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Show Page 12 The Ogden Valley news Volume XV Issue XV July 15, 2008 HISTORICAL cont. from page 11 In the mornings when the sun warmed the air they would rise and fly, and in the evening when the air became cool they would settle on the earth again and remain till the next morning and unfortunate, indeed, was the farmer upon whose field or garden they settled. In these times of rising and settling and in steady flying during the day, I have often seen them so thick that they would darken the sun and the buzz of their wings made a roar like the sound of a mighty wind and to look up reminded me of one of those snowstorms which comes in large flakes when the air is still. For sport we children would often walk along and swing a stick horizontally in front of us just to hear the cracking as the flying grasshoppers would come in contact with the stick and many times we got our faces bruised by swiftly flying hoppers striking against them. In the autumn the hoppers from our valley would fly away over the mountains to some other place to deposit their eggs and those from other places would come into our valley and do likewise for these creatures were migratory in their habits. We considered ourselves very fortunate when they happened to miss us for a season. My mother faced the hardships bravely and stood the trials patiently while father was on his mission, not only in the task of managing to provide for us but also in the struggle to keep our faith in God and our love of righteousness burning brightly. She would mount a horse and ride to Ogden on business or drive with a load of lumber, wood, or farm products through the canyon to Ogden to market, returning, sometimes, late at night with flour, clothing, or other supplies for the family. She would of ten take us children with her when she went with the wagon and I became somewhat familiar with the city as well as with the rough, narrow road through the canyon which was built close to the stream crossing the river on bridges at four different places in the canyon. Only at certain convenient places was the road made wide enough for teams to pass each other and there were no railings or other protections on the side of the road next to the river so that it took but a little shying of a horse to run a wagon wheel out of the road and over the river bank and tip the contents of the wagon into the rushing torrents below. Some lives were lost and many had narrow escapes in this way. The Shanghai Bridge, situated a little east of where Wheeler Creek empties into the river, was long and narrow, standing about fifteen feet above the water, had no railings on the side, and was approached by a curve in the road which made it an extremely dangerous place especially on a dark night. No wonder loving mothers were afraid to let their children drive to Ogden and back under such conditions. No wonder children were worried when dear mama was gone on such trips if she failed to return before dark. Yet my mother, in those days, often made those trips on loads of lumber, wood, or farm products with a nursing baby at her breast, and only a little boy or two along to assist her, and sometimes having a wild horse in the team at that. She believed in doing the best she could and then trusting in the Lord for assistance and protection while her husband was away preaching the gospel; and I will show you by reciting an incident that her confidence and trust were not misplaced. Among other animals, we had a little black mare named Polly. She was wild and skittish, as people said. Snorting, pawing, kicking, and running seemed to be her favorite habits. She was the terror of the farm to children who must stay at a distance when Polly was near, and grown people could scarcely manage her yet she was my mother’s favorite riding animal. Amid prancing, whirling, and pawing, mother would succeed in saddling and mounting her and with a quick dash away they would go with the fleetness of the fawn. For many years Polly was the swiftest running horse in the whole valley. At all their tournaments, she took first prize for racing. She was most beautiful in a race. Her four white feet moving so swiftly made a white streak beneath her shining black body giving a beautiful effect. The men from both Eden and Huntsville tried for years to find an animal that could beat Ferrin’s little black mare, but all in vain for all were doomed to defeat when matched against fleet footed Polly. When people wished to ride other horses by the side of her they must stay on a certain side for if they got on the other side, she would try to kick them. When her rider attempted to hold her down to less than a running-speed, she would not travel quietly but had the habit of dancing and prancing, jumping first to one side and then to the other, and whirling around like a waltzer. Mother enjoyed these antics and loved to ride her, but thought it unsafe to allow a child or other inexperienced person to mount her back. When hitched to a wagon she was equally nervous, shying or kicking at any unexpected or unusual sight, sound, or touch, yet mother would drive her even through the dangerous canyon when occasion seemed to require it. One morning, with Polly hitched to a wagon by the side of a gentle horse, my mother took her little baby Lucy and my brother James, who was about eleven years old, and drove through the canyon to Ogden, leaving the rest of us children at home in care of our sister Martha, as usual. The day passed, evening came on, and the absent ones had not returned. A black cloud appeared, the thunder began to roll, the lightning to flash, and the rain to descend. The storm grew worse and worse until the terrible thunder fairly shook the earth, the lightning tore through the sky like an angry demon, and the rain poured down in torrents. The way that terrible thunder cracked and the lightning flashed seemed almost as if the very heavens would be torn into shreds. Except for the lightning, the darkness was so intense that one could no more see an object than if he were stone blind. We worried about the absent ones, and wondered whether they had seen the danger coming and had stayed in the city, or whether they had been overtaken in the canyon and were traveling that dangerous road in so dark a night and in such a terrible storm. We went to the door often to listen for the sound of the wagon, but heard nothing except the awful thunder and pouring down of the rain. We wondered if the horses could stay on the narrow dugways in such darkness and, if they could, whether the wild mare Polly would shy at something and run a wheel over the bank into Shanghai Bridge which was so high above the water with no railings on the sides, and had some loose planks in the floor and was approached by a sharp curve in the road which, if they should fail to turn properly, might result in plunging them over the embankment to their doom. Would they be able in such intense darkness to make that curve properly, strike the bridge fairly, and follow that high, narrow structure safely across the river was the question of great importance. Anxiously we waited and watched as the hours passed by. Finally, some time in the middle of the night, the glad news of their arrival was sounded, and the anxiety was over. They came in, the team was put away, the wet clothes were changed for dry ones, and dear mother told the story of the drive in substance as follows: They were overtaken by the storm soon after leaving Ogden and could have stopped till morning at houses by the way, even in the canyon, for a few residences had been built by the roadside, but mother was so anxious about the children at home that she preferred to drive on and take the risk. In going through the canyon she passed wagon after wagon by the side of the road owned by men who were afraid to travel such a road at such a time and had camped to wait for daylight. As these men would hear her wagon come up, they would call out to learn who it was and, on becoming informed, would advise her to stop till morning, all feeling especially alarmed about the danger of an attempt to cross the Shanghai Bridge. Mother told them that she had children at home who would be worrying and felt that she just must travel on. So on and on they traveled and an unexpected danger arose. She hears a rattle which informs her that the inside tug of the harness on the wild mare has come loose and dropped to the ground. She stops the team and wonders how to get it fastened up again. All the help she has is the little boy. She cannot depend upon the strength of the child to be sufficient to hold the animal while she gets down to fasten the tug herself. She is afraid to let him get down in the darkness and feel around that mare’s hind feet for the tug while she holds the lines for fear the child will get kicked. What shall be done? She finally decides to hold the lines firmly and let the child try to fasten the tug. Down the little fellow climbs to attempt the dangerous task while the mother’s heart throbs with feverish anxiety. The child feels around in the darkness, finds the tug, and hooks it up, during which time, to their great surprise and astonishment, the wild mare stands like a gentle creature. Time after time during the drive the tug dropped and was successfully fastened up by the little boy without harm. On they travel in the terrible storm and intense darkness with hearts fearing for the crossing of the Shanghai Bridge, trusting in God that no harm should come to them. As the curve at the end of the bridge is approached, the lightning begins again to flash and there comes flash after flash in quick succession, making the way as clear and bright as day. The curve is plainly seen and rounded safely, and the lightning continues without intermission while the bridge is approached and crossed. As the horses feet safely strike the solid earth at the other end of the bridge, the lightning ceases and the intense darkness again [prevailes]. But the danger point is passed and who but God had given them light to see the way? They arrived home as stated above and told the story of the drive. Although I was but seven years old at the time, I still remember well how I believed, as I still believe, that the Lord protected my brother from harm at the feet of the wild mare, Polly, and sent the lightning at the proper moment that they might see to safely cross the dangerous Shanghai Bridge; and how my young heart beat with love and thanks to God for protecting my dear mother, older brother, and baby sister on that terrible night, and helped them return home safely to us! The Ogden Valley News is looking for Ogden Valley and Ogden Canyon historical biographies, stories, and photos to use in its publication. Please mail, email, or call Shanna at 745-2688 or Jeannie at 745-2879 if you have material you are willing to share. |
