Evening star., 1897-04-03
ALL SHE COULD.
The Pathetic Story of n Brave WO-
mans Struggle.

The Pathetic Story of n Brave wo-
mans Struggle.
From the Youths Companion.
Some years ago clergyman moved
from New England to the northern part
of Iowa and settled upon a farm. Many
people said that he was foolish to do this;
that he was throwing his life away. He
left behind him q comfortable home, pleas
ant associations. libraries. schools and
congenial neighbors. Besides. he was old
and beginning to be feeble. But he felt
that there was awaiting him a broad
field. unplowed and ready for spiritual cul-
tivation.
He had meant to go into this home mis-
sionary work years before. but his wife
had persuaded him to wait until their
daughter had finished her education in an
eastern college. Now the opportunity had
arrived, and with an eagerness like that of
youth he left a community that. he ex-
pressed it, had been for generations
people begging to be preached to life.
There in the middle west the family
built small cabin of three rooms and a
''lean-tO for the kitchen. No trees pro-
tected them from the burning sun in sum-
mer or from the fierce hurricane of win
ter. The country was new. There were
no roads. Their nearest neighbor was six
miles away across the prairie, and one
Sunday the good man. after preaching 10
audience of twelve persons several miles
away frcm his home, was lost In a biz
zard in endeavoring to return to it. From
the effects of this exposure he died. and
his wife soon followed him.
The daughter, twenty years of age, was
left alone. What was she to do? Should
she pack up and return to the comfortable
east. or stay and fight 1t out In the pioneer
west? She decided to stay and continue
her fathers work.
hp aSf vi m
teach Most of the settlers there were
Norwegfans, and in little two-roomed
house, occupied by a large family, she
went to board so that she might learn the
language. But the food was so poor that
she became Ill. Finally she secured the po-
sition of principal in a small struggling
college. Here her surroundings Were pleas
ant, but the trustees could not pay her
salary, and after three years she went
back to the prairie.
This time she boarded with a kind but
ignorant Irish family. During the winter
the mother died, leaving two young girls
to care for a household Of men. Here the
teacher found her mission In life.
She taught the girls how to work. She
helped them to cook. to sew. to make
their own clothes, to make the home cheer
full and sweet She made herself an elder
sister to the two. She shared with them,
made butter with them, MIXED with them,
and endured the hay field with them. Soon
the two sisters became noted for their
RentleneSS, consideration and excellent
home qualities. Wherever they went they
carried a spirit of helpfulness and an cleo
tric ray of cheerfulIess.
But the world never knew of the sacri-
flee Of the minister's daughter. who spent
some of the best years of her life In dreary
hardship in order to make the lives of
two other girls worth living. The story of
this noble sacrifice came recently to the
writer, from the west. What can be said
of her who could have had the sweet, but
chose the bitter for humanity's and for
Christ's sake? There are many bright,
educated eastern girls in the west, endur-
ing poverty and hardship as good soldiers
of the Master, that they may do all they
can for Him. Such unreserved giving up
of self ought to shame US out of our easy,
self-satisfied lives OF nominal Christian
service.