The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-04-15


 home carving of unusual interest.
 From the days of the first migration over the Alleghanies into the wilds of Ohio, the story of the pioneer has had charm all it's own. If one lets the women tell it the account gains in viv- idness. The poineer man wants to for get the struggle days; his wife remem- bers them. takes a strange sort of joy in talking them over and gets more out of the success which follows for the Ipersevering.
 The territories-as they call Manitoba, Alberta. Assinibola, Saskatchewan and Athabasca-prove no exception, and no band of pioneer women have mora in- teresting stories to tell.
 Up on the northwestern branch of the Canadian Pacific railway lives Mrs. E. Hunderdos, whose struggle for a home iand competence was particularly bitter. It was only ten years ago that she left | a poverty stricken home in North Hol- land, and with her husband and three children migrated to western Canada.
 They reached Winnipeg with just enough to purchase an OK and cart, ans struck across country in the rude con- veyanee. Saltcoats, in Assinibola, was their destination, and finally they reached that point.
 Before the husband could find 8 va cant section of land he was taken sick and died, leaving the wife penniless. without the slightest knowledge of the speech or customs of the country. It would have been hard enough for the woman alone. but Mrs. Hunderdos had the future of three children and an un- born babe to care for.
 The government officials, when they heard of her plight, offered to send the family back to the Netherlands, but the woman would have none of that. By signs she expressed desire to stay, ex- plaining in the same crude fashion that there was no future for her children in the fatherland.
 She applied for homestead, and with | the help of neighbors built rough shack upon it. She complied with the law by sleeping in the shack each night In the day she worked for prosperous neighbor as a housernaid, earning enough to clothe and feed her little ones. In the end she gained title to lone hundred and sixty acres of good Canadian soil
 She ploughed her fields, built her fences, sowed her grain. The wheat came in generous quantities, and every year brought more prosperity. She took a farmer from Iowa into partner ship and increased her acreage. Giving up the rough work, except in an emer. gency, she now runs the farm lilSs clock-work and has time to spare fol her children.
 It was near Regina that the writer met the bachelor girl farmer. She wa. young and there was no sign of toi about her. She was driving in dog. cart toward the capital behind a blood ed horse. Her sealskin jacket, hei smart toque and well fitted gown dit not proclaim the girl farmer.
 But I am a farmer, and the simon pure artiele.' Miss Gilroy protested when her attention was called to tht fact that she hardly dressed the part I'm proud of it. awfully proud, be cause of the success I've made of it.
 I'll health and an inability to makt a living out of art, to which I had con, secrated my girlhood, brought me int this prairie country had living tt make and it seemed easier to take { farm of my own than to work for som, one else.
 I've proved up on a half section three hundred and twenty acres, and run it by myself. I keep one hired mar tba x,aor r.o,,,,d ffhpd d,,ri,a fhe h,,r, seeding and threshing seasons secure the help of three or four. sit in th' binder in harvest time, and enjoy it q. much as ever I did painting land scape. I have followed the plough, anf there are many who can attest that can turn a straight furrow. And yot haven't heard the worst, for I'vt cleaned out my stables when the man was not about to do it.'
 From semi-nvalid, existing on { bare living brought in by my paintings I've grown to be the healthiest of wo men. No, not exactly the wealthiest, a we'll, but I own no man, have clear ii tie to my three hundred and twent! acres and have made money from tn, start.
 ''Life on prairie farm is an ideal ex istence; that is. if you don't get into ; rut. There is no drudgery about it un less you let it become drudgery."
 She boarded the Canadian Pacifi Overland at Calgary, this grandmothe of the territories. Her face beamed un til the age wrinkles no longer showed She was going back to Montreal to visi her sister, holiday we'll earned ant one that she could well afford in viev of the yearly waves of prosperity tha have been rolling over her. She wa. from the Saskatchewan, as everybod. in the Pullman knew before long. Sh told the porter as she climbed into tn vestibule, and as the passengers mad her acquaintance one by ane she toll them
 Its a fine country. the Saskatche