The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-01-03
THE GRANGER HOMESTEAD.

Pioneers were not all ignorant people,
as they are sometimes supposed to have
been There were men and women of brains
as well as Drawn who pushed out into the
wilderness, denying themselves the many
privileges and comforts OF society in order
to obtain freedom and abundance in old
age. Beauty and refinement were fire.
quently found in the most lowly cabins.
Culture is not wholly irrcconcilabe with
poverty, and never has been.
On one side of the log house in which
lived the mother and sisters of Harry
Granger wound n mountain road. Near
the east end of the house the bones of
Mother Earth protruded above the snow,
and great gray, lichen-spotted powders
were piled up in the wildly beautiful con
fusion which nature ever produces in her
capricious moods. In their aiesty these
mighty rocks lowered above the humble
Western home, as if TO protect it from the
storm and stress. Time, with firm but
gentle fingers, had already begun to paint
the hewn logs and board roof, with the
rock chimney and small window, as if to
make them harmonic with all their sur
roundings; the brOwnish powders, the
scanty dead grass on the south side, where
the snow had melted; the dark, rich hue
of the pines crowding up to the doorway,
and the delicate blue OF the cloud necked
sky bending over it, with the red cluster of
berries on the now denuded sumachs at the
foot of the rocks. In front of the cabin
the stony ground, sparscly covered with
dead grass and snow, slOped to the noun
tain's eastern brow, where, at n short dis
lance from the house, great table rock
Jutted out over the precipice. Over this
sunrise rock rose scraggy, stunted,
storm-twisted cedar, its sOmber foliage at
sunrise throwing a shadow on the house.
Though comparatively new, the house
ari. H.,
and sun, adding picturesqueness to the
scene, as it nestled down by the side of the
rocks, strongly suggesting the idea of re-
pose and humble content. The humble
cabin was tired it had crouched down to
rest IN the shade; sleep and silence were
around II; shadows caressed it with a low
ing touch; the snow birds fluttered in the
pines above it, or twittered softly about its
caves so as not to disturb its slumbers. The
roof was already clear of snow, yet still
damp and smoking from the genial glow
of the Winters sun. The gentle murInur
Of the brooklct, fed from the wasting
SHOWS ON the hillsides, seemed only the
gentlest music to lull the cabin to rcpose.
Forgotten were ali the rough storms that
had assailed it; forgotten the rains, sleets
and recent SHOWS which had descended
upon il; forgotten all but the delicious re-
pose of the present.
This was the Western home OF Mrs
Hannah Granger. 1t had been Hnrry's
home also, until the temptcr came and
wiled him from the friendly Preside with
golden dreams, filling his soul with dam
gerous ambitions never to be realized.
The January sun shone bright and
warm, dissipating the snow in thousand
murmuring ribs. Edith, who was teach
ing district school 10 miles away. had
returned to spend the Sabbath with her
mother and sister Edith was lovely,
patient, gentle girl. She had left q lover
IN the East, with whom she corresp0nded.
Like herself, he was poor, but he was