The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1902-10-03
TART II-Chapler II-Continued.

III LuG hdfAi6
covered from his privations, distin-
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 wanderings,
1t was unanimously agreed that he
should be provided with as large and
as fertile tract of land as any OF the
settlers, with the exception OF Young
himself, and of Stangerson, Kimball,
Johnson and Drebber. who were the
four principal elders.
On the farm thus acquired John Fer
rier built himself substantial log
house, which received SO many addl-
tions in succeeding years that 1t grew
into a roomy villa.
In three years he was better off than
his neighbors, in six he was well-to-do,
in nine he was rich, and in twelve
there were not half 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 susceptibilities
OF his co-religionists.
There were some who accused him
OF lukewarmness in his adopted relig-
ion, and others who put 1t 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 and
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, girllsh figure
tripping through the wheat fields, or
met her mounted upon her fathers
mustang, and managing it with all the
case and grace Of true child OF the
West.
SO the bud blossomed into a flower
and the year which saw her father the
richest of the farmers left her as fair
a specimen of American girlhood as
could be found in the whole Pacific
slope.
1t was not the father, however, who
first discovered that the child had de-
veloped 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 1t until the tone OF a
voice or the touch Of hand sets her
heart thrilling within her, and she
learns with a mixture OF pride and
fear, that a new and 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 a
new life.
In the case of Lucy Ferrier the occa-
sion was serious enough in itself, apart
from its future influence on her desti-
ny and that of many besides.
It 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 htghroads 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 sheep
and bullocks coming In from the out
lying pasture lands, and trains of
tired immigrants men and horses
equally weary of their interminable
journey.
Through all this motley assemblage,
threading her way with the skill OF
an accomplished rider, there galloped
Lucy Ferrier, her fair face flushed
with the exercise. and her long chest
nut hair floating out behind her.
She had a commission from her
father IN the city. and was dashing In
as she had done many time before,
with all the fearlessness of youth.
thinking only of her task and how it
was to be performed.
The travel-stained adventurers
gazed after her In astonishment, and
even the Unconditional Indians, journey
ing in with their peltry. relaxed their
accustomed stolcism as they marveled
at the beauty of the pale-faced maiden.
She had reached the outskirts of
the city when she found that road
blocked by a great drove of cattle,
driven by a half dozen wild looking
herdsmen from the plains.
In her impatlence she endeavored to
pass this obstacle by pushing her
horse into what appeared to be gan.
Scarcely had she got fairly into It,
however. before the beasts closed In
behind her. aud she found herself COM
pletely imbedded In the moving stream
OF fierce-eyed. long-horned bullocks.
Accustomed as she was to deal with
cattle, she was not alarmed at her
situation. but took advantage of every
opportunity to urge her horse on In
the hope of pushing her way through
the cavalcade.
Unfortunately, the horns of one of
the creatures, either by accident or
design, came In violent contact with
the flank Of the mustang, and excited
II to madness.
In an instant II reared upon its
hind legs with a snort of rage, and
pranced and tossed In a way that
would have unseated any but o most
skillful rider.
The situation was full of peril
Every plunge of the excited horse
brought 1t against the horns again,
and goaded 1t to fresh madness.
1t was all that the girl could do to
keep herself in the saddle, yet a slip
would mean a terrible death under the
hoofs Of the unwieldy and terrified
animals.
Unaccustomed to sudden emergen-
cies her head began to swim, and her
grip upon the bride TO relax.
Choked by the rising cloud of dust
and by the steam from the struggling
creatures. she might have abandoned