"Well, old woman, perhaps the stranger would like to go to bed!" At
which mother and daughter began to disrobe, so I stepped out a while.
On reentering, I was little relieved to find they had retired, for
their bed faced the one I was to share with the man, and with heads
propped up against the wall, they eyed me with much interest. This was
not at all molified, when the sire observed,—
"You can turn in as soon as you please;" while, from politeness, I
suppose, he waited for me to retire first, keeping the candle burning
on a trunk at the head of the bed. Hoping the gazers would weary
of their mood, and he of his, that I might extinguish the candle,
I went out again. But when I returned, landlord was still up, and
the feminines not a bit sleepy, so, "doing as the Romans do," by an
ingenious gymnastic feat, I was quickly hidden beneath the coverlids,
while my new friend laid aside his garments at leisure, got slowly into
bed, pulled up the covering, turned over, and blew out the light!
A silver ray streaming through the aperture in the logs opposite, woke
me, and rising, I saw that it was the morning star peeping in at our
repose.
"You are not going now!" exclaimed mine host, rubbing open his eyes.
"Yes, I make such slow progress I must be off in season!"
"Won't you stop and eat a mouthful first?"
"No, I thank you. But if you will yoke the cattle, and tell me about
the road, I shall be much obliged."
The directions were not over clear, and the prairie did not lack in
wagon-tracks, and, as might be expected, some miles were added to those
really necessary in order to reach the settlement at which I was to
tarry for business and refreshment. The stay here was much delayed. A
debtor proposed to settle his long-standing account by letting me have
a cow. The offer might not be made again.
"Is she near by?" I asked.
"O, yes; just down by the fence there. 'Twill take but a moment to find
her."
The moment was full two hours ere she was secured, and attached to the
team. Then an estimable lady teacher wished to ride over with me to L—,
and there was further waiting for "big box, little box, band-box, and
bundle." Mooly, picture of meekness that she was, when we were a couple
of miles from her accustomed pasturage, slipped her rope, and rapidly
retraced her steps. Her homesickness met with no indulgence, however,
for she was chased down and led captive back, which she retaliated by
causing us innumerable vexations, keeping one or the other of us humans
watching her, lest her horns became entangled in the wheels, or to urge
her on when she held back at the risk of her neck, when the locomotives
from Norway had an attack of the capers.
Despite every exertion, night fell while yet we were some miles from
home, bringing with it, what is rarely seen in Minnesota, a dense fog,
obscuring the stars, and hiding the surface of the country beneath
its misty vail. An uninhabited tract of burr-oaks and hazel-bushes
was yet to be passed. The dim and tortuous path was soon lost, and we
were wildly beating about to strike it again. At length the wheels run
smoothly.
"It is the road," said I; "our wanderings will soon be over!" But
immediately thereafter the cattle stopped, and refused to proceed.
Passing quickly to their side, how thankful I was for their obstinacy.
They stood on the steep bank of the Iowa, facing the water. The flowing
current revealed our course, however, and ere long we reached our
destination.
My arrival was greeted with a merrier laugh than that which celebrated
my departure. The sight, no doubt, was mirth-provoking as our
procession passed before the door. Ragged and soiled, with a mammoth
squash, which I had bought of my English friend, crowning the load, the
cow tied behind the team; the lady teacher, who, unfortunately, had
been obliged to walk most of the way, to attend to the manners of the
turbulent cow, bringing up the rear;—the show, it appeared, was worth
the trouble of standing, lamp in hand, to witness it.
As for the lumber, it did double duty; not only keeping the winds at
bay, but in the gloomiest weather suggesting memories, which had a most
enlivening influence on our household.