Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1885-10-16

In far too good humor with the worlt
and all things in IL to be offended n
what he knew was kindly meant
For months he worked early and lat,
at the ditch, and when IL had beer
completed, and the water, in its slow
seeping through the soil, had rendered
1t capable of sustaining vegetable life
he began planting trees and vines. and
breaking the soil for future crops. Whom
| the year closed hc found his place bo
ginning to look quite like living
He had intended going again to visit
Lucy and her parents at this time, but
his place still lacked dwelling and
the little II would cost to make the jour.
ney would ni1 Just that much towards
buying the material towards the cottage
which lie had planned, and he finally
decided not TO 90, but instead TO take
his team and work n month for the
ranchcr who had pastured his colts dur
ing two dry seasons; and thus instead
Of spending what little he had, obtain
enough moro to enable him 10 get the
material to begin building with.
When this was done he procured the
assistance OF neighbor who had few
carpenters tools and some knowledge
of the trade, and together they framed
| and sided up the cottage.
Then he worked at night to finish it.
Often when thus engaged, after a
hard days work in the field, would he
take from his pocket one OF Lucy's s
letters, and sitting upon the work
bench or saw-hor.e re-read the lines
he already know by heart, or lose him
al ;,, I,..n x,,hfal, tl,Agn
rise to; then, rousing himself, take up
his tools and work far into the night,
that the cottage might be tho sooner
completed and the face and form which
he now saw only in dreams be ever
present with him in reality.
AT last the cottage was finished and
ready for occupancy.
A plain cottage it was; not unlike the
one on the mountain side, only q little
longer, and wider and higher.
There were two rooms below and
one above, and there was little porch
over the front door--not long or broad,
but sufficient to shade the room from
the sun little and give relief from the
bare and inhospitable look which
a dwelling without any projection
always has.
He meant to add n larger structure in
front in few years, when his ranch
should be fully irrigated and in cultiva-
ton, and so reproduce the cottage in
the foot hills in accordance with the
plans lie had laid the night he slept
under the stars on his hastily made
be his wife; but for this he must wait
yet awhile.
And so, with heart filled with hope
and courage, and running over with
affection for her who was to return with
him rs his bride, he took long look
about the cottage, and going out, care
fully closed the door behind him that it
might not become unfastened during
his absence.
Standing in front of his cottage, he
cast his eyes over his ranch with feel
ing of pride and satisfaction.
That which three years before had
been bit of desert was now farm,
with an orchard and vineyard and fer
tile fields; none of them very large, it is
true, but everything there was the work
of his own hands, the result of his own
energy and economy, and it was some
thing of which he ight we'll be proud.
When he had taken it all in the cot
tage and the green fields and the young
orchard and vneyard-as picture
VIII ch he could hold in his memory un-
til he returned. and could describe to
Lucy and Uncle John and Aunt Martha
and Johnny, he turned and walked rap
idly away in the direction of Mr.. John
son S.
He was to start early the next morn
ing, and was TO drive his own team;
the colts now fully grown and hardened
to work.
He had decided upon this after con-
ferring by letter with Lucy and her par
ents.
Mr.. and Mrs. Parsons desired to give
as much as poss BILE of the furniture
necessary to start the young folks in
housekeeping, and they could do this
to some extent out of what still re-
NAMED of that brought from the old
home in the foothills, and it was Just
as cheap and good deal nicer, these
lovers thought to make the journey this
way, in ther own conveyance, with
their household goods packed in the
wagon, than to first transport them fif-
teen miles to Phippsburg, ship them
by boat and cars, and then go long
distance after them at the other end Of
the route.
Besides, in thus going across the
country they would have whole week
to spend in each others company; in
which to talk of their love and lay plans
for the future.
1t would be almost as good as real
wedding tour, Lucy decided.
And so one afternoon The dwellers on
the mountain side saw a wagon drawn
by pair of bay horses, whose driver
was dust-coyered young man with a
Unframed face and sandy mustache,
wearing wide-brimmed straw hat,
coming up the by-road which ended at
their gate. and knew that the bride
groom had come to claim his bride.
The place had changed considerably
since Erastus had seen it two years be-
fore.
The addition to the shanty had been
erected, and with the little porch in
fl ont fairly raised 1t to the dignity of a
cottage.
The rose bushes which Lucy and her
mother had planted had grown as all
things do grow in that climate and soil;
had clambered all over the porch and
were in full bloom, having been wa
tered and tended by loving hands
Back of the cottage and on either
side great hollyhock bushes, with pur-
pie and white and yellow blossoms
stood thick as people in street" and
over the low windows, and reaching
clear up to the caves, Madeira vines
mingled their soft, green leaves with
those of the morning glories, that in the
early hours of the day were sprlnkled
thick with beautiful bcll-shaped flowers.
In front were long beds OF pinss, and
verbena', and larl-spurs, aud great Grim
son-hearled dahlas, that lifted up their
faces and bloomed and nodded in the
breeze; bent low as if to inhale the fra,
grance of the mignonette that looked d
up from the borders OF the beds in which
they all grew
The grape-vines upon the slop'ne
ground above the hou SO had added two