Sacramento daily record-union., 1881-06-18

brated as a general gala day. Well might
the handful of settlers view it with just
pride. Little and low though it was, with
four. paned windows, puncheon door and
roof and the rudest of benches, was it not
a sturdy scion of the grand liberty loving,
educational parent stem of New England,
set in good ground and destined
TO bring forth fruit an hundred fold?
But the reality, beyond which lay all
the future promises, consisted that first
term of OIL some dozen urchins, presided
over by brown-eyed, girlish teacher, who
received for her services the magnificent
salary of seventy. five cents a week and the
privilege of boarding around in a district
that covered some four miles. The school
house having been delayed in building, the
term has extended till the close of October.
But the last day has ended, the children
have disappeared in the shadowy wood,
and Joicey Sweet, the young teacher, hav-
ing hidden good-by to her little flock, turns
down the rudely- marked road that leads to
the as yet bridgeless river, which, having
been swollen by the autumn rains,
has prevented her from sending
word to her home, mile or
more distant on the other side, for
'brother Ben and the oxen" to be in
readiness. The omission, however, mat
tiers little. Philemon Reed, whose hoase
perches on the rivers edge, has more than
once ferried her over in his "dug out, and
will doubtless render the same service
again, while the little hair trunk can wait
more convenient season. But the primi-
tive craft is gone from its moorings, and
inquiry of Mrs. Philemon elicits the dis
| couraging information that "he's gone
down to the mouth of the river and it
amt no ways likely will be back before
mornin'." Joicey turned away under
chill cloud of disappointment. She was
no houseless wanderer; plenty of doors
would gladly open to her, but she was
tired of boarding around. She wanted to
go home; had planned to go. The frus
tration of her purpose vexed her out of
all proportion to its Importance, and
walking down to where the slightly
marked wagon tracks entered the water
she looked long and wistfully across, with
the smoke of her own chimney in sight,
but yet so unattainable. Teams from the
other side were not infrequent but now
no creak of laden wagon or shout of driver
gladen her ear. Wearisome and fruitless
in the waning afternoon her watch would
doubtless be, and with a wistful sigh she
was about turning away, when her eye,
| glancing little way above the ford where
TWO tall trees, the growth OF opposite sides
of the river and uprooted in some forgotten
! tempest, had. in falling, caught and inter-
laced their tough and whitened branches,
thus forming a natural bridge across the
stream over which she had often seen squir-
rels darting and which one or two adven-
turous hunters were reported to have
dared. The sight seemed to bring a new
thought to Joicey, and for several
moments she stood looking from the
rushing river, cleaning SO cold and
pitiless in the clear sunshine, to
the slight and narrow causeway span
ming it, to brave which would indeed
require firm foot and steady nerve, and
where false movement meant death. But
Joicey Sweet carried under the straight
| folds of her linseY-woolsey gown the
dauntless, adventurous spirit of true
pioneer. The sense of danger that would
have dismayed weaker woman, only
brought clearer light to her eye, and a
quicker beat to her pulse, young, vigorous,
supple, OVERLOOKING with health, and a
gaiety long restrained by the decorum ex-
pected of g teacher :" the very audacity
OF the undertaking fascinated. She glanced |
around. The Reeds windows were hidden |
by spur OF the hills. No one was in
sight. "pve good mind to try it, she |
said aloud, swinging herself lightly up
onto the PROSTATE trunk. The trees on
the opposite shore seemed to beckon her |
to cross, the river below murmured a
sullen undertone as of defeat. She !
looked down on her vanquished foe |
with a pleasurable sense OF conquest !
81 will do it I" she exclaimed, fastening !
her shawl more closely and advancing eau
tiously and swiftly. But the undertaking |
was destined not to end as unobseryed as
it had begun. The distance was hardly |
half made when she was startled by the
splashing of hoofs in the water, and
steadying herself by one Of the dead
working her way, she looked down to meet
the surprised gaze of a horseman who was
making the ford. For a moment Joicey
shrank back as if vainly seeking to hide
herself behind the open leafess screen, and
crimsoning with confusion at being discov-
cred in an attempt that to an onlooker
must have seemed so foolhardy, waited till
the stranger should pass out Of sight, in
stead Of which, to her added chagrin,
he threw his horses rein over a limb
auette, conventiorality, are flowers OF
later, more refined but less robust civil
izstion than that of which l write,
when common dangers shared and tolls
endured knit the scattered settlers in
comradeship often strong as kinship. The
story of the Frenchman who excused him.
self from rescuing drowning man because
they had never been introduced, would
have fallen pointless. The wide, free air
of those forests seemed to impart some
thing of their own careless bounty and
abounding fullness to those who dwelt
among them. Homes and hearts were
easy OF access to whoever needed shelter,
latch strings were out for whoever
required help, hands were ready,
and for Theron Brent flor he it
was) to see anyone, much more a
woman in difficulty, if not in danger,
was at once to hasten to their aid. &c.
in spite OF Joicey's signals OF pro-
test, he advanced to the slim, girl
ish figure poised midstream, helped her
through the tangled branches and
across the perilous span. 1t was the
work Of but a few moments, but Brent
could hardly have told in the swift rush of
sensation, feeling andithought whether, it
was minutes or ages, that those clear
brown eyes looked into his, and those fine,
firm fingers lay in his own, but ne was
conscious that strange warmth was
thrilling his pulses, and a sudden
hope springing in his heart. The
thought was a bold one, but the emer-
eeneies of life had make him quick OF
decision and prompt of execution, and be.
fore they had reached the bank, the blade
OF momentary impulse had ripened to the
full corn in the ear of definite resolution,
and he lifted Joicey down from the tree
trunk to the frosted leafstrewn grass with
the question, "If one wanted something
very much, should they dare great deal
to gain it p
She gave merry glance over the river
and at the gaunt old bridging trees as she
answered, g | wanted to cross the river