The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-12-25
The Lost Baby.

The name of our little one was Mar
guerite, but we called her Little Pearl,
Philip and l. She was our first baby,
the daintiest, dearest little thing that
ever you set eyes on; cheeks like half
blown rosebuds, hair like rings of sun
shine, and eyes as blue as the depths of
June sky. Darling little Pearl, how
we loved her. We had been married
Just a year and half when Philip
caught the Western fever.
81 can't live'this life, Belle, he said ,
81 was not made for it. My work
awaits me somewhere in the world, and
I must hunt it up. My little ones won't
respect their father by-and-by, if he is
nothing more than drone in the hive
Of life"
was vexed and angry at first, and
said great many things that were I'M
wise and unwomanly, but Philip pur-
sued the even tenor Of his way, all pa
thence and forbearance. Our prepare
tons were soon made, the few things
We held most precious We're packed up,
and bidding adieu to our sunny Southern
home, we started westward.
The excitement Of the journey, to-
gether with my husbands constant ten
derness and encouragement, reconciled
me in a measure to the change in lmy
life and when we reached our little
Western cottage, my impulsive nature,
always rushing to one extreme or the
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light and anticipation, even beyond any
thing my steadfast husband exhibited.
He seemed greatly relieved to see me
growing so thoroughly contented, and
we began our new life very bravely.
The cottage was comfortable enough,
but bare and humble in comparison to
what we had hitherto been accustomed !;
the square, witewashed rooms had a
dreadfully forlorn look and the little
kitchen, with its one staring window,
and the cooking-stove standing in the
middle of the foor filled me with shud-
dering DISCUS. every time l entered it.
Blu. made up my mind to endure all
and everything, and as 1 have said, we
began our new life very bravely.
Every afternoon 1 went to meet him,
taking Little Pearl, through the grand
and gorgeous prairies, and as often as
his happy eyes caught sight of us he
would hasten forward with fond enl-
braces and approving words.
"Ah, Belle" he would say, 81 believe
/ am the happiest man in the universe,
and you are growing contented, too,
dear-I can see it in your bright face. +"
The glory of Autumn faded, and the
chill November rains set in, bringing
dreary, sunless days, and changing the
gorgeous prairie-bloom into endless
leagues of sodden gray. Ny girl left
me, and Little Pearl grew cross and
fretful in her teething. In addition to
his law business, Philip had gone into
farming, and we had two or three la
borers to feed and lodge, which greatly
increased the homework. Under this
accumulation of trials my patience be
gan to give way. l worked late and
early, but grew morose and fretful,
and never had pleasant word for my
husband But he never complained.
Poor Belle" he would say "poor,
overworked little wife, be as brave as
you can-better days viii come by and
by. just as soon as / get off from my
business, III 60 to the city and obtain
permanent help. In the meantime don't
fret the roses from your cheeks and the
brightness from your eyes
But despite my husbands loving
words and constant help, for he took
one-half the household labor on his own
hands, / continued to murmur at my
fate, and one morning the crisis came.
Breakfast was unusually late, Little
Pearl cross 70 absolute fretfulness, apd