Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1885-06-05
babies as they lay asleep in their cradle,

hhtu, auu Htu ClbsStu bliC plilHs anu
mountains that lay between his home
and tho Pacific Ocean, hoping TO gather
enough gold TO repay them for all their
past labor and sufferings
AS John had anticipated, somc of the
homesteaders had contested with the
railroad company the right to the land
for which they held deeds from the
United States Government, but only to
find by decision Of the last court of ro-
sort that individuals have no rights
which corporations are bound to re-
spect, and in the end to be handed over
to the mercics of those whose tenderest
mercy is cunning which led thcm TO
move slowly on their prey, exhaustlng
the resources and hopes of the settlers
by slow degrees, and letting their first
fierce anger burn itself out or give place
to hopes horn of tales of n yet better
country to be found in some distant
State or Territory where they would be
free to again build themselves homes.
While in most cases the delay in
evicting the settlers was but robbing
them Of SO many more years of their
labor, in the case of John Parsons little
family IL was, however little intended,
n blessing; for from the land already
cleared Mrs. Parsons had been able 10
make living for herself and children,
aided only by Erastus, an orphan boy
whom out of their native goodness Of
heart John and Martha had taken to
their hcarthstono and their affections
ten years before. He was now robust
lad of fifteen. tanned by the sun, tough-
cncd by work. and with a sturdy air of
independence, born, in part, of the
heavy responsibility which he had been
taught rested upon him as "the only
man about the place." in part of nature
itself and showing itself in his eyes. and
through the childish words and actions
which had once led John Parsons to re-
mark to his wife that "the little cub
weren't exactly lackin' in willingness TO
claim what was his n"
When Mrs. Parsons had finished read
ing aloud the letter from her husband,
the little girls stood with hands crossed
upon their long gingham aprons silent
ly gazing at their mother, who as silent
" arose, laid the letter upon the rude
mantel over the stone fireplace, and
took up her household work where she
had left it when ncighbor, in passing,
had brought her the letter.
Her mind was too much occupied
with thoughts to which the letter had
given birth for her to be fully conscious
of what she did, but force of habit, born
of the cruel necessity which compels
nine out of every ten of the wives OF
laboring men, and especially of farmers
the world over, to be constantly "or
the CO." always busy, always at work
for others, held her to her usual round
of duties, even while her mind was
busy discussing this and that plan fol
the most rapid and profitable dispose
ton of their little remaining accumula
tions, devising this and that scheme fol
adding to the comfort of the family upor
the long and lonesome journey which
she saw rise up before them.
Then, too. her thoughts turned back
ward over the past; to the scenes of he
girlhood; to the time when she weddet
the man she loved and whom she wa
now to join after long years of separa
ton.
She remembered how proud she ha,
been when he first told her of his low
and asked her to be his wife, and hoy
hopeful they had been, and how certain
of their future happiness when they be
gan life together.
And then came sadder remembrance
the loss of their home through tryin
to help neighbor; the death of thei
first baby that was buried in the littl
church-yard beside her own father an
mother, long since gone to their re
ward-and the other little one. that ha
come to them only few months afte
they landed in the spot from whic
they were now being driven, who's
tiny grave, she remembered with pan
keen as the thrust of dagger, must b
left without any to care for it, withou
permanent inclosure even, perhaps
be forgotten, obliterated, trodden upol
But these thoughts only served to reca
her to herself, for with the poor, to thin
of the dead is always to recall though
to the living, the living whose necess
ties lay claim to every waking thought
to every effort of the hands and feet
Her thoughts recalled from the pa!
to the present, from the dead to th
living, without ceasing her work or eve
turning around, but intending to addres
the little girls who yet stood silentl
beneath the weight of their childis
thoughts of the wonderful, perhaps dan
gerous, journey to their father whic
they understood was to be taken, MIR
Parsons asked:
"Where's Erastusp"
Her voice broke the spell which WE
upon the children, and snatching the
sun-bonnets from the bed upon whic
they had thrown them when they fo
lowed the neighbor in with the lette
they whipped out of the house and dar
ed around the corner in the directio
from which came the sound of the boy
axe.
Across the pasture lot they spec
catching their sun-bonnets from off the
heads as they ran and carrying them i
their hands, until out of breath an
within talking distance of the object {
their search, the Oldest girl broke OIL
with:
i"Oh! Ras! what ID sposep Mas q
a letter from pa, and he amt comir
home, cause he's been froze out agair
but he's going to send money home fc
us to go to California on, and EIr. Peter
is coming down right away to see
we can be ready to start next weel
and
why, Ras, if you amt cuttin' u
rails!"
"Wall." replied the boy, his loo
changing from that of very intereste
listener to one of set determination
"wall, s'posen amp Didn't your mothe
say she wished she had some dry WOO
to wash with Tomorrow and ain thes
rails dryp Guess they are, fur you
father split 'em and laid 'em up hin
self fore he went to California Shu
think they ought to get dry in six year
if they are ever goin' to. u
"But they're rails" protested bot
the girls at once, their Unborn idea {
the wrong involved in the destructio
ofproperty causing them to forget every
thing else for the moment. They
rails, and if you cut 'em up for WOO
they will be spoilt, and besides the cal
tie will get into the field"