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 KIT CARSON 
 OF THE WEST 
 
 
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 LIBRARY 
 
University of California - Berkeley 
 
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 100 
 
 SUPPLEMENT TO THE COURANT. 
 
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 From the Union 
 KITt'AHSOiV OF THE WEST 
 
 This name, within a few years, has become quite fa- 
 miliar to the public, mainly through his connection with 
 the expeditions of Fremont, one of the best of those' 
 lioble and original characters that have from l<me to 
 time sprung up on and beyond cur frontier, retreating 
 with it to the Wnst. and drawing from association with 
 uncultivated nature not the rudeness and sensualism of 
 the savage, bin genuine simplicity and truthfulness of 
 disposition, and generosity, bravery, and single-hearted- 
 ness to a degree rarely found in society. Although Kit 
 has only become known to the reading people of 'the 
 StHtes' and of Europe through Fremont's reports, he 
 was long ago famous in a world as extended, if not as 
 populous; famous for excelling in all the qualities that 
 life in the trackless and vast West requires and develops. 
 He has been celebrated (though now aged only about 
 3" years) as a hunter, trapper, Rnide or pilot of the 
 pnfiries, and Indian fighter, uniting to the necessary 
 characteristics of that adventurous and sturdy class a 
 kindness of heart and gentleness of manner that relieve 
 it of any possible harshness or asperity. He is now in 
 'the States,' having recently arrived with despatches 
 from California ; and I have taken the opportunity to 
 extrjct from him a few incidents of his eventful life. 
 He is worthy of an honorable and more extended me- 
 moir ; and were his adventures fully written out they 
 would possess au interestequal to any personal narrative 
 whatever. 
 
 Christopher Carson was born in Kentucky, in the year 
 1810 or 1311, his father having been one of the early 
 settlers, and also a noted hunter and Indian fighter. In 
 the year following Kit's birth, the family removed, for 
 the sake of more elbow room than the advancing popu- 
 lation of Kentucky left them, to the territory of Missouri. 
 On this frontier, bred to border lite, Kit remained at the 
 age of fifteen, when he joined a trading party to Santa 
 Fe. This was his introduction to those vast plains that 
 stretch beyond the state of Missouri. Instead of re- 
 turning home, Kit found his way, by various adventures, 
 South, through New Mexico, to the copper mines of 
 Chihuahua, where he was employed some months as a 
 teamster. 
 
 When about seventeen years old he made his first ex- 
 pedition asn trapper. This was with a parly which 
 had been induced by favorable accounts of fresh trap- 
 ping grounds on the Rio Colorado of California to au ad- 
 venture; so that Kit's first exploits were in the same re- 
 mote and romantic region where, during the last year, 
 he and all his comrades, with their commander, have 
 earned imperishable honor. The enterprise was suc- 
 cessful, and Kit relates many interesting anecdotes of the 
 hardships of the wildei ness aud ol the encounters of his 
 party with ihe Indians. 
 
 The Mexican authorities and se'.tlers in California, 
 were even at that time jealous of the Americans, and 
 threatened to seize this inoffensive and roving party of 
 beaver catchers. They made good their return, howev- 
 er, to Taos, in New Mexico; whence, soon alter, Kit 
 joined a trapping party to the head waters of the Ar- 
 kansas, (likewise a region embraced, since ilia last pub- 
 lished expedition, in the surveys of Col. Fremont.) I 
 Without recrossing tha prairies, Kit went Northward to 
 the region of the Rocky Mountains that gives rise to the 
 Missouri and Columbia rivers, and there remained near 
 eight years, engaged in the then important occupation of 
 trapping. The great demand for tho beaver, and the 
 consequent high prices at that time paid for the peltries, 
 gave an additional stimulus to the adventurous spirit of 
 the young rneu of the West, and drew nearly all who 
 preferred the excitements and hazards of life in the 
 wilderness to quieter pursuits, into the recesses of the 
 Rocky Mountains. Here a peculiar class was formed ; 
 the elements, the sturdy, uncurbed character of the fron- 
 tier; the circumstances that ialluenced and formed it, 
 nature in her wildest, roughest, and grandest aspects 
 savages, both as associates aud foes, f every cast, from 
 tho wretched root diggers to the vindictive Blackfee'. 
 and the courageous and warlike Crows and a vocation 
 of constant labor, privation and peril in every shape, yet 
 of gains ol a nature and degree to give it somewhat of 
 the characteristics of gambling.* 
 
 The decrease of the beaver before a pursuit of the 
 
 "laix dollars was the price paid to the trapper, at that 
 time, fora beaver skin; and a good backwoodsman would se- 
 cure from four to seven of a night; so that, notwithstanding 
 the exorbitantcharges of the companies for every necessary 
 or luxury furnisher! to the trappers, (forexample, twenty dol- 
 lars for a blanket, two Hollars fora tin cup full of brown sugar, 
 and the same for ihe same measure of coffee,) the trappeia 
 were still invited by the frequent receipt of such sums asgave 
 additional zeit and fascination to the pursu't, 
 
 poor animal so ruthless ns was thus stimulated, nnd the 
 substitution of other commodities for the beaver fur, 
 have left trapping scarcely worth following as a vocation; 
 and tho race of trappers has nearly disappeared from the 
 mountain gorges where they built their rude lodges, 
 where they set their traps for the wily beaver, where 
 were their frequent combats with the savages and with 
 wild beasts not less formidable. In the school of men 
 thus formed by hardship, exposure, peril and temptation, 
 our hero acquired all their virtues and escaped their 
 vices. He became noted through the extent of the 
 trapping grounds, and on both sides of the Rocky Moun- 
 tains as a successful trapper, an unfailing shot, an uner- 
 ring guide, und for bravery, sagacity, aud steadiness in 
 all circumstances. He was chosen to lead in almost all 
 enterprises of unusual danger, and in all attacks on the 
 Indians. At one time, with a party of twelve, he track- 
 ed a band of sixty Crows, who had stolen some of the 
 horses belonging to the trappers, .-.ut loose the animals 
 which were fied wiihiu ten feet of the strong fort of logs 
 in which the Indians had taken shelter, attacked them, 
 and made good his retreat with the recovered horses ; an 
 Indian of another tribe, who was with the trappers, 
 bringing away a Crow seal pas a trophy. 
 
 In one combat with Ihe Blackfeet, Carson received a 
 rifle ball in bis left shoulder, breaking it. Save this, he 
 has escaped the manifold dangers to which he has been 
 exposed, without serious bodily injury. Of course in 
 so turbulent aud unrestrained a life, there were not uu- 
 frequent personal encounters among the trappers them- 
 selves, nor could the most peaceably disposed always 
 avoid them. These were most frequent and savage at 
 the periods when the trappers went in the 'rendezvous' 
 as were called the points wherethe companies kept their 
 establishments for receiving the peltries and supplying 
 the trappers. Here a few days ,of indulgence were 
 commonly allowed himself by the trapper, and there 
 was much drinking and gambling, and consequently 
 fighting. Fends, growing out of national feelings, 
 would also, naturally enough, sometimes occur among 
 the trappers there being Canadians and Mexicans as 
 well as Americans: all having pride of race and country. 
 
 On line occasion, a Frenchman wlm ranked as a buily 
 had whipped a good many Canadians, and then began 
 to insult the Americans, saying they were only worth 
 being whipped with switches. At this Carson fired up 
 and aid, 'He was the most trilling one among the 
 Americans, and the Canadian might begin with him. 
 After some little more talk, each went off'and armed him- 
 self Carson with a pistol, the Frenchman with a rille 
 and both mounted tor the fight. Riding up until their 
 horses' heads touched, they fired almost at the same in- 
 stant, Carson a little the quickest, and, his ball passing 
 through the Frenchman's hand, made him jerk up his 
 gun, and sent the ball which was intended for Carson's 
 heart grazing by his left eye and singeing his hair. 
 This is the only serious personal quarrel of Carson's 
 life, as he is, like most very bravo men, of a peaceable 
 and gcyitle temper. 
 
 Col. Fremont owed his good fortune in procuring Car- 
 son's services to an accidental meeting on the steamboat 
 above St Louis neither having ever before heard of 
 the other. It was at the commencement of Fremont's 
 first expedition. Carson continued with it until, ir its 
 return, it had recrossed the mountains. His courage, 
 fidelity nnd excellent character so far conciliated the 
 good will of the commander that, in his second expedi- 
 tion, he gladly availed himself again of Kit's services, 
 on meeting with him, as he chanced to do, on the con- 
 fines of New Meticn. Kit again left the party after its 
 arrival this side of tlie mountains not, however, until 
 Fremont had obtained a promise from him to join the 
 third expedition, in case one should be organized. 
 Some incidents will bo interesting connected with this 
 latter expedition, which was interrupted in its purely sci- 
 entific character by tho treachery of the Mexican chief 
 (Castro) compelling Fremont to change his peaceful em- 
 ployment, and which, owing to the continuance of the 
 war with Mexico is not yet completed. 
 
 In ttiQ interim between Fremont's second and third 
 expeditions, Carson hud settled himself near Taos, and 
 had bef;uo to farm, preparing to lead a quiet life, when 
 he received a note from Fremont, written at Bent's Fort, 
 reminding l)im of his promise, and telling him he would 
 wait tljere for him. Oo this, occasion Carson showed 
 hisstrong friendship for his old commander, and the 
 generous and unselfish nature of his feelings. In four j 
 days from receiving ihe note Carson had joined the party, | 
 having sold house and farm for less than half the sura he 
 had just expended upon it. and put his family under the 
 protection of his friend, the late Governor Bent, until he 
 should return from a certainly long aud dangerous jour- 
 ney. This protection, unfortunately, was taken from 
 
 them in the Into massacre at Taos, when Carson's broth- 
 er-in-law was one of the victims to the fury of the Mex- 
 icans against all connected with the Americans. Airs. 
 Carson saved her life bv flighi, leaving them to rob tho 
 house of every thing. Kendall, and all others who have 
 written of their adventures in New Mexico, ascribe the 
 highest character to the women of that country for mod- 
 esty, generosity, quick sympathy, and all feminine vir- 
 tues. To this amiable class belongs tho wife of Carson, 
 who has paid so dearly for her affection for him. 
 
 The route of the third expedition led the party to tho 
 Southern and Western side of the great salt Inke a re- 
 gion entirely unexplored, and filled, occordin" to the 
 superstitions and tales current among the Indians and 
 the trappers of the .mountains, with all imaginable hor- 
 rors. A vast desert, void of vegetation and fresh water, 
 abounding in quicksands and in brackish pool- aud rivers, 
 with only subterranean outlets. This was the reputed, 
 character of the country, justifying at least the appre- 
 hension of lack of those indispensables to the voyager 
 of the wilderness water and grass. In truth, the 
 Southern border of the lake was found to be skirted 
 with a salt plain of about 60 miles in width. Over, this, 
 as elsewhere, Carson, in his capacity of scout, was al- 
 ways with the advance party, to search for water and 
 convenient places for camp the usual signal of the pra- 
 ries a fire serving by its column of smoke, to point 
 out where the advance were hulling. 
 
 The neighborhood of the Rio Colorado nnd the Sier- 
 ra Nevada of California is infested with Indian tribes of 
 hippophagi, or horse eaters, (as they may well be called) 
 who keep the Northern parts of California in alarm by 
 sweeping down into the settlement, and carrying off 
 horses and mules, which they use for food. With these 
 savages the expedition had several skirmishes; but, 
 owing to the perpetual vigilance which was exercised, 
 neither men nor animals fell into the hands of the sava- 
 ges. 
 
 When Fremont's party, in May, 1846, (not knowing 
 of the existence of the war with Mexico,) retired from 
 California, they proceeded North as far as the Tlamath 
 lake, in Oregon, proposing to explore a new routo into 
 the Willhatnelh valley. 
 
 A courier having overtaken Col. Fremont there, to 
 say that Mr. Gillespie and five men were endeavoring to 
 overtake him, he took ten men and returned 60 miles 
 with the courier ; making all haste, in order to reach 
 them before night, and prevent any attack which the 
 Indians might be tempted to mako on a small party. 
 These Tlamath Indians, by nature brave and warlike, 
 have now a new source of power in the iron arrow heads 
 aud axes furnished them by the British posts in that 
 country. Their arrows can only be extracted from the 
 flesh by the knife, as they are barbed, and of course are 
 not to be drawn out. The events of that night aud the 
 days following illustrate so fully the nightly dangers of 
 hn Indian country, and the treacherous nature of savages, 
 that I will give them in Carson's own words : 
 
 "Mr. Gillespie had brought the colouel letters from 
 borne the first he had had since leaving the States the 
 year before and he was up, and kept a large fire burn- 
 ing until midnight ; the rest of us were tired out, and nil 
 went to sleep. This was the only night in all our travels, 
 except the one night on the island in the salt lake, that 
 we failed to keep guard ; and as the men were so tired, 
 and we expected no attack now that wo had sixteeu in 
 party, the colonel didn't like to ask it of them, but sat up 
 late himself. Owens and I were sleeping together, and 
 we were waked at the same time by tho licks of the axe 
 that killed our men. At first I did'ni know it was that ; 
 but I called to Basil, who was that side, 'What's the 
 matter there 7 what's that fuss about 7" He never an- 
 swered, for he was dead then, poor fellow ; and he never 
 knew what killed him his head had benn cut in, in his 
 sleep ; the other groaned a little as he- died. The Del- 
 awares (we had four with us} were sleeping at that fire, 
 and they sprang upas the Tlmaths charged them. One 
 of them caught up a gun, which was unloaded ; but, al- 
 though he could do no execution, he kept them at bay, 
 fighting like a soldier, and did'nt give up until he was 
 shot full of arrows three entering his heart; he died 
 bravely. 
 
 As soon as I had called out, I saw it was Tudians in 
 the camp, and I and Owens together cried out 'Indians.' 
 There were no orders given ; ih'ngs went 0:1 too fast, 
 and the colonel had men with him that didn't need to be 
 told oftheirduty. The colonel and I, Maxwell, Owens, 
 Godey.aud Stepp, jumped together, we six, and ran to 
 the assistance of our Delawares. I don't know wlo 
 fired and who didn't: but I think it was Slepp's shot 
 that killed the Tlamath chief; for it was at the 'crack of 
 Stepp's gun that he fell. He had an English half-axe 
 slang to his wrist by a cord, aud there were forty arrows 
 
YViMlUlJ 1 -UMUM'l/Ui .-<H I 
 
SUPPLEMENT TO THE COURANT. 
 
 101 
 
 left in his quiver the molt beautiful end warlike arrows 
 I ever SHW. lie must have been the bravest mau 
 onion:; them, from the way he was armed, and judging 
 by his cap. When the Tlaniallsw him fall, they ran; 
 but we lay, every man widi his rifle cocked, until day- 
 light, expecting auol her attack. 
 
 "In the morning wo found by the tracks that from fif 
 teen t twenty of the Tlamaths bad attacked us. They 
 had killed three of our men and wounded one of the 
 Delawares, who scalped the chief, whom we left where 
 lie fell. Our dead men we carried on mulej; but after 
 going about ten miles we found it impossible to get 
 them any farther through the thick timber, and finding 
 a secret place we buried (hem under logs and chunks, 
 having no way to dig a grave. It was only a few days 
 before this fight that some of these same Indians had 
 come into our /;amp ; and although we had only meat 
 for two days, and felt sure that we should have to eat 
 mules for ten or fifleeu days to come, tho colonel divid- 
 ed with them, and even had a mule unpacked to give 
 tbpni some tobacco and knives." 
 
 The party then retraced its way into California; and 
 two days alter this affair, they met a large village of Tla- 
 maths more than a hundred warriors. Carson was 
 ahead with ten men, but one of them having been dis- 
 covered, he could not follow his orders, which were to 
 send hack word end let Fremont come up with the rest 
 in case they found Indians. But as they had been seen, 
 it only remained to charge the village ; which they did, 
 killing many, and putting to flight the rest. The wo- 
 men and children, Carson says, "we did't interfere 
 with ;" but they burnt the village, together with their 
 canoes and fl.-hing nets. In a subsequent encounter, 
 the same d-iy, Carson's life was imminently exposed. 
 As they galloped, up, he was rather in advance, when 
 he observed an Indian Hxiug his arrow to let fly at him. 
 Carson levelled his rifle, but it snapped; and in an in- 
 stant the arrow would have pierced him, had not Fre- 
 mont, seeing the danger, dashed his horse on the In- 
 dian, and knocked him down. "I owe my life to them 
 two." says Carson, "the colonel and Sacramento saved 
 me." Sacramento is a noble California!! horse, which 
 dipt. Sutler gave to Col. Fremont in 1844, and which 
 has twice made the distance between Kentucky and his 
 native valley, where lie earned his name by swimming 
 the river after which he is called, at the close of a long 
 day's journey. Notwithstanding all his hardships, (for 
 ho has travelled everywhere with his master,) he is still 
 the favorite horse of Col. Fremont. 
 
 The hostile and insulting court* of Castro drew Fra 
 mont into retaliatory measures, and, aided by tl:e Amer- 
 ican settlers, he pursued the Mexicans for some time; 
 but, being unable to make them stand and fight, (they 
 always Hying before him,) the flag of independence was 
 nixed at Sonoma on the 5th ol July, 1846. Learning 
 BOOH after of the existence of the war. the American flag 
 was promptly substituted, and the party proceeded to 
 Monterey, where they found the fleet under Com. Sloa^ 
 already in possession. Castro, with his forces, had re- 
 treated before Fremont; and, to prevent their escape 
 into Sonora, Col. Fremont, with a hundred and sixty 
 ijieu, was offered the sloop of war "Cyane" to carry 
 them down to San Diego and facilitate the pursuit, as he 
 hoped by that means to intercept Castro at Puebla de 
 los Angelos. 
 
 Thou Carson, for the first time, saw the blue ocean, 
 and the great vessels that, like white-winged birds, 
 spread their sails above its waters. The vast prairies, 
 whoso immense greou surface has been aptly likened to 
 the sea, together with all objects ever seen upon it, 
 were familiar to him, but it proved no preparation for 
 actual salt water, and the ["fide and strength of the 
 backwoodsmen were soon humbled by the customary 
 tribute to Neptune. The forces were landed, and rais- 
 ed the dug at San Diego, and then they proceeded joint- 
 ly to the capital, (Ciudad de log Angelos,) where, al- 
 t'longh from the detention at sea Castro had escaped, 
 American authority was also established. 
 
 From this point, dn the 1st of September, 1846, Car- 
 son, with 15 men, wn despatched by Fremont with an 
 account til" the progress and state of affairs in that dis- 
 tant conquest. Carson was to make the journey from 
 Pueblo to Washington City and bach, in 140 days. Me 
 pushed ahead accordingly, not stopping even for game, 
 but snlisi*tin<: on his mules, of wh:ch they made food as 
 the animals bro'.ce down in the rapidity of the journey. 
 lie iiud crossed the wilderness, as he expected, in 30 
 days, when, meeting with Gen'. Kearney's company 
 within a few miles of Sante Fe, he was turned back by 
 that officer, to whose orders he believed himself sub- 
 ject, and with infinite reluctance resigned his despatch- 
 es to another.and returned to guide Kearney's command 
 in California. 
 
 Gen. Kearney entered California without molestation 
 until the fight of San Pasqual, an official account of 
 which has been published. In the charge made upon 
 the Mexicans, Carson, as usual, was among the foremost, 
 when, as ho approached within bullet range of the ene- 
 my, who were drawn up in order of battle, his horse 
 stumbled and fell, pitching him over his head, and 
 breaking his rifle in twain. Seizing his knife, he ad- 
 vanced on foot until he found a killed dragoon, who'se 
 rifle he took, and was pressing on, when he met the 
 mounted men returning from tho charge, the Mexicans 
 having galloped off. 
 
 At the instance of Carson, the American party then 
 took possession of a small rocky hill, near the scene of 
 the balile. as the strongest position in reach. Not being 
 in a situation to go forward, they encamped here ; and 
 the enemy collecting in force they remained in a state 
 of siege. There was little grass or water on the hill, and 
 soon both animals and men began to suffer. The way 
 was so thickly beset by the enemy, that the commander 
 doubted the propriety of attempting to cut a passage 
 through, when, alter four days' siege, Carson and Passed 
 Midshipman Beale, of the navy, who had been sent to 
 meet Kearney, with some thirty men as a complimenta- 
 ry escort to San Diego,) volunteered to go to Captain 
 Stockton, at that place and bring a reinforcement. 
 
 This daring enterprise these intrepid and resolute 
 young' men. accompanied by a Delaware Indian, who 
 was attached as a spy to General Kearney's command, 
 successfully accomplished, but not without extreme suf- 
 fering and peril. The distance between the camp and 
 San Diego was but thirty miles; but. as they had to 
 make long detours, they travelled nearer fifty. They 
 left the camp in the nightof the Sill of December, crawl- 
 ing in a horizontal position through the enemy's lines. 
 Their shoes made some noise, for which cause they took 
 them off, and during the night unfortunately lost them. 
 Lying by nil day to avoid the enemy, they succeeded 
 by the end of the second night in reaching their destina- 
 tion, and procuring the necessaiy reinlorcement. Their 
 feet and tiesh torn and bleeding from the rocks and 
 thorny shrubs, haggard from hunger, vhirst, anxiety and 
 sleeplessness, they were again, nevertheless, in full per- 
 formance of duty at the battles of the 8th and Olh of Jan- 
 uary. 
 
 When Fremont after meeting with and accepting the 
 surrender of the Mexican forces, reached Los Angelos, 
 Carson immediately returned to his command, and 
 the ensuing month was again selected to cross the ide- 
 sert, the wilderness, the mountains, and the prairies, to 
 bring news of those far-off operations of its agents to the 
 government in Washington. Leaving the frontier set- 
 tlements of California on the 25th of February, Carson 
 arrived in St. Louis abrut the middle of May making 
 the journy notwithstanding the inclemency of the season, 
 and an unavoidable detention of ten days at Santa Fe, in 
 a shorter time than it was ever before accomplished in. 
 
 The unsettled state of the country the war with 
 Mexico inciting the savage tribes to unusual license and 
 daring added much to the inevitable hazards and pri- 
 vationsbf the journey, rendering the most unceasing 
 vigilance necessary night and day; while the speed 
 with which the party travelled debarred them from the 
 usual resource of travellers in uninhabited regions and 
 they were fain to resort to the unsavory subsistence 
 of those hippophagi of the Sierra Nevada; only con- 
 verting the poor beasts to food, however, when they 
 were travel worn and exhausted. 
 
 Fortunately, the journey was made in its extent with- 
 out serious mishap, and Carson, Lieut. Beale. his com- 
 rade in the night march to San Diego, and Lieut. Talbot, 
 the youog gentleman who led the gallant retreat of the 
 little party of ten through the enemy's midst, a distance 
 of three hundred miles from Santa Barbara to Monte- 
 rey, are all now in Washington. 
 
 Since Carson's arrival, he has received u commission 
 of lieutenant in the rifle regiment of which Mr. Fremont 
 is the Lieut. Colonel. 
 
 WHAT A WOMAK SHOULD BE ALPHABETICALLY. A 
 woman should be amiable, benevolent, charitable, do- 
 mestic, economical, forgiving, generous, honest, indus- 
 trious, judicious, loving, modest, neat, obedient, pleasant, 
 quiet, reflecting, sober, tender, urbane, virtuous, wise, 
 'xemplary, yielding and zealous. 
 
 What a Woman should not be Artful, bold, cross, de- 
 ceitful envious, fretful, grovelling, hollow hearted, idlej 
 jadish, knavish, lazy, morose, nonsensical, officious, pet- 
 ulant, quarrelsome, ranting, snappish, talkative, unrea- 
 sonable, vain, wrangling, "xtravagant or yawning. 
 
 - Portland, Bulletin. 
 
 FA?ISI,Y ijU.tKUEI.S. 
 
 The editor of the Philadelphia U. S. Gaza!e gives the 
 following relation of an interesting scene, which ho ob- 
 served, while on a recent journey : 
 
 I had, with special selfishness, placed my small valise 
 under one seat in the car, while I took another, so that I" 
 occupied a bench to myself; and a lady, who seemed to 
 be unattended, hnd quiet possession of the bench imme- 
 diately in front of me. Most of the other places in tho 
 car were occupied. At a stopping place another lady 
 was admitted, and the conductor, with due regard to 
 propriety, placed her on the bench with the solitary fe- 
 male in front of me. It was not until we had run sever- 
 al miles, that some trifling matter arrested the attention 
 of all the passengers, and brousht the two in front of me 
 face to face and such faces I have not often seen. 
 They were alike in features and expression, they were 
 alike also in the exhibition of feeling, surprise, anger, 
 and mortification. 
 
 "Is that you, Elizabeth?'' 
 
 "Yes, Mary, it is I, but I certainly did not know you 
 were here, or I should have found another seat, and I 
 will seek one now." 
 
 She looked around, but was evidently struck with the 
 sudden sense of the impropriety of such a movement. 
 
 "I should suppose, if you could find time to go to the 
 city, you could have found lime to attend your father's 
 death-bed." 
 
 "If I did not attend, it was because I knew. you had 
 been sent for, too, and I had no wish to see you there." 
 
 "You might have gone, for I supposed, of course, you, 
 would atlend, and so I staid at home." 
 
 Unwilling to listen, I attempted to read, and succeed- 
 ed in avoiding a considerable portion which followed.- 
 It was evidently altogether domestic, and required nei- 
 ther assistance nor listener. At length it became almost 
 impossible lo avoid hearing a portion. 
 
 ' Your husband might have helped it, if he had chosen 
 to do right." 
 
 "Most people can judge better of other people's hus- 
 bands' bad character, than that cf their own al least 
 they seem to hear more of it; iny husband tried hard 
 enough to settle tho difficulty." 
 
 'The whole family peace might have been preserved, 
 and the family property havebeeu saved, if you had not 
 undertaken to rule us all for your' own good. 
 
 "I rule! Well, that is well J- /rule, indeed!" 
 
 "Did you not say to , that you would never have 
 rest until you had driven us oil the homestead!" 
 
 "No, never." 
 
 "Did you not inquire of lawyer M , what amount* 
 of money would satisfy a mortgage?" 
 
 "My husband did." 
 
 "And was not that in order to take possession of the 
 place?" 
 
 "No; my husband had received money, and he was 
 anxious that you and yours should have the advantage of 
 it, and he sought to become the creditor himself. I 
 confess that it was against my wish, as I knew he could 
 buy the place at auction for less that he would advance 
 on it, and I had no reason to wish you better off." 
 
 "And why not?" 
 
 "Did not all of you" 
 
 Here was an approach to matters yet more sacred, and- 
 I opened tho window of the car. 
 
 But while it appeared that the act charged was per- 
 formed, it became evident that the motive was, in son. 
 cases, directly good, and in others not evil. ' Suspicions 
 had sprung up, jealousies had been fomenting, and a 
 little tattling been exorcised, and a family which had 
 been reared in affection or without differences, had split 
 upon some imaginary point of pennies or kindness. In- 
 stead of appealing personally at the first erroneous 
 movement, each stood apart, and anger, and all unkind- 
 ness were nourished. The old widowed father had been 
 allowed to die without the sacred offices of his daugh- 
 ters daughters, the blessing and the reward of paterni- 
 ty. The property had been wasted, and the stranger 
 had been benefitted by the wrong. 
 
 It was some time before either of the party in front of 
 me could speak. At length one turned to the other and 
 said: "So father died and was buried without us." A 
 band of each was dropped between the seat; they met 
 in a firm grasp. 
 
 The ladies alighted at Lancaster, and went into one of 
 the houses al the depot ; in a room, they evidently dis- 
 cussed their domestic estrangement, and in view of the 
 sufferings which their folly had caused, the one threw 
 herself upon the bosom of the other, and 'they lifted up 
 their voices and wept." 
 
 "Let us not part now, Elizabeth, come with me put 
 your trunk into my carriage, and go home with me 
 new."