OCR Text |
Show DiTorced in the Desert. One of the pioneers in California emigration, who went across the plains in 'iJ, telia this story that began on the journey and has just ended in San Fran :iseo : While the train of which the narrator, narra-tor, now in Nevada, was a member, was encamped at a point on the Humboldt Hum-boldt where the Lessen trail intersects the Carson track of travel, he visited the tent of a family consisting of an elderly el-derly couple and one child, a daughter of 14 or 10. The old lady waj sitting on a pile of blankets under the canvts encouraging a most determined attack of the "sulks," while the masculine ! head of affairs had planted himself on the wooden tongue, and was sucking his pipe as though he expected to remain re-main there forever. A single glance developed the difficulty diffi-culty in that little train of one wagon and three persons, and that it had attained at-tained a point of quiet desperation beyond be-yond the reach of peaceful adjustment. Three days before they had pitched their tent at the forks of the road, and as they could not agree upon the route by which to enter California, there they had remained. The husband had expressed a preference for the Carson road, and the wife for the Lessen, and neither would yield. The wife declared de-clared she would remain all winter ; the husband said he would be pleased to prolong the sojourn through the summer following. On the morning of the fourth day the wife broke a sullen silence by proposing pro-posing a division of the property, which consisted of two yoke of oxen, one wagon, camp furniture, a small quantity of provisions, and $12 in silver. sil-ver. 'I he proposal was accepted, and forthwith the "plunder' was divided, leaving the wagon to the old man and the daughter to the mother. The latter lat-ter exchanged with a neighboring train the cattle belonging to her for a pony and pack-saddle, and piling her daughter daugh-ter and her portion of the divided spoils upon the animal, she resolutely started acro.-s the desert by the Les-en trail, while the old man silently yoked his cattle and took the other route. Of course both parties reached California Cali-fornia in safety. re say "of course," for it is scarcely possible that any obstacle, ob-stacle, death included, could have interfered in-terfered with stubbornness so sublime. Arriving in Sacramento with her daughter, the old lady readily found employment. for women were less plentiful than now and subsequently opened a boarding-house and in a few years amassed a handsome fortune. for-tune. Two years ago she went to San Francisco, and the daughter, whose education had not been neglected, was married to one of the most substantial citizens. And what has become of the old man ? Tho wife had not seen or heard of him siuce they parted on the Humboldt. Hum-boldt. They had lived happily together to-gether for years, and she sometimes reproached herself for the wilfulness that separated them after so long a pilgrimage together. But he was not dead. We cannot trace his course in California, however. All that we know of him is, that fortune had not smiled upon hiui, and that for years he had toiled withsut hope. Finally, feeling unable longer to wield the pick and shovel, he visited San f'rancisco.in the hope of obtaining employment better adapted to his wasted strength. For three mouths ho remained idle after arriving there, and then, for want of occupation, became tho humble retailer re-tailer of peanuts and oranges, with his entire traffic upon his arm. This was six months ago. A few weeks since, in passing the open door of a cottage in the southern part of the city, he observed a lady in the hall, and stopped to offer his merchandise. As he stepped upon the threshhold the lady approached, and the old man raised his eyes and dropped his basket; and no wonder, either, for she was his wife, his "old woman!" She recognized him, and throwing up her anus in amazement, exclaimed : "tircat God! Johh, is that you?" "All that is left of me," replied the old man. With extended arms they approached. Suddenly tho old lady's countenance changed, and she stepped back. "John," said she, with a look that might have been construed into earnestness, "how did you find the Carson road?" "Miserable. Sukey, miserable," replied the old man. "full of sand and alkali." "Then I was right, John," she continued inquiringly. in-quiringly. "Vou were, Sukey." "That's enough !'' said she, throwing her arms around the old man's neck: "that's enough, John;" and the old couple, strangely sundered, were reunited. re-united. Sprinrijiell lirpiiHatn. Thr Taaka ofllie Good Wife. The inflii. nee o the cood wife is im-tnrne. im-tnrne. lli"rtaskarecf rtainly not a fe . If the seat of happiness is tint t homo, happiness is forever unknown. A g'Kd wile make up her mind to establish it there. A good wife is to a man wisdom. Miirai'f. strength, hope, and endurance. A bad one confusion, weakness, disoomtiture and despair. No condition is hopeless when the wile lias firmness, energy, and economy. Man is tronc. but his heart is not adamant. ada-mant. 1 le de'.u-hts in enterprise and action, but to sustain him he needs a tranquil mind and a whole heart. He evnds ail his moral l'o-o in tie morl conflicts of the world. His ferliti" are lacerated to the utmost point of endurance by prrper.ii! cvl-iiion. cvl-iiion. irritstion and ditippointment. To recover kis e (Uani:r.i;y nnd i-empo-s.ire. heme must he to him a p'.ace nf repose, of peace, ot rherrfulne. of ot'iifcrt: hi cul then renew its strength, and again o- il.nh wi;h fresh vigor to encounter the labor and troubles of the world. Hi: if at home he fin.U lie rc-t, and thciv is met with bad temix'r, or is a ail-I by discontent, complaint and reproao!-.. s. the heart breaks, the spirits are crushed, hop vanishes and the man ink into despair. |