Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-10-07
PART II-Chapter II-Continued.

guished himself as useful guide and
an indefatigable hunter.
So rapidly did he gain the esteem OF
his new companions. that when they
reached the end of their wander1ngs,
it was unanimously agreed that he
should be provided with as large and
as fertile a tract of land as any OF the
settlers, with the exception OF Young
himself, and of Stangerson, kimbal,
Johnson and Drebber. who were the
four principal elders.
On the farm thus acquired John Fer
rier built himself a substantial log
house, which received SO many addl-
tions in succeeding years that it grew
into roomy villa.
In three years he was better on than
his neighbors, in six he was well-to-do,
in nine he was rich, and in twelve
there were not half a dozen men in the
whole of Salt Lake City who could
compare with him.
There was one way, and only one, In
which he offended the susceptlbllltles
of his co-religionists.
There were some who accused him
of lukewarmness in his adopted relig-
ion, and others who put it down to
greed of wealth and reluctance to In
cur expense.
Whatever the reason, Ferrier re-
mained strictly celibate. In every
other respect he conformed to the re-
ligion of the young settlement, and
gained the name of being an ortho-
dox and straight-walking man.
Lucy Ferrier grew up within the log
house and assisted her adopted father
In all his undertakings.
The keen air of the mountains ana
the balsamic odor of the pine trees
took the place of nurse and mother to
the young girl.
AS year succeeded to year she grew
taller and stronger, her cheek more
ruddy, and her step more elastic.
Many a wayfarer upon the high ROAD
which ran by Terriers farm felt long
forgotten thoughts revive in his mind
as he watched her 1.-the, girlish figure
tripping through the wheat fields, or
met her mounted upon her fathers
mustang, and managing it with all the
ease and grace of true child or the
West
So the bud blossomed into flower
and the year which saw her father the
richest of the farmers left her as fair
specimen of American g1rlhood as
could be found in the whole Paclnc
g. slope. --------. -
1t was not the father, however, who
first discovered that the child had de-
welcomed into the woman. 1t seldom Is
in such cases.
That mysterious change Is too sub
tie and too gradual to be measured by
dates. Least of all does the maiden
herself know it until the tone of a
voice or the touch of a hand sets her
heart thrilling within her. and she
learns. with a mixture of pride and
fear, that a new and a larger nature
has awakened within her.
There are few who cannot recall
that day and remember the one little
incident which heralded the dawn OF q
new life.
In the case of Lucy Ferrier the occa-
sion was serious enough in itself, apart
flom its future influence on her desti'
ny and that of many besides.
1t was a warm June morning, and
the Latter-Day Saints were as busy as
the bees whose hive they have chosen
for their emblem.
In the fields and in the streets rose
the same hum OF human industry.
Down the dusty highroads defiled
long streams Of heavily laden mules
all heading to the west. for the gold
fever had broken out in California, and
the Overland route lay through the
city of the Elect.
There, too were droves of the sheer
and bullocks coming in from the out
lying pasture lands, and trains o.
tired immigrants, men and horses
equally weary of their interminable
journey.
Through all this motley assemblage
threading her way with the skill O.
an accomplished rider, there gallopec
Lucy Ferrier, her fair face flushed
with the exercise and her long chest
nut hair floating out behind her.
She had commission from he
father in the city, and was dashing II
as she had done many time before
with all the fearlessness of youth
thinking only of her task and how l
was to be performed.
The travel-stained adVenturer
pazed after her in establishment, ant
even the Unconditional Indians, journey
ing in with their peltry. relaxed thei
accustomed stoicism as they marvele'
Mt the beauty of the pale-faced maiden
She had reached the outskirts o
the city when she found that roa'
blocked by a great drove of cattle
driven by a half dozen wild lookin
herdsmen from the plains.
In her impatience she endeavored t
pass this obstacle by pushing he
horse into what appeared to be gar
Scarcely had she got fairly into II
however, before the beasts closed Il
behind her, and she found herself CON
pletely imbedded in the moving strear
of fierce-eyed, long-horned bullocks.
Accustomed as she was to deal wit
cattle, she was not alarmed at he
situation, but took advantage of ever
opportunity to urge her horse on 1
the hope OF pushing her way throug
the cavalcade.
Unfortunately. the horns of one G
the creatures, either by accident o
design, came in violent contact wit
the flank of the mustang, and excite
1t to madness.
In an instant It reared upon 1t
hind legs with a snort of rage, an
pranced and tossed in way tina
would have unseated any but mos
skillful rider.
The situation was full of peri
Every plunge OF the excited hors
brought 1t against the horns again
and goaded it to fresh madness.
It was all that the girl could do
keep herself in the saddle. vet a sli
would mean a terrible death under th
hoofs of the unwieldy and terrific
animals.
Unaccustomed to sudden emergel
cies her head began to swim, and he