Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1885-09-18
[CopW10ht Sccurcd Al Rights Rescrred.1
Driven From Sea to Sea,
Or, JUST A CAMPIN'.
BY G. o. POST
PUBL1sHED by PERMISSION OF J. g. DowNEY
& Co., PUBLISHERS CHICAGO.
CHAPTER XvIII.-CoNTrNuED.
BY G. o. POST.

& Co., PUBLISHERS, CHICAGO.
CHAPTER XvIu.-CoNT1NuEp
Wien this was all settled between
them, and a memorandum of the whole
matter made and carefully deposited in
the pocket-book of Mr.. Blake, that gen.
tleman returned the pocket book to his
pocket, buttoned up his coat, and
mounting his horse, rode back to town.
When he was gone Mrs. Parsons gave
sigh of relief.
.Well, / am glad it is all fixed up"
she said, "and / shall feel better still
when the deed is made and we are in
possession. All the time he was here 1
was afraid that the trade would fall
through some way, and l can not begin
to tell how anxious am to get away
from here, or how L dreaded having to
rent place. I'd rather live in a hut
and have it my own, than in n palace
that belonged to another, and l am like
Johnny; begin to feel as if this awful
mass that is about us might raise sud-
denly and swallow us all in moment.
"Yes." replied her husband, lit is
better that we go, though it's mortal
hard 10 leave this place, which was the
purtiest and best in the valley. But it
don't make much odds, s'pose, where
one is, so they have enough to eat; and
i guess we can git that up there.
'.I'll load up tonight, an start TO-
morrow with the first load. It'll take
me two days to make the round trip,
an hard days at that, but I'll put on all
four of the horses and take all kin
pile on the wagon. Then I'll get
Ritchie to help with the next load an
we'll take Johnny in the carriage an
make it all in two trips with somebody
to drive the cows. You'd better write
Jennie and Lucy, mother, an tell 'em
to come to Phippsburg, SOS to meet us
there when we go with the last load
That'll save comm after 'em, an
they'll be thar to help you fix things
when we git thar"
"Poor things, what homecoming it
will be to them," sighed Mrs. Parsons
Nevertheless she wrote telling the
girls what had occurred and how they
must take the boat on the night of the
day on which they would get the letter.
They were to get off at Phippsburg in
stead of the old landing and wait at
the hotel until their parents called for
them on their way to the new home up
in the mountains.
This letter John Parsons mailed the
next day, while his teams were eating
and resting from the pull over the
hills with their load of household goods.
That night he slept in the shanty
upon the place which he had bought,
and the following day returned to his
family and the doomed cottage.
With the help of neighbor he loaded
the remainder of his worldly posses
sions upon the two wagons, the heavy
one and the spring fruit wagon. Thil
neighbor was to drive one team and Mr.
Richie volunteered the use of another
animal to attach to the carriage il
which was Mrs. Parsons with Johnny
propped up among his pillows.
II was sad leaving of the old home
The muddy water was now entering
over the front steps and beginning t.
form pools on all the lower floors
Only the topmost twigs of the appl,
and pear trees, which were in lowe
ground than the house, and portions o
overgreens in the front yard were abov
the deposit. Every other green thin,
upon the valuable portion of the rancl
had disappeared entirely from sight
Martha Parsons wept as she took
last look at the place, and yet she wa
at heart glad to get away.
1t was like nightmare, staying ther
and seeing that mass of mud and waite
rise day by day. And besides, howeve
poor their home might be, it was hence
forth the only one they were to know
and she was anxious to get into it an
begin the work of improvement
As for John Parsons, he looked neithe
to the right nor TO the left. He did nc
even turn his head for last look at tn
old place as he rounded the hill tina
shut it from their view.
Pride and ambition were well mig
dead within him, and he hoped 70
nothing beyond bare existence for til
rest of his life
He would come back, he thought
when the roads got good again, and
the buildings We're not burned down
would tear off some of the boards froI
such portions as were not buried by th
overflow, and use them to help pate
up with, on the new ranch. Beyon
that the place was absolutely worthless
and probably some tramping mine
would carelessly set fire to the built
ings after having camped in them ovt
night
The fleeing family had perhar
placed distance OF three miles b,
tween themselves and their ruined hon
when from the other direction appeare
two horsemen.
AS they came opposite the cottag
they looked for evidences of the pre-
ence Of its former inmates, but did n,
pull up their animals.
Evidently, they. too, have pulls
out, remarked one of the horsemen
his companion. II say. Jobbers. 1t
pretty hard, now, on the poor rancher
and III be hanged If / don't wish the
was some way OF getting out the 60
without running their homes, Loo
there now; finest ranch and finest fami
W " wAOls'0oppEy, Ranch gone