Homesteading 



It is for the young, strong, and hardy to develop 

 her splendid natural resources, to build her 

 great cities and railroads, to clear her great forests, 

 to plant her fruit ranches, and to reduce her 

 vast areas of fertile land to cultivation. 



So it proved in this case ; and the old man's 

 sight having failed, they had decided to go home, 

 and, actuated by kindly feeling, the neighbours 

 determined to give them a surprise party as a 

 send-off. Something of it must have leaked 

 out, for the boys had got the stable ready, and 

 when the folks assembled it was possible to house 

 ten horses. The party numbered twenty-six, all 

 told, and the visitors had brought some food with 

 them to save their hosts needless trouble. They 

 also brought two violins and a cornet, and we 

 soon began to spend a very pleasant evening, 

 and later a few kindly speeches were made, show- 

 ing that if the weather outside were cold, the 

 visitors had warm hearts and very kindly feelings 

 towards the Old-Country couple who had for a 

 short time been sojourners among them. Then 

 came supper, and the company began to think 

 of dispersing ; but the weather had become worse, 

 with howling wind and falling snow, and imder 

 such conditions, at night, travel across the prairie is 

 dangerous, so, as the house was small, the children 

 were safely put to bed and the party prepared 



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