The Red Cloud chief., 1885-06-12

IHc dfsons oetlaSe was DOL the Only
:inviting-looking one in the neighbor-
hood, however. Others who came
with them had prospered also. and had
built themselves houses, which, il not
quite so pretentiCus looking. or SO neat
in their surroundings. as that Of our
particular friends, were At least as good
>as ordinary farm houses in the States.
Many new neighbors had also settled
in the vicinity, some of whom brought
little fortunes of two or three thousand
dollars. and these had opened ranches
and bu Ii houses both in the little val
ley above and the larger one below.
clear down to the river. upon whose
banks, a two-hOurs' ride from our
friends cottage. a tOwn had sprung up.
where all needed supplies for the fam
lily were Obtained, and from which was
shipped by steamer the fruit and vege-
tables and poultry, designed either for
the mining towns above or the larger
markets of Sacramento and the sea
port
School houses had been built: churches
and Sunday-schools organized: the
streams bridged. roads Over the foot
hills made passasle for wheeled We
hicles, and altogether the neighborhood
had taken on the air and responsibilities
of a community that wished 81 be re-
garded as respectable, law-abiding and
conservative
When Jennie and Lucy Parsons re-
turned TO school again il was to San
Francisco instead of Sacramento. and
both father and mother went with them
to see that they were safely settled.
They were not feeling the stings Of
poverty now. and could afford a little
recreation. John had said, and they
would attend the agricultural exhib-
iiion, display some OF their own prod
-ucts. see the city. and mingle a little
with the outside world; all in addition
TO getting the girls fixed in a good
boarding place.
Mrs. Parsons was not much inclined
at first to make the trip. The journey
across the plains. she said. was enough
To last her her lifetime; besides, if she
went. Johnny would have to 60, too,
and there would he no one but Erastus
remaining at home; but a little persua-
sion from The other members Of the
family. and her natural desire to see
how the girls were to ne fixed. finally
decided her to 60. and arrangements
were made accordingly.
As there would he no M to cool for
Erastus, Mr.. and Mrs. Richie asked
him 10 make his home with them for
the week during which Mr.. and Mrs
Parsons were TO he absent. but it was
finally decided that he should remain
al the place and keep bachelor hall
rather than leave the house alone.
Mrs. Parsons and the girls. therefore,
baked an extra amOunt of bread and
pies. boiled a quantity Of beef to bt
eaten cold. and on Monday morning
krasius drove them all TO the little
town and saw them take the steamer
for san Francisco.
1T seems unfair to leave Erastns al
alone" said Mrs. Parsons. as I ey
passed up the gang plank 10 the little
steamer. He ought to have gone In
stead of me: there was really no neeo
of my going. and he would have en-
loved spending the week in the city,
seeing the sights and attending Ia,
fan with the girls. very much"
oh. wall, never mind him this
time" returned her husband. 'ide wa
down and saw the fair all alone las
wear, and it's your turn now. anyway
besides he can come down any time
when l amt too busy. and l wanted
YOU 70 60. Itln do You good 10 get on
a little. You've worked hard all YOU
life. wife: both If us hes. SO fur cs that
concerned, and nov that We've go
enough to be comfortable on. WHY. let
tie comfortable; that what 1 say.
Asfor Erastus. there was a strange kint
of feeling hanging over him rs he mount
-ed his seat in the spring wagon. in which
they had all ridden down To the steamer
and turned his horses heads homeward
He had not expected TO he lonesome whel
they were gone. On the contrary. he ha,
anticipated having a pretty good tim
OF il. Not that he did not love thos
with whom he had always lived. for h
did love them all dearly, and. for augh
he knew, equally: and he expected t
miss the girls. who were to he absent 81
long. very greatly indeed. But jus
for the week during which they wcr'
all to be gone he should not get lionel.
he had thought There was somcthin:
rather enticlng in the feeling of abso
lutte personal liberty: the thought tina
there was NO one. not ven the member
of his OWE family. to throw any restrain
on his actions or to break IN upon thi
musings for q whole week. Besides. on
or two of his particular friends smon:
the young men Of the neighborhood ha'
promised to drop in and spend the nigh
once or twice, and The cooking would o
but just for . week. He had no doub
but he could do il about rs well and a
nicely as Aunt Martha or the girls
And why not? Had ne not seen IT dom
every day. and three times . day. eve
since he could remember?
1T was a pity" he had told then
when they had attempted TO condol
with him over the prospect of having L
cook his own meals. lit was a pity i
tweufy-one years of observation couldn
enable a man to cook q decent meal O
victuals.' and they had said no mon
about il.
But now. as he turned his horses
heads away from the town and toward
home. there suddenly came int hi
mind a picture Of the house and its sur
roundings. and this was followed b
she queer kind of = feeling of which
have spoken. and which he did not eve
remember 10 have experienced before
He could see the cottage with tn
to any passer-by that the family wa
absenI His old dog. which had com
with him all the weary WAY across tn
plains. and had met and welcomed hin
before he reached the gate on his rctur