The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1889-01-24

Germ was, how his wife, weighted with
the babe, would be able to brave the
long journey across the great, I'M
cleared territory that lay between
them; for i'll large part. as he was
now we'll aware, the country was but
thinly settled and poorly open to
travel, in much of it's extent. More
over, there were tales afOut OfdeSper-
ate characters who stopped the
stages, and robbed and often NAL
treated the passengers. Many times
the dread pressed on him heavily
that his wife would not be able to
reach him at all, weak as she was,
and inexperienced as the child in her
arms. Who could tell what evil
she might not fall in with? The whole
State of Ohio was scarcely more than
a wilderness of unbrOken forest, with
here and there a few settlers half
made clearings, and little villages
scattered at wide-apart distances,
giving small impression of civiliza-
ton to the desOlate expanse.
His most comforting hope was,
that his wife might be able to Join
some party of emigra hts whose num-
bers would give protection and
cheerful companionship in the weari-
some journey. One smallinstalment
of money he had sent, and was push
ing on with all his might to attain
the ultimate purpose of his desire.
Christmas, the grand holiday time
he had been taught in all his boyhood
days to look forward to with eager
delight, was close at hand, and he
was intensely impressed with the
wish that his wife could have come to
receive a glad welcome at that blessed
season Of good cheer.
Alas, that joyful pleasure
was out OF the question, and
very keen was the disappoint-
ment of Marsden in consequence. 1t
is true that the Christmas HOLIDAYS
were not nearly as much regarded as
they have since become. Yet there
were those who set the time apart for
feasting and religious observance.
The Bradwells were of this class, and
great were the preparations for the
joyful occasion. Several relatives
were expected to join in the good
time.
To their great disappointment,
however, when Christmas arrived and
dinner was nearly in readiness, the
friends had not appeared,
and instead there came a message to
say that daughter residing in Chill
licothe had been taken i'll, requiring
the presence of her mother as speed
lily as possible.
This necessitated the instant de-
parture of both the Bradwells, and
an entirely new arrangement in re-
gard to the dinner. Said Caleb
"Marsden, I'm sorry we can't stop
to help you have a good time. l
wish your wife was here to take our
places. But the dinner mustn't be
spoiled on this account. You get all
the good out of it you can. That
turkeys a hunky one and asyousay
you have never yet tasted one, I
swow you mustn't miss getting &C
quainted with that delightful Ameri-
can institution. Tell you what
think: as there's not much satisfac-
ton in a feast all to ones self you
might step over to your friends, the
and see if one or two OF
them can't come and join you"
Well said. For some time Will had
been watching Mrs. BradwelI's won
1erIul preparation Tor the least, and
shifting the delicious odors that
from the oven where the fat
turkey was roasting. And only to
Look at the row ofpumpkin pies on
the buttery shelf Itmade his mouth
water to see the arrangements going
on. What a dinner it was going to
be! All! if only the dear, little wo-
man so far away could be with him
in the feast's enjoyment, came in ar
dent wishes to his inmost soul-wish-
ing and wishing that his eyes could
FEAST on her fresh, pretty face across
the table, with the great brown bird
between them!
These were vain desires. The most