The progress., 1904-04-09
keturah'S
Band.
BY Ernest Gilmore.


uH ETURAH was the only girl ID
IL our family, but there were
enough boys to set one crazy, SO grand
father used to say, and I'm afraid we
made him nearlysso more than once
In our case 1t meant round hall
dozen. There were abraham, Isaac
and Jacob. Moses, David and Jonathan
I'm David, and Jonathan is my twin
brother. waiting for me in the Eternal
City Iwish could see him now and
all the rest; they're all there-every
one" and he gave a long sigh.
They're all where?"
I'm the Eternal City,
"And don't you want them there?"
He laughed softly.
"Why, yes, of course" he said, See
ing they had to go. I'm glad they re
there, but get Very homesick to see
them sometimes But never mind; |
didn't start to tell you about such
things. | began to tell you about
Keturah. We were all born in Vir-
Aginia When Keturah was only IL
years old we moved out. Jonathan and
! were IA, Moses was 8, Abraham Z,
Isaac and Jacob, a sturdy, mischiev-
ots little fellow of about 3. Besides
us, there were father, mother and
grandfather and our hired man, Cyrus
Dulkirk.
1T took stout heart as well as a
stout body to go west in those days
One couldn't pack ones grip and jump
on theScars and reach ones destination
before there was chance to ~ weary
We went in two great covered wagons,
which were house and home to us for
many tiresome day. Father drove
one and Cyrus the other. Oh, I'll never
forget how we used to pity our horses,
although father never spoke cross
word to them. / never but once heard
Cyrus speak cross to them, and then
he cut his team sharply. 1t was a
sermon on the treatment OF dumb ami
mals-what father said and did. He
looked rebukingly at Cyrus, saying:
How would you like to be cursed at
and cut with the whip lash?' I
wouldn't stand it, Cyrus answered.
doggedly. oh. you wouldn't?' sai.i
father. Well. it's too bad you'd make
the helpless dumb animals stand what
you woulda,t' That's all father said,
but he patted the horses, put his face
against their heads and gave each of
them a slice of bread and butter, al
though our stock was getting low.
Cyrus didn't say he was ashamed, but
he was Jonathan and I saw him give
the horses each ansappie ON the sly,
and when the twilight came on. and
he thought no one was looking, he put
his arm first around Jacks and then
around Ted's neck.
"'He's asking them to forgive him.
I whispered to Jonathan, and then as
the horses bowed their heads and
neighed, Jonathan whispered back.
They've forgiven Cyrus You see
those poor horses had to climb hills
and. mountains and make a path for
themselves through tangled and often
unbroken wildwood. Poor. dear. faith
full horses! We often stopped to rest
them in some cool glen. or by some
clear, running brook, and when night
came on father looked after their COM
fort as carefully as he did after our
own. We were all glad to rest at
night When the sun set behind the
mountains. leaving only faint glow
in the west, we always began cur
preparations for the night, First the
camp fire was built. after which the
four horses were fed and otherwise
cared for. and the COW MIXED. Father
and Cyrus attended TO these things
Jonathan and | fed our two dogs. and
thet helped mother and Keturah get
supper We were always hungry. no
matter what our fare was. OF course,
what cooking was done was over she
camp fire. Sonetimes We we're so
fortunate as To- shoot deer, and it
seems tonne ! can epste even now those
delicious. thick steaks that We used to
bron over the embers of our camp FIRE
When supper ves ready. .keturah
walled. frst. on. grandfather. who was
feeble, after which she looked after
little Jacob You might have thought
she wasn't -hsngry-ff you'd seen how
patient she. was: but IL one of us boys
ever Said so. she only laughed and |
said: = When. get old like grandpa |
I'll want 70 -be waited on first. and |
I'm sure when | was little like Jacob |
I didn't want to be left until the last
That was Kefurah's way. to be think
ing Of others.
After supper was over Cyrus raked
~ the camp Gre aud put on fresh logs.