The Irish standard., 1889-03-02

AASSAAAAS3 AA~O s~e~
illness would, and now, as suddenly and
completely as a northwest wind clears the
air and leaves it fresh, cool and ife-giving
this ssvision" had swept away all clouds of
fear and brought me new life.
We all talked it over with friends, often.
There was no way to verify what Mr.. FIRE.
mont's part had been during those two
weeks We must wait until, his journey
over, by summer at the earliest, he should
reach San Francisco, and then the only
mail was nearly month, uia the lsthmus
But in early April there came to Wash
ington, overland: a Mormon elder, named
Babitt, from the settlement Of Par
owan in tnow) South Utah. Mr.. Bah
tit brought us letters from Mr.. Fremont
written at Parowan, and added many de-
tails Of personal intelligence.
The winter had been very harsh, and
much snow falling drove of the game. Mr..
Fremont had in his party but few of his old
companions-men whose experience and
nerve gave them resource and staying
power in emergencies. The new men be-
came nearly demoralized under the trying
ordeal of cold and hunger and were almost
given out when after forty days Of increas-
ing want they reached this small Mormon
settlement. There they were taken care OF
with true hospitality and kindness which
none Of our family ever forget. One good
man, Fuller, had died the day before, but
they brought him in fastened on horse,
and Chr. ian burial was given him while
rnen and women with true Christian kind
ness patiently nursed back to life those
nearly exhausted.
Most Of the party were unwilling to go
farther, and remained there, for whites
and Indians agreed that no one had ever
been heard of again who had tried to cross
Anto California on that line.
AS Mr.. Fremont persevered, Mr.. Babitt
aided him in ali ways to re6t, and cashed
his personal draft on San Francisco bank,
a trust never before shown q Gentle by
Mormon.
Now the fact was verified that there had
been starving time; that it had lasted
through January INTO the next month; that
the last fortnight had been desperately,
almost fatally, exhausting-quite so to poor
Fuller This fortnight was the period dur
ing which knew Of their starving. The
relief came to the1n when they got into
Parowan-the evening Of the 9th of Febru~
ary--when was made to know that also,
that same night Every family took il some
Of the men, putting them into warm rooms
and clean comfortable beds, and kiud-faceo
women gave them reviyiu3 iood and pity
ing words. Mr. Fremont's letters could not
say enough of the gentle, patient care OF
these kind women. And OF his own ''great
relief OF mind"
After this We heard no more until the
25th of May when photographed from New
York as his steamer got in from Asplnwall,
and By set Of sun he was again st home
Soon he was told by my father OF what
have been telling you here. His lawyer
habit of mind had made him infinitely verify
what we three women had to tell, but there
was point beyond on which the geograph-
-astronomer-nindf astened-the point OF
Time.
AS nearlyas we could settle it, two a. m
was the hour had the fash of information
shat ali was well again. The girls mad
stayed out later than usual % 1t was al as
sembly OF family friends for a marriage
festivity, and the long rough drive over
frozen mud of the old Washington streets
was necessarily slow. Oar old coachman
objected to being cut after twelve, and we
saw with little quake that it was nearly
ona when they came IN.
After that came the undressing, the
leisurely hair-brushing, the long gossip
oyer the evening as they took their tea;
and this brought it to about two O'Clock.
Time did not enter much into our former
aasy.going Southern lives, and we were
three young women amused, comfortable
and what did it matter an hour more or
Less After the shock we were too deeply
moved to do other than feel. Properly, We
should have looked at tae clock, made a
minute Of the facts, signed 1t and put it on
record. But we did not Know about all
that, those days. We only kasw it was
nearing one' when the girls came home,
s'about two when the fire grew low, and
quite threen when overpowering sleep
sent me OFF to bed.
Next morning when the baggage came,
the journal of that time was taken out anc
we read the entry for the aight of their ar
rival at Parowan, the bringing up of thu
journal to the latest waking hour being a
fixed habit. We read:
sc Paro,oaa, February skh, f1h. 30m. D. M, J"
and the brief record Of the arrival their
safety and comfort, and the goodness or
every one to them. He had been around to
each of his party for q thankfui goodnight,
and had seen them each III warm beds; he
wrote of tho contrast to the bad days just
past and Of his own quiet room With its fire
Of logs and "the big white bed" waiting
Elm, 10 3VuiCu he ulaiSs 80 uVW ALL uO was
"fatigued" ana it wac near midnight.
Then there followed the wish that could
know of this comfort and OF his mind at
ease And, at that moment, l did know.
For the difference Of longitude makes
Washington two hours and twenty tnrea
minutes later than Parowan, 80 that 11h.
SOM p. H., there, would be in Washington
III. 53n. d. ~" about" two o'clockl
- +
Yhey have here in California lovely
custom of Festival Of Flowers each year
while the wild flowers are in beauty and
roses and other planted flowers are literal.
IL in countless number and splendor. These
flowers that &c toll nos' yet do noble work,
for the annual hower-fetes have built up
Orphan Asylums and Homes for the work
ing women throughout the State
We we're this spring guests Of the beausl-
full rich town OF San Jose during its flower
fete. Among the farming people who
came into town to wish a kindly welcome TO
Mr.. Fremont was one, gray, weather
beaten, but hale and clear-eyed. Among
the roses he stood, observing the General,
then said: 8" I would know you again any
where, but you would not know me-"
But dawning memory was coming up
and the General asked: WAS it notln snow.
<3,noa,, o,a hath eo;d NParNwan ~