Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1884-11-18

pride.
After dinner we went With the on
team to inspec, the other part Of the sec
ton. which the woman said she hoped
~e would like. a. she wished We might
be nsighbors she found Il rather lonely
being sish, miles from town and no neigh
hor.. couldn't see a. !, made any dif-
ference where We took up our claim; !,
all looked alike to me. and | was begin
ming 10 think ,ha, !, nigh, prove . white
elephant anyway.
We wen, TO town to &c, the necessary
papers and a man to help ge, the houses
ready. for We were to have one apiece,
and We wanted TO investigate the little
store. The woman from New York.
whose name Was Hsrder. said ihA, her
husband and brother would do all they
could 10 help Us. and in shoT, time our
houses were ready flr Us TO enter and
take posses.ioa Of our long dreamed-of
claims. They didn't look very inviting.
I can tell you We could dnd no paper
% cover the unsishily walls. and our
furniture vas Of the seAn,ies,. We
could no, make both houses look iayi,-
ing. % we used mine . Kitchen, though
~e eonscieniiou.ly .lsP, IN Il half the
time. They were very near together and
no, far from oar neishbo's.
When We were fairly settled and bad
bad our fret meal. | told ThomPy ,ha, !
iel, ike the Ssis. Family Robinson F; she
laughed and said she didn't zee how ]
coald fesl like the whole family wi,hou,
hasins stable ia the hoise. ~ they al
way. did Nov think !, show. an en-
,ioas disposiiioa TO always be making
faa Of q romantic idea jas, because YOU
diin', happen 10 think of !, Yourself. bat
I punished her by pu,,ing my revolver in
,ish, IN a hole IN the wall. She dared
90, take Il away. % she Alsay. passed
~ on the other eide of the nom. We
20, water from the well belonging 70 the
Hsrder.. who tried every possible way
10 soi,sa the hardship. Of oar lot. though
rhompy slway, pretended that there
we're roae-,ha, spoiled bread. no fresh
neat. no fruit. and all the horrors Of
eaaned gooas were fan. We 10; frcsh
vegetables ooeasionally from our neigh.
bors. a. We bad no garden. Il being too
ate 20 make one. When complained.
Il was not ploasaa, 70 say the least. TO
be reminded Of our pilgrim mothers and
the other pioneers. Because they bad TO
ca, ms,ss.. is no reason ,hA, can zee
for my liking them.
Our neishbor. were nice. educated
people. and | have nothing TO say again,
them, bu, | did ihiak i, wasn't exactly
neces,ary foi The brother. George Bradley,
a tall. good looking Yankee. 70 BE- Away.
coming over to our place on one excuse
Or other II wass', to do something.
4 ~as % ace II se dldn't want something
and ThOmPy would always stop aud talk
wiih him. Sometimes be would come
over Of an evening to lear me play. fOr |
bad my violin along. and be had the good
taste 10 like music. though he used 20
~ and stare at ThOmPy while ! played.
We spent a good mAny evenings in
from, Of our sod house. With my violin
asd Thompy doing nothing bs, looking
picturesque. while George Bradley Jay on
the dry gras. a, our fee, aud stared ~
her. didni mind Il. Coz .he va. vel
worth looking At. with her sof, bro-n
eye. and obstinate mouth. Aud she was
too old fof any such nonsense a. hifiing.
ese where would be our old maid. hall.
The Hsrder. would come over occasion
ally for a shor, time. but the baby usual.
" kep, them =, home. They had good
many cattle. which they hired boy %
herd. And wha, with their farm work aud
getting ready tor the long. cold winter.
they we're very busy all day and very
tired when nigh, came.
The long. mOno,onoas days draggei
by. told ThOmpy ,hA, the evening and
the morning were the frs, day. and all
the others were jus, like il. Sc oPen'd
her eye. and looked shocked. She seemed
TO enjoy everything. and fitted about
helping Mr.. Il,rder in neighborly way.
play ing with the baby. analyIing flowers
and jus, sitting s,ill and watching the
shadows drif, over the grass, snd grew
brown and rosy.
For myself. grew Almos, to hate the
long. still days. and in spite Of the never
eeasing winds. days 80 alike ,ha, you
could no, tell one week from another OF
Monday from Saturday. TO long for No
vember and our return TO the civilized
world. September came. and ! thought
Of the changing woods snd autumn sound
Of winds among the branches. and !,
seemed as though Il would be almost like
Heaven to see . tree. | said 30 to Thom-
py, and she responded by singing;
O'er all the vide. extended plain
shines one eternal q ~
shall never forget one day about the
middle Of the month. Mr.. Herder had
been at the sheds near ,hdhOuse stacking
corn for the winter use Of the cattle. We
could bear him singing about the place
all the drowsy afternoon, and now and
again hi. wife would call TO him in her
high, sweet voice. George Bradley vas
| l. ,o.., al ;u., .hout six the how came