The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1882-03-31

abode here, and this child was much com
pany for Mrs. Smith when her husband
was absent hunting or fishing, or visiting
| the settlements on business; and she
would not have been true pioneers wife,
II she had boon afraid 70 DO left alone with
the child for days or even nights.
It happened one September morning,
when the child was year old, that Smith
left his home, telling his wife to have no
uneasiness il he did not return until the
next day. Some work in the garden was
planned by Mrs. Smith who thought to
pass the day pleasantly enough.
The child was not quite well, but he
was thought to have taken slight cold,
and no alarm was felt. But as the day
grew later, he became suddenly worse,
and the mother took him in her arms,
bathed him, and soothed his complainings
rs best she could, but soon the hoarse
breathings told her that the dread dis
ease Of infancy-croup had attacked her
little one, and that she must battle with it
there alone. That this disease often baf-
fes the skill of the best physicians, is but
too well known, and is it any wonder,
then, that there, alone, knowing little Of
what to do, and no proper remedies at
hand, the child grew steadily worse as the
! day wore away and the night drew on
And, o, how anxiously did she wish for
her husbands return! But as the hours
dragged themselves far into the night,
she knew that she must be left alone I'M
til morning, alone with that moaning child,
| a. IS To
ferings.
The hours dragged on. The breathing
grew more labored. Ten, eleven, twelve
o'clock was marked off on the clocks dial
and at few minutes past twelve, the last
heavy gasp was drawn, and the little one
lay in her arms very still, and quiet, and
white.
There is power that sustains us
through the most trying circumstances
Mrs. Smith would not have been consid-
cred a woman of extraordinary nerve, but
with calmness that was born of despair,
she arose and laid the little pale form in
its crib She smoothcd down its garments,
and covered its face. and then sat down
! to wait. She never knew how she got
through that terrible, awful night. The
morning 'awned at last. the weary hours
dragged emselveS along. but not until
! late that afternoon did her husband re
turn She met him at the door with
face almost as white as the still, white
face in the crib, which she uncovered with
out word.
A hunter happening to pass that way
( soon afterward,was sent to the settlements,
! and sympathizing friends visited the spot,
/ and attended at the burial. A companion
was provided for Mrs Smith, and a COM
Portable home in a few years, took the
place of the little cabin. Other children
I grew up, and in time other troubles came.
/ but never will be effaced from her mind,
the memory Of that awful vigil alone with
! death.
Did we desire to follow the fortunes of
this family further we would preface it
with the remark that q natural pioneer
will be pioneer always. In time, settlers
! began to gather in, but civilization did
not agree with him. He quarreled with
his neighbors, found fault because his
hunting grounds were spoiled, and final
ly sold ont and removed further west, and
doubtless will do so again, should civilian
ton encroach too much on his freedom.
THE FIRST WINTER IN WISCONSIN.
at was late in the fall when we arrived
at the spot we were to make our home
We found shelter for few days until our
house could be built, in an already over
crowded room with large family. 1t did
not take long to build the house, and il
was very good one, considering that it
was made of wood, and that neither nails
or boards entered into its composition.
"Shall describe it to your Well,it was
built Of logs, was 1Sx16, one story high,
and had roof sloping from the front to
the back, the roof being made Of "punch-
cons" and fastened down with wooden
pins. There was no floor, and the ground
was frozen when the house was built, and
am quite certain was frozen until late in
the spring. When we first moved in there
was neither windows or doors. We hap
pened to have in our possession a consid-
cradle quantity Of rag carpet, which my
husband had objected to my bringing
with me, saying that we should not need
such things in new country. But that
rag carpet was our salvation. We were
lucky enough to procure a quantity OF
buckwheat straw. This we spread over
the frozen ground to the depth Of a foot
or more, and covered it with our carpet
Double thicknesses of that inestimable
rag carpet covered the apertures. until a
window and door could be procured, which
was not without considerable delay and
difficulty, the nearest place where nails
and glass could be bought being fifty
miles distant.
1.-THE winter set in cold and severe. The
thinking being put into the house when
everything was frozen, was loose and let in
the cold. Our only child was year old,
it was with the greatest difficulty that we
could keep her from freezing. I never
dressed her that winter, except as 1 did
80 in bed and under the bedclothing. We
were never comfortable two feet from the
stove. You may well believe that the
winter seemed very long, and that spring