Homesteading 



hospital in Saskatoon. It was now the depth 

 of winter, with the thermometer constantly far 

 below zero. With the help of neighbours, how- 

 ever, Fred got a covered wagon, with a stove 

 in it to mitigate the extreme cold, and so took 

 his wife to the railroad, twenty-eight miles over the 

 snow-covered trails. The hundred miles or so of 

 railroad journey were got over somehow, the opera- 

 tion performed ; but, alas ! it was too late. The 

 patient took the last long trail, and poor Fred 

 returned to his lonely homestead a grief-stricken 

 man, though the hospital doctor told him that 

 could he have had the patient five days earlier 

 he could have saved her life." 



Silence fell on us for a time. Then Bob said : 

 " If the triple alliance of bankers, manufacturers, 

 and railroads, with their gang of dollar politi- 

 cians, which does so much to get settlers out 

 here, would do something more to conserve the 

 health, especially that of the women and children 

 who come, they would do a humane thing, and 

 even be wise in their own interests." 



The morning broke clear and bright, giving 

 promise of fine weather, and our hosts were astir 

 early, for at this season of the year men and 

 beasts work very hard. We watched them 

 hitch four horses abreast to the great seeder, 

 and another similar team to the wide harrows, 



64 



