Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1890-03-08

gong, while the boy STROBE on bv their
side saying less, but with look and
step that proved him not less excited
than his companions.
The week that interviewed before the
coming of Sy Peters, like the weeks
that Immediately followed it, was occu-
pied by the family in devising means for
maRlng the most OF their possessions.
They already had team which Sv
thought with good care would stand the
trip, but the wagon and harness were
not sufficiently strong to risk venturing
upon so long journey, and Mrs. Par
sons pent every energy to tho task of
devising how best to turn this and that
ana the other article into things it was
absolutely necessary that they should
have before they could start
"A new wagon was bought at the
wagon shop in the village. payment be-
ing made in the old one backed by two
COWS. The pigs were sold to get can
vas for the wagon cover, the chickens
to pay for shoe.ng the horses all round
with new shoes; a better harness was
obtained from neighbor in exchange
for the old one and such cheap imp1e-
ments for tilling the soil as they had
been using ON the farm; calico and mus
lin Tor garments fol the girls, and cot
WA JSssAAt' Iva q 1O1 uuc DOv were
procured somehow, the few cooking
utensils and the beds needed upon the
road were packed into the wagon with
their remaining provisions; the feeding
box was hung to the tail board, bucket
Tor watering the horses and a pail of
grease for greasing the spindles were
hung under the hind axle, and one
morning in May when the sun came up
over the tree tops and looked down into
the little clearing, he saw only a de-
serted and abandoned log house, from
whose chimney no wreath of smoke
curled upward, upon whose hearthstone
no fire was blazing.
The family hsd again Joined the great
caravan OF toilers that, like the red men,
have been driven from sea to sea across
a continent, hunting for homes and a
rcsting-p!ace from those who covet all
and will be content with nothing less.
CHAPTER II.
THE JOURNEY.
Who shall say that he can truly draw
the picture of a six-months' journey by
wagon train across the continent?
Who has done it9
Who has depicted, or can 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
thousand miles between themselves and
their old home and home associations,
they realize that they are yet a thou
sand miles from the new home which
they hope to make in an untried coun-
try?
Who can recount the many incidents
over which men laugh or women weep,
that go to make up the weeks and
months of such journey?
Who can convey to the minds of those
who have never seen them, true pict-
ure Of the prair.es
That seem bounded
Like the water of the ocean,
And And the gray clouds that in patches
Fleck 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
defile? 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 th~e names called to
mind.
They who never mace the Journey
can not describe it; those who have,
alone could understand it if written;
and tney-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 Hemmingway
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 at times seemed
endless; they climbed the same mount
aims; they greeted with glad cries and
thankful hearts the first evidence of the
near approach of their journeys end,
just as the members of every other COM
pany that had preceded them had done;
just as 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 at its end the same hearty, I'M
Rpeakable welcome from waiting nus
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 first clasped his
wife and 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 be called such in the heavy-tim-
bered country of the Middle West, but
Id