his teens.
am coming to her Having had time
forget my ill-usage, a reaction set IN, you set
and | thought, after ALL mustride TO III
Wallamet To see after my girl
"A man came to the fort one Gay VINO Wa
naked and starving. He was bad-lookin
fellow. very; but you will say a man natufa
ly does look bad when his clothes are nc
where and hts bones protrude through NJ
skin. l clothed him, fed him, cared lor M
kindly until he was able to travel, ana Inc
he went away The next Sunday was 81
ting outside my fort, as was customary 0
that leisure day, reading some translation
from the Greek poetS-for care say you ~
member was never much hand at 70
original--when, CHANGING to look Off my bool
heheld vision"
"a what?"
"a vision vision of lovely woman
She was riding up the approach to my fort 9
a fine horse, riding gracefully and slowly, a
il to give me time to get over my surpris'
and | believe ! needed it. The picture 81
made isin my mind now, l see thevery ficks
OF the shadow and the sunlight across II
the
ened her horses trappings as he arched b
hsecksin impatience Of her restraining han'
Are you tired old friend?"
Never less so In my llfe" M.5
~, That vision, breaking In suddenly as
asm upon my solitude gave me the Queere
sna Rn,s; l was Just spell-bound Not
SOM saua ~ nssining IN her horse at my gate, ST
me, silently asking my assistance to di
mount ndol ~ helped her down~what else co NJ
fa Mo.9a .il theh, at her request gently n