Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-07-30

CHAPTER VIII-CoNTINuEp
The Parsons cottage was not the only
mviting-looking one in the neighbor-
hood, however. Others who came
witt them had prospered also, and had
Quit themselves houses, which, if not
quite so pretentious 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 built houses both in the little val
ley above and the larger one below,
clear down to the river, upon whose
banks. two-hours' ride from our
friends cottage, a town had sprung up,
where all needed supplies for the fam
lily We're 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 passable for wheeled We
hicles, and altogether the neighborhood
had taken on the air and responsibilities
OF community that wished to be re-
garded as respectable, law-abiding and
conservative.
When Jennie and Lucy Parsons re-
turned to school again it 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 little
recreation, John had said. and they
would attend the agricultural exhib-
ition, display some of their own prod
ucts, see the city, and mingle little
with the outside world; all in addition
to getting the girls fixed in 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 be no one but Erastus
remaining at home; but little persua-
sion from The other members of the
family, and her natural desire to see
decided her to 90, and arrangements
were made accordingly.
As there would be no one to cook for
Erastus, Mr.. and Mrs. Richie asked
him to make his home with them for
the week during which Mr.. and Mrs.
Parsons We're to be absent. but it was
finally decided that he should remain
at the place and keep bachelor hail.
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 be
eaten cold. and on Monday morning
Erastus drove them all to the little
town and saw them take the steamer
for San Francisco.
ut seems unfair to leave Erastns all
alone said Mrs. Parsons, as ey
passed up the gang plank to the little
steamer. He ought to have gone in
stead of me: there was really no need
of my going. and he would have en-
joyed spending the week in the city,
seeing the sights and attending the
fair with the girls. very much"
oh, wall, never mind him this
time" returned her husband. He was
down and saw the fair all alone last
year, and it's your turn now. anyway;
besides he can come down any time
when l amt too busy. and l wanted
you to go. It'll do you good to get out
little. You've worked hard all your
life, wife: both Of us hes. so fur es that s
concerned, and now that we've got
enough to be comfortable on. why, let 5
be comfortable; that's what i say"
Asfor Erastus, there was a strange kind
affecting hanging over him as 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 be lonesome when
they were gone. On the contrary, he had
anticipated having pretty good time
of it. Not that he did not love those
with whom he had always lived, for he
did love them all dearly, and, for aught
he knew. equally; and he expected to
miss the girls, who were to be absent so
long. very greatly indeed. But Just
for the week during which they were
all to be gone he should not get lonely
he had thought There was something
rather enticing in the feeling of abso-
lutte personal liberty; the thought that
there was no one. not even the members
of his own family, to throw any restraint
on his actions or to break in upon this
musings for a whole week. Besides, one
or two of his particular friends among
the young men of the neighborhood had
promised to drop in and spend the night
once or twice, and the cooking would be
but Just for week. He had no doubt
but he could do it about as well and as
nicely as Aunt Martha or the girls.
And why not9 Had he not seen it done
every day, and three times day, ever
since he could remember?
1T was pity" he had told them
when they had attempted to condole
with him over the prospect of having to
cook his own meals, 1t was a pity if
twenty-one years of observation couldn' t
enable a man to cook decent meal of
victuals." and they had said no more
about it.
But now, as he turned his horses
heads away from the town and towards
home, there suddenly came into his
mind a picture of the house and its sur
roundings, and this was followed by
the queer kind of a feeling of which 1
have spoken, and which he did not ever
remember to have experienced before.
He could see the cottage with the
green blinds all closed as an intimation
to any passer-by that the family was
absent His old dog. which had come
with him all the weary way across the
plains and had met and welcomed him
before he reached the gate on his return
from short absences, ever since they
settled in the valley, would not do so
to-day. for he was with him in the
WAGON.