Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-03-12
r0spvstoAs seosgsa n ntiNn Rsss.vs6l Driven From Sea to Sea,
Or, JUST A CAMPIN,.
nY O O ros.

IlOu 10 nltCn up ana work Tn double harness: there wouldn't be any objec- tions; eh, mother?"
 1.-The girls are not old enough to get married, John," returned Mrs Par sons. ''Jennie is not sixteen yet and Lucy is two years younger still. hope that neither of them will think of such a thing as marriage for good while. Erastus himself is not quite twenty-one, and although many young men marry as young as that, do not think that Erastus has any such intentions. Not that he has ever said anything to me; but as you say have not noticed that he appeared partial to any of the neigh boring girls. although he is favorite with all; and as for Jennie and Lucy, they probably seem to like him like sis ters; indeed, he seems like son to me, and whoever he may choose for a wife when he does marry will get an honor- able man for husband and one who will be kind and loving, am sure'
 ''That's so," replied John, "'Rastus ain't fellow that will ever go to knock in his wife and babies around, if he ever has any. But 'spose it ain't no use to try to fix things up for the young folks. We'll have to let 'em take their own head, which'll be just as the heart directs 'em, reckon An I wouldn't want 'em to do no other way, for unless the heart goes with the hand it ain't no use for to try to pull together We'll, now, here's a youngster that ain't bothering his head about the girls, any way, nor won't be for some years vet, will you. Johnnyp He'll be bossin' the hull ranch, though, if his mother and I don't look out. afore he's big enough to hunt hens eggs or tie up grapevine" And reaching down he drew upon his knee and gave great hug to a sum- tanned, tow-headed boy that had just entered; the child of their old age, born the year the shanty had been put up and the first grape-vines planted. Il is bid 'nough to hunt edds now," retorted the little fellow, squirming to release himself from his fathers arms Il did found whole nes'ful out un. der the roses bush, and you've broke 'em; see."
 And he ran his hand into his pocket and withdrawing it covered W tn the yolk of the eggs stood holding 1t up, while the liquid dripped down over his clothes.
 "You shouldn't have put the eggs in your pocket" said his father, laughing at the spectacle which he presented. You mig t have known they would have got broken and spoil your new pants"
 ''What's e use of pantses if lou tan't put edds Tn e pottits, I'd lite to know" replied the youngster as he waddled of to his mother to be cleaned up and fit ted for some new adventure. ''Des I tan put edds in my own potits if I 'ants to-" he added. by way of clincher, as his father playfully stopped to chuck him with his finger as he passed out to his work.
 When the seasons fruit had all been gathered it was found that the last half of the crop had 'paIned out all right" as compared with that marketed earlier, and it was de, ,ided to send the girls away to school for the winter instead of waiting until spring, when new house was to be begun, and when their services would be much more needed by their mother. But instead of going to San Franci>co they would only go to Sacramento, where there was a very good school under the charge of Prof. Cook, and being nearer they could be the sooner reached in case they should be taken sick.
 Letting the girls go from her side was the hardest thing Martha Parsons had beon called upon to do since she let John take her arms from around his neck and start on his long journey twelve years before, when they lived in the log house back in the States; but like other mothers she loved her chil- dren and was unwilling that her girls should grow up without every advan- tage possible to give them. Their op- portunities for attending school had never been very good, and for time after they had settled in their present home they were without any instruction except such as she could herself find time to give; and it was she, and not their father, who had suggested sending them away to school.
 In fact he had at first opposed it; not because of the expense, but because he thought their mother needed their help, and because he did noG like to be sepa- rated from them.
 His own education was not SO good as that of his wife, and he did not look as far into the future in planning for their welfare; or if so, he did not under stand as well as she how completely an uneducated woman, married to a man who follows some kind of manual labor for a living. is cut off from all social and intellectual intercourse with her kind, and how barren of all that is beautiful and ennobling her life be- comes.
 It is bad enough to be tied to an end less round of household duties, even l when the mind can take occasional rest and recreation in the perusal of a book or paper; when suffic ent ta te has been developed to induce the taking of some interest in passing events outside of ones own school district; but when, as is the case with thousands of women, no | such taste has been cultivated in girl hood, and the seeming duties of wife and motherhood leave no time to ac- gu re or devote to it at later period, life becomes no more than an animal ex xstence-becomes stagnant pool, | across whose waters no fresh breezes blow; on whose marg' n no fair flowers | bloom; in whose depths is mirrored no silvery moon. no star of hope: and the