The Red Cloud chief., 1885-05-15

whose CHIMNEY no WreaL0 O smOAc
curled upward. upon whose hear,hstone
no fire was blazing.
The family had again joined the great
caravan of tollers that. like the red men.
have been driven from sea 10 sea across
a continent, hunting for homes and a
resting place from those who covet all
and viii be content with nothing less
CHAPTER II.
THE
Who shall say that he can truly draw
the picture Of a six-months' journey by
wagon train across the continent?
Who has done it?
Who has depicted. or . depict, the
feeling of loneliness and isolation that
takes possession of the hearts of = little
band Of pilgrims when having, by such
tedious methods of travel. placed a
their old home and home associations.
they realize that they are yet . thou
sand miles from the new home which
they hope to make in an untried Gun
try?
Who can recount the many incidents
over which men laugh or women weep.
that 90 - make UP the weeks and
months of such a journey?
Who can convey To the minds Ut those
who have never seen them, q true pict-
ure Of the p~rairies
That seem bounded.
Like the waters Of the ocean,
Only by the purple sunset
And the graz clouds that In patches
Fieck the sky that hangs low over!
Who shall picture the camp at night
upon the open plains-in the rocky pass
by the river side within some deep
deiile? Who tell again the stories that
Were told; who sing the songs that were
sung by the campfire, or along the
weary. dusty road?
Did those who blazed the way across
the continent mark the route for those
who followed them?
Those who came after counted the
graves BY the roadside.
Did these give names to the streams
which they crossed?
Others. camping by the streams.
drinking of their waters. talked of the
memories which those names called TO
mind.
They who never made the journey
can not describe il; those who have.
alone could understand it if written:
and they-they do not need TO read it
What others saw who crossed the
plains in 1850 by wagon train. they saw
who made up the little company in
which was Martha Parsons. with her
two girls and Erastus Hemingway.
What others suffered OF loneliness and
hardship they suffered. They enjoyed
all that others enjoyed of the beauties
of nature and Of the companionship of
those with whom they travelled toward
the land of golden promise.
They fOrded the same streams, trav-
eled for days and weeks and months
across the same prairies, along the
same beaten track. that nj times seemed
endless; they climbed the same mount
aias; they greeted with glad cries and
thankful hearts the first evidence of the
nea approach of their journeys end,
just ~ the members Of every other com
pany that had preceded them had done;
jus. rs those of every other company
that came after them did do; and when
they had broken camp for the last time;
had made their last days journey; they
received ut its end the same hearty. un-
~speakable welcome from q waiting hus-
band and father that every other hus-
band and father. long separated and
anxious for the presence of his loved
ones. gave them when their journey
was ended and he folded them once
more within his arms
When John Parsons frs; ciasped his
wife aud little ones to his breast after
their long separation. it was in front Of
the shanty which he had promised
should be ready for them in front Of
the land which he had pre-empted.
The shanty. however. was not what
would he called such in the heavy-tim-
hercd country of the Middle West, but
was al redwood boards nailed tn q
frame Of stufding. and the cracks bat
tened with narrow strips. The boards
beng sixteen feet in length and nalsd
on perpendicularly gave abundant room
for several beds. and for the storage Of
any article Of clothing or Of household
Use not in daily demand.
Instead Of being lashed and plastered
the walls. both above and below. were
covered with heavy muslin neatly and
securely tackled on. The ceiling was
covered with muslin, but the floors were
OF boards. and a partition Of boards |
unplaned but neatly fitted together. di-
vsded the lower room into Two apart
mentS Ii was neither q very grand !
nor a very costly house. but It's builder |
and owner had taken no small pleasure
in thinking that it WAS better. aad
more stylish looking. than the log
house his family werc leaving back in
the States"
He had whitewashed the outside care.
fully. and had built > porch over the
trout door. doing everything himself
and lingering long over the nicer Jobs;
thinking of how it would add to the
pleasure and comfort of the wife whS
WAS undergoing the tedious journe,
across the plains in order 70 be agaaS
with him.
she's worthy Of > palace" he hae
SAID 10 himself over and over again
an I'm just goin to make this rerr
shanty as comfortable an as conyen
lent rs contrivin' an fixin' Kin do il.
Aud every evening. after cooking and
eating his supper Of bacon and beans
with the addition Of -slap jacks" if
he Sas not too tired or too indifferent
TO rock them. he would light his pips
and sit IN the trout door for hours
looking out along the track BY whieh
he Knew they must come. and wonder
where they We're 1t that hour: il they
were travelling late. as they sometimes
must in search of water for their teams:
il AL were well: II they were in danger
from b Indians; Il the horses With
which they started were holding ont
well. and . Thousand other similar
things. but always refusing 70 believe
evil could come To them Dov.