The Cabin on the Prairie

EY AT THI

ard found it a ha

id schemes o

oft

g if his lot had been cast amid the vicissit

ern style, many and generous promises to induce him to live among them. They designed to keep their engagements with him; but a thousand contingencies were continually arising, which they could not foresee, to render the fulfilment of their agreements impossible. But perhaps no failure in this direction had tried the missionary so much as that connected with the erection of a dwelling-house. Mr. Palmer had voluntarily made him the offer of money for that purpose, and if any man could be depended upon, it was he; but he had invested his funds in the new town. He was a prudent man, and when the proposal was made him by the two proprietors to join them in the enterprise, he w

e matter before

nk of my engagin

it seems to me that there can be no risk in it; we have everything here to make a town,–water-power, timber, limestone quarries for building material, abundance of clean prairie land for agricultural purposes, and sooner or lat

nd it appears also, that I might do a great deal of g

enterprises of the town owners; and while their expenses were large, the returns we

oint you about the money I promised to let

bject of the pretty white cottage, on the eighty-acre lot adjoining the town, and the joy of meeting her was overshadowed by the thought that she had come to a homeless wilderness, while expecting something so different; and when she asked repeatedly if the cottage was ready, and w

enough better off to put up a framed house. I don't believe you have been able to yet; it is too much to expect. But n

e, gratefully, relating the

accepting the hospitality of this generous-hearted family much longer.

red me for temporary use until I can put up something on my claim; but it is so rough

me there to-day; it would be so

astily put up for pre-emption purpose, standing in a small, enclosed field near the river, two miles

put in a whole glass window, laid the rough boards, that constituted the

nd a stove, husband, and we'll move right in; and see," she added, looking out of the door; "there

Palmer says we can have the use of the

ose," said she, stepping to the fen

n them," said a voice near; and, Mr. Jones emerge

," said the minister;

o put your bird in?"

r replied a

acre lot just as I told

cise

Smith' give it up like

tor of it now," said the mi

u anything for giving up

ng for the claim, although he seemed to think it right

le he had acres on acres of timber of his own. It's no more'n fair that a Christian man shoul

for that. He had cleared and fenced the ten-acre piece ove

that you employed him to do that little job; I thought that was

id the mission

ails, they belong where he took them from, that eighty-acre lot that he robbed and impoverished, 133 tilling the soil in the summer, and cutting down the best trees in the winter, and working what he didn't care about into rails; and now he turns a

ter, "eighty dollars, but

'll choose him first deacon–won't

e, that they may the better carry out their own wicked and selfish ends. I did not pay him the thirty dollars because he had a right to ask it of me, but because I had rather sacrifice something than to expose the spiritual welfare of this people by giving an occasion for a quarrel,

re you going to put up

log house they have used on the other side of the river,–as the logs are so well seasoned,–and put them up

, "but I can have things ready if you can man

ed here," said Mr. Jones, "I'll send up my

to-day?" aske

" said the squatter, as he

a stove?" asked the wife, a

rthcoming," sa

brought 135 Mr. Palmer back with Tom, accompanied by a wagon-load, containing a large cooking-stove, a bag of flour, some chairs, a little crockery, and a supply of various eatables. And by nightfall the missionary fam

while," she said. "Husband, how soon do you calcul

e weeks, do our b

eeks from to-day; and if it isn't ready then, I

each other, till the ridge-pole crowned the whole. Then they sat down on the grass to partake of the tempting eatables that Tom and Mr. Payson had brought on the ground. There were the light biscui

this raising!" said Mr. Palme

's an example that I hope

the well that was being dug. A few weeks had wrought a wonderful change in the man of books; his study was wherever he chanced to be; his white hands had become horny and browned, his pale face tanned. His retiring habits had given place to a broad sociality, his diffidence to a generous self-reliance, and it seemed to him that he could do and dare almost anything. From early morning till late at night he worked to get his log home ready, while his wife and little ones remained in the solitary cabin by the riverside.

a very good memory for dates. The log cabin they occupied was open, and the prairie winds cold and piercing, and for a few days she had been quite ill; but that morning, after her unsuspicious husband h

pearance from the inside of the cart, "you sta

es, he took down the bedsteads, and placed them in a manner that was highly satisfactory to the energetic minister's wife, and tying up the bed-clothes in great bundles, deposited them also; and saying to Mrs.

her to mount, she was enthroned on her downy seat on the

are that they had a minister's wife aboard, behaved

cular importance to it; but as they approached the town, a scene of great magnificence burst upon her. The fires, driven with velocity before the wind, had swept over the prairies, and reached the belt of woods, in a portion 139 of which were the eighty acres t

ked Tom, in alarm. "Ha

has reached my husband'

f the smoke with a practised

got as far a

will?" she inqu

great while," he said, "although it will have

p the cabin, the

it would,"

shall keep my word. At any rate we shall be in season to see the fire!" Then she added, looking grave, "

her husband, too, at the same moment, for there he sat on the roof, gazing at the fire, which seemed to be dying out. He heard th

babies, and household effects! What does this mean?

condescend to inform you. Now," she added, "you know I told you, husband, I

erted, "I'm not ready for you y

cabin isn't comfortable enough for me. Why, you are as particular about having everything done just so about this cabin, as you used to be, east, in having every word exactly in its place when

s had a very

en out to look, and the fire just ca

stay the advancing flames, upon the cabin top he had been praying that the wind might cha