The Forrest City times., 1891-02-13

events of last week. My parents had lived in the city of Now York, and were wel[to-do, for those days. But the old story of rascalitv and robbery by friend whom he had trusted chang ed everything, and father resolved to move to the west.
 It is unnecessary to tell the story of our removal. 1t was @ very won- derful thing to me-that journey to the shores of Lake Michigan, but it would not interest you. Finally we had done with cars and steamboats, and even with stage-coaches, and made the last three days of our jour ney in an old cart
 On the afternoon of the third day of our travel in this conveyance we came suddenly into little clear ing, where was new log cabin. At the door stood a solitary backwoods man.
 What are you doing here?" ex- claimed my father, who, more and more gloomy as he got further away from civilization, resented the pres ence of the settler.
 !. "Waal, stranger, reckon Pma a livin' here, "was the reply.
 "You don't mean to tell me that you intend to reside herel" said my father.
 Yer abaout k'rect; stays the word."
 "What do you intend to dor" my father demanded.
 "Waal, seein's haow yer ain't no ways inquisitive, don't mind tellin' yer thet I'm goin' ter make farm yere."
 "But," remonstrated my father, incrcdulous, "where is your farming land?"
 Mister, I never seed trees yit but had land under 'em, n reckon I'll find huff ont yere, arter 8 while, was the smiling rejoinder of the sturdy pioneer.
 Mother was tired and disinclined to travel further, and when we had gone half a mile further we pitched our tent in the woods, beside the 'sspotted trail" The next day thinking we could do no better-we formally took up our abode there.
 In the next two weeks my father. with only his two hands, long unused to such labor, cleared an acre of ground and built g small log house. So secluded did this tiny opening in the lofty forest seem that when some lumbermen came along by chance, one dny, they asked my father ii he had cut hole in the woods and let his house down into it.
 There was no human habitation within many miles, save that of the solitary settler whom we had seen on the day of our arrival. On every eide were trees, nothing but trees and underbrush. Without doubt my parents found it very lonely, and were not easily reconciled to the change from city lie. My mother was often in tears. but we were cnil- drsn and enjoyed the wilderness and freedom.
 The third year of our life in the woods was a very memorable one. Throughout June, July, and August scarcely any rain fell. The sandy coil and the pine forest were parch- cd with drought.
 The entire woods about Us, far and nenr, were infested and overrun by n singular species of great, un slightly gray worm which stripped the trees oftheir foliage. The worms moved onward in countless numbers through the forest, swinging from tree to tree by means of n threac which they spun from their bodies In wnfking through the woods il s July, that year, we were compelled < to keep both hands before our laces to piart the webs, and brush tn. X w0rns away.
 In August the sky grew very smoky and remained so for many days Father told us that grcat fores nres were ringing nit q distance, ant thot hs fenrsd they might aprroacl uA On sol . morning. and after