davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-31
Improved the Farm.

Papa at first took us up the noun
tainside 10 cut down trees, cut off
logs. and roll them down for rails.
These rolling. tumbling, headlong logs
on the steep hillsides made great sport
for our little dog. But he got caught
under one and was killed. Then
Jimmy got caught under one. And,
although he got up and laughed at our
terror and dlsmay, papa gave up the
mountain, and we made rails AFTER
that from ash, map.e, balm, alder. and
so on, 70 fence our first field worth
less wood, compared 10 the beautiful
FIR. but we boys were too bold and
venturesome to be left alone TO wres-
tie with the tumbling rail cuts. For
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-31

school. no matter what the quality of
his coat. But here in Oregon. ia this
mild climate. seeing we were nearly all
naked. he said to mother one morning
as he pinned flower in his shirt
bosom:
Margaret. really and truly, we don't
need any clothes in this country, ex-
cept ii may be some sort of a thing TO
pin aOWer on
IN this happy frame mind papa
soon after cut stick and, taking
small pack or his back. set out up the
vast and fertile valley TO find a loca-
ton. a --ClaiT he left us under the
care of a noble old missionary. e +.
Parrish and so a Methodist preacher
nv the name f West. II seemed that
everyone of t.is older immigrants were
either mission ries or preachers. And
they were all good, God-fearing men.
who did all they could to encourage
and care for the stranger We three
boys. nine, eleven. and thirteen years
of age, soon found work in clearing
off brush and making rails for a neigh
Dor close 80 hand. Mother would 20
ont to work with us, sitting on a stump
and knitting and talking cheerily TO
US when not herself at work
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-31

papa again was going to teach school.
miles away,
He plowed and put in fax. corn. and
q garden, even before we had a fence.
AS the fence around the house was fin
iShed, we put in an orchard, papa go
ing far distant and bringing the trees
home on his back. When we got the
trees in the ground. a corral for the
cattle, and when the corn and flax
and all sorts of things began to grow
and glory in their existence, mother
looked on, and said: II tell you, boys,
things are Just a-hummingl"
/ had kept a crude sort of journal,
and as papa had stored in his mind
every single camp and all incidents OF
account in ali that seven months Of
persistent march we went over il 20
Sether and filed mp the broken and
il would be of interest some day. But
its contents some years later / see
that my birthday is set down I'm some
books for 1871, and In others for 1872
This comes from the loss OF the Bible
For when ] was first in Europe and
some began to ask when l was born.
papa gave the former year. according
to mis- recollection Of the trivial event
while mother insisted on the latter.
both giving the same day of the
month As for myself, I neither know
nor care.
We got some sheep to keep on the
shares. and Jimmy, with his new dog
kept with them all the time but the
saucy little coyotes would lust sit
down round about and watch and wait
for the lambs. and get them almost as
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-31
Rumors of Gold Mines.

Mother washed my feet and legs,
washed them n warm water and milk
and maybe with silent tears. She
put me 10 bed after supper and next
morning I was up and away at Work
with the oxen.
We had no newspapers as yet II
reach OF Us, and the mails were only
weekly and were very uncertain IN
unsettled weather, but there were ru-
mOrs in the air about new gold mines
to the south, on the way TO Cali
fornia- These new placer mines were
in what is now called the Rouge river
country. The right name is Red River
so named by the early French sX-
plorers.
But while We had no newspapers
within easy reach, men were all the
more disposed to ask and give the
news as men passed up and down
by way Of Oregon and into California
There were many peddlers going up
and down now, passing preachers al
ways had been numerous from the
first and they stopped at all times
and prayed late and long; for neither
knew better how 10 prepare and serve
a good meal than any one else IN Ila
b0rderIand- OF course they were e..
ways very welcome. But really and
truly II was great bother when they
ipzisted, as they always did. before
t.Oiag on, getting rs all down on Our
Knees ard praying and praying AZ
praying the longest hour j ever -avT.
Still they gave lots OF information.
good and bad. about the new mines.
And I was the most eager OF all LISTEN
ers. 7 wanted 10 go TO the new gold
mines. Do not wonder AZ or blame me
II was IN nv blood and my blood was
hot for action. DO not think this Wea
unnatural for one SO young. Bear IN
mind was born and Graded on
wheels
Besides these peddIers and preach
ers and passing immigrants who were
seeking homes and came 70 consult
papa and tolk over old times. there
we're now many pack trains coming 70
Oregon and going back often camp
ing close by 10 get butter and eggs and
garden truck. and thsy. too, had lots
10 tell about the mines Ny parents
guessed a. my burning desire 20 be on
aud away. even II I had 70 ride the
bell mule Of the pack train and be
cook TO the greasy gTeasersi but I
kept. or tried to keep, If all 20 myself.
Mother had pulled, keckied, distafIedl
and spun all the fax, ana es We had
sheared the sheep-clean, white, and
burrless sheep in the long, waving
grass in those days-she then took I'D
the wool and soon went away with
basketful Of spools and shuttlecockR
70 where there was a loom az q DIS
tsnt neIghbor's. and before wesk
was back with a bolt OF cloth as big
as she could carry.
Afvl the plans for the placing OF nat
bolt Of cloth. Papa must have suit;
ToI1r d, who was training 70 teach IN
two little families away up on a.
forks Of the Mohawk, must have 81
---i~ Mother must have petucoa%
end above I'll ~ the three boys must
have bathing suits.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-31

I heard men tell that on the other side
of the Platte river a big train, that
had c0mped IN a ravine, had been ut
terly crushed by mass or maddened
buffalo during a tornado. But did
nOt see this. Besides it is too terri
BILE 20 tell in detail.
As we neared the summit of the
Rocky Mountains another sudden cy-
clone struck us, but this was III open
day and not so terrible. We had
CamDed in a rocky ridge and had only
then gotten the cattle down to water
and grass when the cyclone took us
in a whirl, Papa and the men got
the carriage chained TO the big wagon
its load Of Connecticut clocks, went
over the cliff with "A crash We all
held on 10 the wheels or the big
Wa gOn and the wind went. sudden
as II came, taking only our last tent
and nearly every hat
The next camp was In the South
Pass. so named by Fremont, who had
sent up a cairn of stones here. the
summit Of the Rocky Mountains,
The snow fell IN our faces as we look
ed away toward the West The wat
ers were flowing toward the setting
sun IL seemed 10 us all. weary as
we We're, that the rest Of the way
must be down hill to the Pacific Our
camp was by the Pacific Springs. We
were now drinking of the waters that
flowed 10 the Pacific Oceant What
eNultauon! What glory and achieve
At Salt Lake, a beautiful CITY and
scene OF honest industry. we rested
long, sold some WORKOUT cattle. the
carriage and the two horses; keep
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-31
Boys Worked the Soil.

We two bigger boys wrought UP in
the fields, MIXED the cows night and
morning. Mother made the butter.
Papa walked to and from his school.
far away In the Forks.
About this time our nearest neigh
Dor, "a learned. good man, candidate
for governor. and afterward famous
for classification of the oregon grasses,
nearly 200 in number. wanted to break
up a field and turn under the dense
growth of wild roses that was over
running his ranch. He wanted me to
drive the oxen while he held the pillow
Wild with delight / was with him
early and we wrought late and long
I was barefOoted and my tattered
pants reached not far below the knees
and the oxen were wilful and unruly
but we stuck to it, breaking the ground
matted with rose roots. / was at the
same time breaking and subduing the
obstinate oxen and I did not note or
care for my feet or legs. We did not
stop for lunch and when we got up 10
the house and watered and unyoked
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-31
Meeting With Grant.

AT the Dalles, a day further on.
papa went to see the officer In com
mand at this military post, the first
one we had found. to ask about the
possibility of crossing the Cascade
mountains or rather, the Sierra Grande
del NUrd. at that late season Of the
year This kind officer sent a yoke OF
stru1g, faE oxen ard two soldiers 10
see us to the summit. His name was
Grant. CAPT. L. 5. Grant, afterward
President, BY taking this route papa
landed his little family far up the Will
Iamctte river almost in the heart Of
the wonderful valley. This is the most
poetic. gorgeous, and glorious valley
i'm flowers and girdle of snow-crowned
mountains on the globe.
Papa, as a teacher, had always been
rather fasudious in his dress, and
mother often told me that he always
wore broadcloth with q flower in his
buttonhole when he lived near Cincin-
natl. in, reach of z tailor. And I well
remember he always wore a leaf or
flower in his lapel when teaching
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-31
Lining In 1900
Compared to Non

Two cents or its equivalent would
bIv a pair of chiCkens-in the four
tAentb century. For the value Of a
nickel one could acquire q goose 1T
for a Christmas dinner-in ths four
teenth century
A penny would purchase q dozen
strictly fresh eggs-in the fourteentn
century; while for 2 cents the brewer
vas compelled by law 70 sen three
gallons of beer, the equivalent OF
forty-eight glasses. =,
Wheat sometimes fell as low as -
cents a quarter, though after a great
storm or in a time OF grievous famine
n would rise as high as 81 or 80 g
quarter. Still, al these prices g good
many pounds Of bread could be boesaat
pasture and arabic lands wee Esdio-
uIousIv cheap-2 cents an acTe Tor rsie
former and u cents an acre Tor NE
latter being considered fR8F eSE1oh4
rental. Draft horses were q drug %
the market at Y cents each, sd oxen
at sI.3. In the days OF tbs Second
Henry $50 would have equipped, q Earrn
with three draft horses, hsls g QoSen
oxen, twenty cowss ana 800 9heea
leaving a balance OF 81 toTGRd me
payment of the rent, which sgould be
perhaps $ year.
The other side Of the story 30 fRr
as the laboring man IS oohcs1ned.
comes in the following tiguress Three
cents a day was considered good
wages for an ordinary lsboren Even
at harvest time 4 cents was the high
est amount expected
House rent was so low that no icrd
mayor OF London paid only slsso
year TO his landlord. The chancellor
had an annual salary OF g192, When
a father sent his son to q university
fnrfraI
comfortable allowance, with q margin
for such luxuries as wine at cents 20
J. cents a gallon.
A GALAXY Of S24 q year was consid-
cred muniflcent King Edward VI
gave his daughter an allowance OF
$3.50 a week. with an additional SssT. 90
a year for the maintenance OF her
eight servants.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-31
Fought With Iadians.

The night before descending the steep
10 this river we We're camped in the
Subjects cutoff, from which place the
mountain scene is one OF the most
splendid in all the Rock Mountains
East or West. AS we were about to
move a wild band of mountain Indians.
that ! have since learned were out
laws or robbers, circled about us, and
were fired upon by those who had
Joined papa for the purpose OF build
ing the raft Their chief. a splendid
warrior in long black hair and gaudy
dress fell from his saddle. A little
battle followed. / got behind a wagon
with my gun, and drew bead upon the
nearest Indian, but as usual found
there was no flint in the lock Of my
gun. The boys afterWard said / had
plenty of sand; that even the barrel
of my gun was full of il.
Our side, as we'll as the Indians suf-
fered- All were buried in one grave,
and we continued on. We had no
water at all now. For this cutoff is
through a desert. Our course WAS
sharp to the right. close under the
Fremont mountains. after crossing the
turbulent and beautiful river, where
one Of our party who had been to
California, picked up bits of gold IN
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-31
Girl ESCAPES Living Death

very thing happened Mr. WAGNER
had beautiful girl in his large family friendly chief
spotted
in jest he
beaui horses the one he rode.
The Indian dashed off and the day
warriors girl course,
everybody protested, chief put
gonians had appealed
was very serious they said
and exactly and
right girl majority agreed thought
Of papa marry them This strange
but buy wives in
Q could safely fe
The girl herself steep
bluff where we reented
scornfuy refusing presents
feredh i'm forth
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-31
Cholera CIaimed Many.

We began to meet people in wagons.
but thought they we're helpers who
had gone on with corn for stock. But
soon we began to come upon new
made graves by the streams and at
camping places. Then the graves
We're many. The cholera had broken
out and hundreds were turning backt
I remember reading years after a
pretty little sentimental tale about
how that when an engineer of the first
Pacific railroad on suddenly discover
Ing grave in the long grass before
him tenderly turned aside and changed
the course OF the track out of respect
Tor this pioneer who fell in the con-
quest Of the West. No such folly. No
SUCH sentimental nonsense ever enter
ed the head of any real railroad man.
The cold fact is the neW-made graves
of that sad and desperate cholera year.
1892, Tar Outnumbered the railroad ties
OF that first railroad.
n the midst of all this turning back.
this despair and death our parents
ken. steadily on. making slow marches
keeping in good heart and as a cOnse-
Que1ce in good health. Papa would
stop on Sundays and hold in a verv
quiet way some sort Of service. Some
times 2 preacher would come into
what came to be known as the "Sun-
day tent" but papa did not like long
sermons. and rarely asked anyone 70
preach lest he might preach too much.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-31
Government Indifferent.

We had two big heavily laden Wag-
ons, with eight yoke OF oxen to each
a carriage and two horses for mother
and baby sister and a single horse for
the three hoys 20 ride This was par
ticuIarIv convenient, especially at the
crossing of swollen streams, when all
three cGGld climb on together and get
lots Of fun and Oftentimes q little wet
ting: for we all had learned TO swim
IN the dear Old Tippecanoe, and we did
rot mind II a bit If we all rolled OF
together in the middle OF the stream.
Papa had hired two teamsters to come
with US and haul corn for the stock,
although we found grass brisket deep
and Wild flowers to the waist: a per-
feet sea of yellow flowers, and pink
and white and purple. The Indians
were very decent, tall. fine fellows;
they stood BY or sat their ponies in
line and marveled at the continuous
stream OF people; the innumerable
multitude. How feeble and Indifferent
was our Government fifty or sixty
years ago. No sort Of assistance or
suggestion or information OF any sort
TO this tumultous mass Of world build
erE No statistics No attempt 70
enumerate them. Why, they were civ
iIized in Egypt IN the days Of Exodus.
Moses would have made a much better
President than the ones we then had.
The proud and erect Indian men
would refuse al presents. hut the In
dian women. with their babes at back
refused nothing. although they did not
beg at 81 as they do now. They were
very fond Of the white children and
all the time wanted to touch and
fondle them. Mother seemed afraid all
the time they would steal her little
girl. She, in her eagerness to learn
about the land we We're about to ira
verse, had read a yellow book telling
al about how Indians would steal
little girlsi The Indian women We're
all the time trying to FAY their hands
on my little brother Jimmy's great
shock Of frOuzv yellow hair, but he
would run away from them and hide
under the wagons.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-31

should have been in area and real
value; but no one complained. and all
to sun, happy, healthy, and gaining IN
strength every day. The land. unfor-
tunately was not well chosen. We
should have located in tAe middle Of
the valley and where every foot was
fertile and tillare, but We had been
used to woods and did not like The
open. We wanted the wood for houses.
fences. and the fireplace In the rear
a great mountain topped with wonder
ful fir trees, gloFied IN the morning
sun; the swift, sweet river glisteued
under the great big cedars and balm
trees away out yonder In the boundless
dooryard. where the cattle fed and
fattened. and all was well.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-31

the oxen my legs began TO smart and
my feet 10 hurt me so much that
begged not to stay for supper. as
wanted 10 90 home But he looked UP
and told me / had done finely with thL
oxen, thanked me kindly, asked me
% come early next morning and then
rutting his hand in his pocket handed
re a big silver dollar; my first, my
very first dollar. I clutched II, caught
in my breath with wonder and eXul-
tatiOn and ran home holding tight and
hard on my dollar till I had laid Il in
my mothers lap. where she sat at
her little wheel Spinning fax. Mother
kissed me and cried and we cried and
cried together. with delight
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-31

YOnder in the west lies the East.
YOnder reaches the road 70 India
- HE distance. counting the con-
tours OF often roundabout
ways. was quite, or nearly
three thousand miles. The
time was seven months ano
i've DAYS There were no
bridges. no railroad levels. nothing OF
the sort. We had only the road as
nature had made It. Many times at
night, after ascending a stream to
find a ford we could look back ana
see our smouldering camp fires or the
day before
We found the roads hard frozen on
setting out in March from the head
waters OF the Wabash and the road
good at first. We camped at night
with settlers and fed our stock well.
We also took care that we should be
In the best Of strength and heart, as
well as the stock.
Lewis and Clark nearly fifty years
before had set down the Territories OF
Illinois and Iowa as all under water
and worthless. Later information dis
PEELED this idea largely, but still papa
was afraid OF mud and miro the
spring advanced and kept well of TO
the left; pointing as direct as the
woods and waters would allow for
St. Joe on the Missouri as a source OF
supplies for the long, long journey
across the entirely unpeopled plains.
We found st. Joe. after nearly two
months steady tramp and solid tread
of the honest old oxen, a sea Of tents
For miles and miles up the missouri
and down was 10 be seen the white
tents. white covered wagons and busy
people passing and surging to and fro.
on the 18th of May, 1852 we. ten
miles above St. Joe to avoid the multi
tude and inevitable mud. crossed the
Missouri into the vast wilderness and
the extraordinary march was com
renccd The shutdown seas were be
fore US, civilization such as we had
known, and all sorts, lay behiAd US
There could be for US, no return We
were not OF that material.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-31

the sand. 1t has all been mined since
and we soon made the head waters
of the ShO-sho-nee river. II is now
called the Snake river. This Indian
name means snake in the grass
There was an old fort, Fort Hall. The
cholera was bad here. Men, women,
and children dying from drinking the
cold. clea. waters of the springs that
bubbled up from the melting SHOWS OF
the shining Fremont mountains.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-31
Buy Cows; Sell Butter.

We earned a COW IN this way. and
note bearing enormous interest The
cows cost 800 each SO that when
papa got back after a long quest far
up the valley we had three more
cows, three risky little calves. and
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-31

fast as they came. Once he heard a
lamb bleating piteOusly away up over
head in the bright blue sky, and list
ing his eyes he saw a great black
winged eagle making its way TO the
mountain top with little white lamb
in its clutches The old primal con
tention OF nature was still with US.
even in hapPv. peaceful. and prolific
Oregon-the survival of the httest.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-31

ing the one for mother and baby. We
three little fellows had learned TO
walk we'll; and walk we did now all
the time; all but Jimmy. who had 70
sleep some each day in the wagon.
We. joined with others, built a raft of
dead cotton wood logs and crossed
cold. swift Green river on a raft.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-31
encountered Cyclone.

cyclone came and took the tent from
over our heads. and had papa and the
men not FASTENED to tie the three We
hicles together with big chains they
would have gone with the tent. Then
rain in torrents, and we all got under
the wagons. We had driven the cat
tie out on a wooded island IN the river
and had no fear for them But soon
there was a shout. and then cry Of
despair from the deep ravine near US.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-31
Gfves Void Picture in
Fifth hstalln1ent of
Hov He Earned. His
First Dollar, Break
ing Up Field.

The food was sweeping the tents.
wagons, women, and children all be-
fore It. When morning came there
was not a Vestige of life left. only a
few overturned wagons half hidden in
the sand. Even the oxen had gone.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-03-31

YOnder in the west lies the East.
YOnder reaches the road 70 India.
The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1907-04-25


stnE sFHEErs oNtr.
chief % Police wapp~nsteln VIII
fallos up bic actions Ia aftfing
the newspaper push carts eff the
street. By compelling the eftsfa %
your hons papers 90 take poAi'
tlona on cfu4s streets and offer
their wares 20 the public Without
making ar noise
The chief conferred with Mayor
Maorc thia morniuk on the matter
and received bis instructions.
Mayer Moore believes that the
public can BE SERVED 9aat a. ~eii ~
requiring the crieFs 70 taks posi-
tlena on tbs aide streets and await
their customers. - ~ the bowling
nspavcaders on street corners
Jimmy Two years akn rasde a
reputation In this eity BY his wierd
aaa wouderfni cry - =tsr.ish
world" today houTht harro
and pat him on the streets with
the familiar pack q papers. but
the chief II poles says that wiil
oct 40. The buro utll have to SO.
The ordinance prohibits The use o,
animals Aa veil m puah carts
The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1907-04-25
IN
CRASH

A party consisting % r n Bell,
OF the bell Investment company and
two women we're turned over IN
nella automobile near Garden sta
siou. cnEauts 10 Tacoma today. and
all save nna % the women we're
aerionkly Injured.
Bell suffered q bruken les BY bc.
lag struck BY the aato. which fell
over a ao-foot bank on top Of It's
occupants
IafnFed nsau4hs Here.
The injured we're put on boer~
q train aud brought 20 this city.
where they wcre taken 20 the Seat
tie General hospital The accident
happened a. little after noon
riummrr vas iatufed. hut hos
seriously Is rot known, The par
~ vas put on beard q train and
brought % thla city. where they
we're taken 70 the Seattle General
hospital The accident Happened al
little after noon
The accident vas caused By the