Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1895-04-01

| W" "ah hs1 osauty-sne gives us milk,
and me and Old Spot makes the bread
Oh, we is all doin tol'ble we'll. Then
pap helps us with our books, and can
read print and plain writin, and Lucy
and Sallio, they knows their letters and
can spslflittio bits of words But when
/ know enough--and pap says God will
provide way for me to know all l want
to know-Fll learn 'om ell about the
mountains, and the stars, and the big
world that is over yonder across the
mountains But l must go and turn pap
and help the children with the dinner. /"
And she bounded up the hill like q
deer.
"Tell your father will come in .
fow moments to see him, he called
out to her.
She turned as she entered the cabin
door and nodded her head.
Half an hour afterward Mr.. Slade
was seated in the humble home of the
mountain girl. Her story was too true.
There, stretched on lowly bed, lay the
poor paralytic, dead from his arms
down, with his snow white hair
whitened not SO much by the frosts of
time as by the agony of suffering-
brushed smoothly back from his brow.
1t was the abode of poverty. There was
but one room and but scanty furniture
of the most primitive kind. There were
two doors, both standing wide open, and
the bed Of the invalid was wheeled in
the middle Of the room, in order that he
might catch the gentle breeze which
came SO refreshingly down the noun.
tain side. Over the fireplace on q rough
shelf were few we'll worn books and q
broken jar, filled with the white and
crimson blossoms Of the mountain ivy
and white and blue violets. gathered
that morning on the banks of the mean
dering creek.
And that old man was bright and
cheerfull
All means that were in his reach had
been used to restore him to vitality, but
hope had led, and he knew that he
would never again rise up and walk
Life, even to him, had not lost all its
joy and beauty. Upon Ida he rested for
almost all aid, for the younger sisters
were too small to render much assist
ance. Into her mind and soul he in
stilled love for the beautiful, discern
ible in SO many varied forms in the
wild mountain scenery around their pic
turesque though humble home. Like
the sunflower which grows so luxuri
antly in this southern cline, his bed
was always wheeled around so that lie
could see the morning sunlight as it
streamed in through the door facing the
east, and again, when the sun went
down behind the mountain in the west,
he loved for the last rays to fall in all
their golden glory upon his head. Often
when, the moon was flooding noun
tain and stream and valley with mel
low light he would ask Ida to wheel
his bed near the open door, and then,
with her hand in his, they would look
down the beautiful valley and see tho
winding streamlet, with its banks lined
with towering ivy and laurel, looking
like ghostly sentinels keeping silent
watch over their mountain home. And
they thanked God for it all
Captain Hall had done what he could
with his imperfect education to give Ida
some knowledge OF books, as the well
thumbed volumes ON the shelf testified
While her language was rude and i'm
perfect and her information very linn
tied, yet aspirations had been kindled
In the heart of this child of the forest
which she herself scarcely knew. Her
life of toll, so hard for one of her sex
and tender years, was sweetened by
those longings which had begun to
spring in her soul. She drew inspiration
rom all the objects around her-the
grand old mountains, the thickly wood
I'd forests, the cooling dove aud the friskI
ing squirrel. the bubbling spring and
she running brook.
Mr. Slade had fastened his horse to
the vehicle and was ready to depart as
Ida came down to the ford Of the brook,
and whistling for the OK was preparing
70 return to her plowing on the hillsidel
Ida" he said, "how would you like
% go 10 school and learn"-
"GO to school" she interrupted. Her
blue eyes kindled rs sho continued.
Ask mo IL l like TO drink out Of this
spring when / am athirgt, or 10 eat
bread and honey when / am a-hungry.
90 TO school But
"But whatY"
Whats the uso OF talkin, mister2
Are you u sohOolkeeperi''
yes am teaching school across the
down In tho HiawasAee val.
10y. II you would like TO go"--
" 'Tain't no use 10 talk about it,
md her voice bad ring OF sadness IN
til cant leave pap aud Old Spot"
Mr.. slade bade g0Odby 10 tho noun
ain girl, but his mind was made up
Providence was opening tho way.
Tho first opportunity afteT his return
'onie hs paid n visit tO DT. BakoT, tho
find hearted physician who bad be'
Tiendsd the Hales IN their sickness aud
IisiToss Of his scanty means soanty
OF family of ls-hs bad given liberal 4
y 20 tho stTl0ken family Iiis pT0fes-
iOnal services aud tho needed medicines Z
geTs mover charged for, and under the
igbteons pTetense u selling the baskets
nd mats mads by the fesble hngeFa ~
le old paralytio many dine and
uaTteT fOand thoiT way over tho mOuR'