26 AUTOBIOGRAPHY 



save now and then an unfortunate, worthy poor 

 person, and such were cared for from the common 

 store. The cast-off clothing was not handed out 

 to the mendicant poor but made into rag carpet or 

 deftly converted into patchwork quilts. When a 

 sister was to be married all joined in making use- 

 ful things for her housekeeping. John was as 

 solicitous for the welfare of the colt which would 

 be his elder brother's when he reached his ma- 

 jority as he was of what he called his own. 



In such an atmosphere of mutual helpfulness 

 grew up the people who were later to subdue the 

 wild and windy prairies, to bridge the western 

 rivers and to bind the land together with bands of 

 tempered steel. Not content with reclaiming the 

 prairies, their children moved on to the desert, and 

 beyond into the mountains and foothills, and there 

 spied out the treasure kept for those who had the 

 pluck to find and bring it forth. The more I think 

 of it the more I am persuaded that these pioneers 

 were Christians or near Christians, for of every- 

 thing they had they divided, in a measure, and a 

 part of it they passed along. 



