Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-04-16
Rebecca's Ride.
BY EMMA HARTMAN.

She was positively homely; her most
devoted friend could not help admit
ting the fact; and yet few thought of
it after they had had little acquaiNt-
anee with her. Her father had been
a rich Ian she never said so, but We
all knew it. He was not so now, how
ever; he had had a raseally partner,
who hal stolen-embezzlGl, suppose
I should say, but they did not say so
then-half his available funds just be-
fore the crash of 81, and gone-where
the bank presidents 60. The crisis
came and he went down. He had been
man Of lnhnencc; his word had been
of weight. lie had counted his money
by the thousands and had given our
State the lands for one of the first Of
its present institutions. Now he was
apoor man. There was q little here
ana there of his property still left; but
he could not build up another fortune;
his spirit was crushed.
He left the city, since grown to be
such prosperous ono. and built him
house in tho Zig Woods, where he
owned some land. 1t was beautiful
place on the Lank Of the MississiY pi,
in triangle formed by a small river
flowing into the large enc. The New
York Herald man went by there few
years ago, when he made his trip to the
Gulf in his paper boat. They could
plainly see his face as he passed, and
wondered who he was, for the mail
reached them but once q week then
and they had not keard. Indians pad.
died by in their birch canoes many
time, and great RATS of logs went
down from the praries; and the lum-
bermen tied their waumguns,' or
fat boats, to the shore and came up to
the house for spool OF thread or a
dozsn buttons, for they kept a little
store--a very little onc, there we're so
few to buy. The mother did her best
to keep along; she was q brave little
woman, and now she had two burdens
to bear-her own and her husbands.
But there were hard times sometimes,
and when Rebecca could, she began to
teach and help little. 1t was hard
for her, with all the possibilities there
had been for her only few years be-
fore, to shut herself up im little log
schoolheuse and teach few children
from the families of the farmers and
lunbermen; but she never said it was
hard. think no one ever heard her
complain AS she went courageously to
work, day after day. There is many
spartan alive o'day, though we do not
call them that. Shc had one brother;
Just one left; all the others had died.
AID he was 80 near her age, and her
dear companion! He would soon be
able to earn great deal and he would
build up the old fortune.
They rowed their boats up the river
together; they cantcred through the
woods On their ponies side by side,
with the acorns dropping about them
on the green leaves over their heads.
They gathered wild grapes in the fall
on the little island in the Mississippi.
and shot cartridges and Gshed day after
day. They were all in all to each
other. Brothers and sisters are so
much, so very much, to each other
when they are all alone, as they were;
no other frlends-just each other; and
tnat was enough. Ho grudged the
TIME she was away from him. "You
shan't work so when ana y man." he
said. lie was in his teens then, and so
tall and straight and handsome! How
proud shc was of him!
1t was winter and sha had gone to
her school. Day after day she worked
away in the little room with its great
box stove full of wood, and so hot, for
the pupils sitting near the windows
and door complained of the cold and
must have it so. Sh. had gone farther
from home than ever before. She was
sorry for that, but she got more pay
and that raade her glad. She could do
much more for them all at home. She
was quite contented and happy, vixen
one day there came dreadful news to
her. " Roddie" was sick. 1t was so
terrible she coula not endure it-so
very SICK, too, what if he should die!
Sho was SO bewildered she could hard
~ realize it, but there was little timo
10 TANK for she must begin her school
1or another day. When night came
she could think. and she began 8 pack
her trunk at once to go home, when