The Red Cloud chief., 1885-06-05
CHAPTER vT.-CoS1IxrEp.
Or, JUST A CAMPIN'.

ossSnLhss NhltaGD.
CHAPTER VI-CoSTISCED.
The first rams, however. wash the
greater portion Of the nourishment out
-of this dried grass, and although the new
shoots spring UP a: once. it is difficult,
for a time, Tor stock 10 get at it through
the heavy coating Of old and worthless
growth which falls down over il, and j.
not very nourishing when obtained.
4 portion Of the settlers had j COW
each. but those ia whom We are most
Interested were without. Among those
who were 80 fortunate a 10 possess one,
however, was Richie; and rs Mr.. Par
sons and Erastus Were enabled 30 give
him needed assistance in the ere 4 on OF
his shantv and the cutting Of grass for
his team and cow, it was agreed that
the mil should be divided between tn G
two families for the next year, Jenny
and Lacy making regular trips for tneir
share every night and morning.
Ihe shanty up, and n sufficient
amount OF Grass secured. the settlers
next turned their attention to the
breaking of the soil. the planting OF
trees and vines, and, at the proper
time. Of vegetables. For the first year
they expected TO live largely upon wild
game and the few provisions which
they had brought with them. The sec
ond year they would get OF much bet,
ter.
There is no country where the com
mol domestic fowls, ducks, chickens
and reese, are so easily raised or pay ~
well the little attention which they re-
quire a. in California; and our friend,
were in possession of a suffic ent num-
BIER of these to enable them to subsisi
npon eggs and fowls of Their W rais.
ing. If need he. by another year; besides
which the would be- well supplied with
vegetables. so that the prospect wa no,
80 very gloomy after all. especially a
al were blessed with good health; and
hope, which usually comes with
heal,hful body busily employed in il.
own service. gave a %colOring rs OF the
sunrise to the future which was opcnin.
mp before them.
Fruit trees were already being
shipped TO the coast by way of Tia.
i,tsmus. and although they were cost,
" and our friends poor. they managed
3 to get a few; enough, at least. 10 fur
nish gratis for future Use. OF Pcaci
pits and apple and pear seeds the care
ful housewife who presided over join
Parsons shanty had brought a supply
from the States.
Grape-cuttings could be more eaSil,
obtained. More than a century Icfor,
N'he Jesuit priests who penetrated up
ward from Mexico had plated grape
vines brought from Spain, and these
crossed. perhaps. with other varietic'
brought from the States. and favored
by the adap;ibilitv of the climate. pro
a~dnced a fruit far ~cxcelling anything
which the Atlantic States can boast of
And so wiea spring came again ant
the ram ceased. there was quite the ap
y~earance of living in the vicinity OF tn,
Parsons shanty. Some twenty acres O
the land had beer broken. a garden
planted. and many Of its products wer,
lifting their heads 10 the sunlight;
half-hundrcd fruit trees and u hundred
grapc-vines had put forth their leaves
and were ready to drink in the SUNSHINE
and grow. And they grew. Grew
so fast that one could almost fame,
ne saw them grow and stretch them
selves.
Ii has been said that the only thin.
which ever distanced a CalifOrni:
grapevine when il once got down (,
the business of growing is the bean-vint
\ of Jack the Giant-killer. known to on
childhood days; the n that Jaci
undertook 10 climb to the top of. bu
which grew faster than he could climb
and so carving him with il, final,
reached clear up to the giants castle
And such clusters of fruit rs han!
dependent upon their stems. and grow
and ripen in the long sunny days o
September and October. when not
cloud mars the blue of the sky 70
Aweeks and weeks; clusters that lool
like pure globes of clear crystal; or tina
furn purple and a~mber-colorcd wher
they hang among. the broad. velvet,
1eaves that cen as If conscious of tn
beauty of the picture which they help Il
make; and which turn themselves side
ways upon their long stems. now hid
ing. now disclosing the fruit IN thci
midst f
n The California grapes shipped by re
y frigerator cars. and exposed for sale a
the fruit stands in all our Eastern cities
) and which attract such universal At
tention. give hut q poor idea of Cali
foruia grapes when plucked ard eater
standing beneath the vine in California
or sitting At ease 1t your " table o
that of a friend. with the sea or TIT
mountains in sight through the opel
window.
I Only the tougher skinned or les
luscious of the fruits of all kind. vii
bear such long shipping. The tine- an,
iuicicr and more luscious varieties o
each must be eaten where they ar
grown, or be sent 10 q not distant maj
ket.
California plums r wrapped in lis
sue paper and sent east boxed up hk'
oranges from Florida or the Yves
Dndies. and sold "a nickel apiece. q
three for a dime" to people who ba,
them As n curiosity, or a very rare treat
AT home in California the children ga
them As children eat apples in New
England. and the housewife drops then
into liquid sugar and takes them on
great globes of pearl with c.nters o
amethyst Or sheAcutS them in halves
= and. removing the pit, lets them dry ia
the sun. and stores them away in sack
and boxes just As she does figs an,
grapes: only that these latter ar
packed down hard when but little NOR,
than half dried. and before the rici
juices have crys;alized into sugar; an.