Homesteading 



now lie away from the railroad and stores, it 

 became necessary to make a few more purchases, 

 chief among them being an axe, cartridges — or 

 shells, as they are called — a kettle and frying-pan ; 

 we also bought some pickled pork and bread, 

 tea and sugar, flour and matches, and other small 

 sundries. Leaving the town, we headed for a few 

 miles due north, and were glad to observe at 

 short intervals really substantial frame-houses and 

 buildings on evidently prosperous farms ; but 

 I pointed out to Tom that the proximity to 

 a railroad, provided the land is good, makes 

 a marvellous difference. Towards midday we 

 struck a cross-country trail which led us for several 

 miles eastward, and we repeated the experiences 

 of the previous day, except that a good tether- 

 ing-chain saved us the ox chase. 



Striking another north road, we turned in 

 that direction, and soon came to what is called 

 a " jog." The country being laid out on the 

 chess-board plan, the surveyors are faced by 

 the rotundity of the earth in running their roads 

 north and south, and to get over this difficulty, 

 on some east and west roads the north and south 

 ones are cut and an angle made. 



As the day drew to a close, we arrived at the 



house of Mr. and Mrs. S , of whom Bob 



had told us. This was a good frame-building 



50 



