Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-03-25

and all things in it to bo offended tt what he knew was kindly meant
 For months he worked early and late at the ditch, and when it had been completed, and the water, in it's slow seeping through the soil, had rendered it capable of sustaining vegetable life, he began planting trees and vines. and breaking the soil for future crops. When the year closed he found his place be- ginning to look quite like living.
 He had intended going again to visit Lucy and her parents at this time, but his place still lacked dwelling, and the little it would cost to make the jour- ney would aid just that much towards buying the material towards the cottage which he had planned, and he finally decided not to go, but instead to take his team and work month for the rancher wlo had pastured his colts dur ing two dry seasons; and thus. instead of spending what little he had, obtain enough more to enable him to get the material to begin building with.
 When this was done he procured the assistance of neighbor who had a few carpenters tools and some knowledge of the trade. and together they framed ana sided up the cottage.
 Then he worked at night to finish it.
 Often when thus engaged, after 8 hard days work in the field. would he take from his pocket one of Lucy's letters, and stt.ng upon the work bench or saw-hor @, re-read the lines he already knew by heart, or lose h .m- self in dreams wh oh those l nes gave rise to; then. rousing himself, take up nd r,,ply To,, .,oAe { that the cottage might be the sooner completed and the face and form which he now saw only in dreams be ever present with him in reality.
 At last the cottage waS finished and ready for occupancy.
 A plain cot age it was; not unlike the one on the mountain side. only little longer. and wider, and higher.
 There were two rooms below and one above, and there was little porch over the front door-not long or broad. but sufficient to shade the room from the sun little and give relief from the bare and inhospitable look which a dwelling without any projection always has.
 He meant to add a larger structure in front in 8 few years. wher his ranch should be fully irrigated and in cul iva ton, and so reproduce the cottage in the foot hills in accordance with the plans he had laid the night he slept under the stars on his hastily made visit the time he won Lucy's consent to be his wife; but for this he must wait yet awhile.
 And so, with a heart filled with hope and courage, and running over with affection for her who was to return with him as his bride, he took long look about the cottage, and going out, care- fully closed the door behind him that it might not become unfastened during bis absence.
 Standing in front of his cottage, he cast his eyes over his ranch with a feel ing of pride and satisfaction.
 That which three years before had been bit of desert was now farm, with all orchard and vineyard and fer tile fields; none of them very large, it is true. but everything there was the work of his own hands, the result of his own energy and economy, and it was some thing of which he night we'll be proud.
 When he had taken it all in-the cot tage and the green fields and the young orchard and vineyard-as a picture wh oh he could hold ill his memory un- til he returned. and could describe to Lucy and Uncle John and Aunt Martha and Johnny, he turned and walked rap- idly away in the direction of MT. John sons.
 He was to start early the next morn. ing, and was to dr ve h s own team; the colts now fully grown and hardened to work.
 He hsi decided upon this after con- ferring by letter with Lucy and her par ents.
 MT. and Mrs. Parsons desired to give as much as poss ble of the furniture necessary to start the young folks in housekeeping, and they could do this to some extent out of what still re- mained of that lrought from the old home in the foothills, and it was just as cheap and good deal nicer, these lovers thought, to make the journey this way, in the own conveyance, with their household goods packed in the wagon, than to first transport them fif- teen m les to Phippsburg. ship them by boat and cars, and then go long distance after them at the other end of the route.
 Besides, in thus going across the country they would have whole week to spend iD eacl others company; in which to talk of their love and lay plans for the future.
 It would be almost as good as a real wedding tour, Lucy decided.
 And so one afternoon the dwellers on the mountain side saw a wagon drawn by pair of bay horses, whose driver was dust-covered young man with a sun-tanned face and sandy mustache, wearing a wide-Lrimmed straw hat, com 'ng up the by-road which ended at their gate. and knew that the bride. groom had come to claim his bride.
 The place had changed considerably since Erastus had seen it two years be- fore.
 The addition to the shanty had been erected, and with the little porch in front fairly raised it to the dignity of a cottage.
 The rose bushes which Lucy and her mother had planted had grown as all things do grow in that climate and soil;