1890.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 93 



plates held in their laps, the food reservoir being an iron 

 spider, and their drinking cup an old fruit can. There was 

 a fire smouldering a few feet away, between three flat stones 

 set edgewise. Near by on the ground was the canvas- 

 covered top of t'.ie wagon, which for the time being was 

 evidently serving the purpose of a tent, and in which were 

 a few household goods, — boxes, bundles, and what looked 

 like bedding. At a little distance, browsing in the sage brush, 

 were two Indian ponies, for riding when the party was on 

 the move. The man and his wife appeared to be about 

 forty five years of age, the children — two boys and a girl 

 — about twelve, ten and seven. Salutations were given 

 and received ; and, as there was no bashfulness on their part, 

 a rattling conversation was soon on the flow. The story, 

 told with little interruption or prompting, was as follows : — 



" We are of Massachusetts origin, but were born and 

 reared in central New York, and commenced married life 

 there on an inherited farm about twenty years ago. The 

 farm was a good one, we think now ; but we caught the 

 Western and the lumber fever, and sold out and went to 

 northern Michigan and bought in the woods. Stayed there 

 most three years, but didn't like it ; didn't like logging, 

 didn't like the woods, didn't like the stumps, couldn't stand 

 the cold in winter nor the mosquitoes in summer, and so sold 

 and went to Wisconsin. Did not buy there, but rented a 

 place for one year ; but found it to be Michigan over again, 

 so concluded to try the prairie country ; and went out to 

 Nebraska and bought an improved claim with a good turf 

 house and some tools on it, but no barn. 



"The first year was a good one, so far as crops were 

 concerned ; but neighbors were few and far between, and 

 they were Dutch or something of the kind, — we couldn't 

 understand their lingo. We had to burn up most of our 

 corn for want of wood, for there was none in that country. 

 There was little market for what we had to sell, and what 

 there was was so far away that it didn't pay to go for it. 



"The second year was a bad one. There was a great 

 drought. The crops and grass all dried up, and we sat up 

 nights to watch, fearing the prairies would burn over in 

 July. That winter we had blizzard after blizzard, and it 



