A Twenty Days’ Lesson

A TWENTY DAYS' LESSON. BY L. L. GREENE RICHARDS, AUTHOR OF "BRANCHES THAT RUN OVER THE WALL." "In the good old summer time, " away back in the fifties, the following events took place, as the story was given to the writer. At a ranch near one of Utah's central settlements, lived a progressive family named Dresslow. They were poor when they began life in that locality, but were making steady advancement and becoming well-to-do in worldly things. Better still, they were true to the faith for which the father and mother had sac- rificed a good home and many comforts and advantages in another part of the world. The family consisted of father, mother, Victor, just turned twenty, Millie, almost eighteen, and several younger children. They were seated around the table gaily and gratefully eating their Fourth of July dinner of green peas, new potatoes, chicken, stewed ground-cherries, custard pie, etc. Millie, who was prin- cipal waiter at table, went into the small summer kitchen to replenish some of the tureens which had been emptied. "Oh Vic!" she called to her brother, and he joined her. "See," pointing away to where a great dust arose in the road, "that's a train of freighters and miners going through to Cali- fornia. They have passed the forks of the road, and have turned down this way. Maybe they will noon here, and they are likely to want cheese, butter and such things as we can supply them. And mother may get money enough so that I can have a pair of new shoes for the dance before the Twenty- fourth." "Well, I hope you will not be disappointed, Millie," answered Victor, as he took one of the steaming dishes from his sister's hand, and returned with it to the table.

656 IMPROVEMENT ERA. The young man hastened to finish his dinner, for he thought that unless some one was near the fence, as the train should drive up, to speak to the men and answer questions, they were likely to go right on to the next ranch, for their mid-day rest and meal, which he knew would be a disappointment to Millie. When the captain of the train drove up to Dresslow's ranch, Victor was on hand to answer, pleasantly and intelligently, any questions concerning the roads, and to show the men the best spot of ground for a noon- day camp. That was the beginning of an acquaintance between them, which within one hour and a half brought wonderful results. The travelers wanted supplies of various kinds, which Victor readily and cheerfully furnished, and whatever price he mentioned was willingly paid, as if money were so plentiful among them, that to part with it gave no anxiety or unpleasantness whatever. ' 'Why do you stay here and work hard and remain poor, when you could so quickly and easily get rich in California?" asked one of the freighters. "Oh, all my interests are here," replied Victor; "my father and mother, and — ''But don't you see it would be to their interest, as well as your own," said another of the men, "if you should go away for a short time, and come back to them with a big fortune?" ' 'A friend of mine in Iowa," said still another, ' 'left home a poor man, and went to California; and in six months returned with more gold than he knew what to do with." "That short account of one man's fortune being made so quickly, took firm hold of Victor's imagination, and instantaneously worked it up to a very high pitch. "If I thought there could be a chance of my doing something like that," he said, "I'd start for California today!" "Hundreds are doing it all the time," he was answered, "why shouldn't you?" "One of our men took mountain fever back here aways, and we had to leave him, said the captain, 'so we are one driver ' short, I'll give you two dollars a day if you are a mind to join us and take care of one of the teams." "I'll do it! I'll go right along with you!" declared Victor

A TWENTY DAYS' LESSON. 657 without hesitation. And the most earnest prayers, tears, coaxing, commands and even threats from his astonished and bewildered parents, brothers and sisters, had no effect in the way of moving his determination to go. After all had been said and done by the family in the effort to prevent Victor's patting into execution the awful venture he had decided to make, his father said, "Well, since we cannot pre- vail on him not to go, let us make his going as comfortable and as satisfactory as we can. Get his clothes together, mother and Millie, and see that they are all right, and packed as well as if we were sending him off somewhere willingly and with our blessing." This injunction was obeyed, amid much sobbing and wailing. Every member of the household now was anxious to do something for poor Victor, as if they all felt it was the last kindness they should ever have the privilege of showing him. "You better have my new handkerchiefs," said sixteen-year- old Charley. "You'll need them more than I will just now.'' Victor put his arm over Charley's shoulder and thanked him, and his lip quivered a little at uhe unusual exhibition of care and solici- tude for his welfare. But still there was no change in his purpose. "I'd like to take Pet and the saddle, father," he said, when all preparations for his departure were about concluded. "Why, Victor!" his father exclaimed. "Pet is the gentlest and best riding animal we have. Would you take her away from us?" "Please do not deny Victor this request, father," said the' mother tearfully. "Possibly it is the last thing he will ever ask us for. And it may be our boy's eyes will soon be opened, and he will be glad to have Pet to ride back to us on." So it was arranged between Victor and the miners, as their train started on, that towards evening he would follow on horse- back and overtake them. "Nat thinks Pm going to ride down with you when you go to take Alice over to the dance, and he will not come here for me this evening," Millie said to Victor. "Let's go down now, we can both ride on Pet," Victor answered. "I'll tell the folks here goodby, and go around that way as I leave to go with the miners. Accordingly Pet was saddled, and the brother and sister pre-

658 IMPROVEMENT ERA. pared to ride together. Victor's adieus were made to every mem- ber of the family, and a second time he went to his mother, as she sat nursing his baby sister. He leaned over them and kissed them both again and again. "Oh Victor!" his mother sobbed. "If you were only going on a mission in the company of good men!" "I am going on a mission, mother dear," Victor tried to speak cheerfully, "a mission which shall be fulfilled with faithful- ness to you and father. When I come back you shall have a hand- some new carriage, and never have to ride in that squeaking old one again. And we will build a fine, new house, too, and live like respectable people from then on." "Oh, my son, may the Lord be with you, and show you your error!" were the mother's parting words to her willful boy. Victor and Millie said very little during their horseback ride from the ranch to the settlement. But they both had much to say to their young associates, Nat and Alice Groves, when they reached their home in the village. Nat was on hand to assist Millie from her seat, back of her brother, and as Victor dismounted he took the bridle rein to lead Pet off to be unsaddled and fed. "Don't take her saddle off, Nat," said Victor. "I am going in to talk with Alice a minute, and then I shall ride farther. Just drop the bridle off so she can eat." Millie walked along with Nat as he led the horse to the cor- ral, and briefly explained to him where Victor was going. Alice,as she met Victor in the large log dining room which he entered in search of her, looked sweeter and prettier, he thought, in her summer party dress than she had ever looked before. "Why Vic! where are your Sunday clothes?" asked Alice in surprise, as she noticed his every-day attire. "Aren't we going to the dance this evening?" "You are, I suppose, Alice," he answered. "But you'll have to go with Nat and Millie.I am going away off to be gone a long time. ' "Had a call from Church headquarters?" asked the young woman brightly, and she placed a chair for Victor and seated her- self near it. "No, it isn't that kind of a mission, Alice," Victor acknowl-

A TWENTr DAYS' LESSON. 659 edged. ' 'I am going to California with a company of men and I shall make a big 'raise.' It may take three months, or maybe six months, but I'll be home inside of a year, anyway." ' 'Yes, you may, and you may never get back alive, " said Alice woefully. ' 'What in the world has put it into your head to go to California?" "The idea of pickirg up quick and not drudging here in the dirt forever, as our fathers and mothers are doing, " answered Victor. "You will not get married while I'm away, will you?" 'I'm not likely to, " said Alice, ' 'unless you stay away too ' long. But I don't know that I would ever want to risk my hap- piness with a young man who could be so suddenly persuaded to run off after some fancied treasure, and like enough get fooled. He might do the same thing again, or something worse, perhaps." This was a heavy and unexpected volley for the young man to face, in the struggle to get clear of the home influences which made it hard for him to start on his long journey. But he had cut away from the holdings of his mother, and if she could not keep him from going, no girl should. "When I come home after awhile," he spoke lightly, "and have plenty of money, and get a good house-keeping outfit, lots of pretty dishes and a fine cupboard with glass doors to set them up in, there will be any amount of girls ready to risk their happiness in my keeping. Alice retorted as lightly and quickly, "I think thsre is no girl of good sense anywhere who would not rather marry you as you are now, and begin housekeeping with old, broken sets of dishes, and odd pieces of furniture given by her relatives and friends, than after you have spent six months or a year with a gang of men who swear, smoke, drink and gamble, like most freighters and miners do that I have ever seen or heard of." It would not do, Victor thought, to talk further with Alice. Her words were too keen, and she looked searchingly at him, in a way that unnerved, while it nettled him. 'I will have to go," he ' said, as he arose to depart. Alice did not weep at this point as his mother and sisters had done, but Victor saw that her face had grown very white, and he felt condemned that she should suffer for his sake. However, he went.

660 IMPROVEMENT ERA. After watching him ride away on Pet, the two girls placed their arms about each other and found relief in a hearty cry. Nat sympathized with them for awhile, and then told them to cheer up preparatory to going to the dance. About twelve miles along the road there was a small eating house, kept by a widow and her two sons. Victor had informed the miners of this as a good camping place for the night, and where he overtook them, just preparing their wagons in camping order, a little after sunset. "Hello there; on hand all right? good fellow!" called out the captain as Victor rode up. The hindmost team was being managed by a man who had also another team to look after, owing to the missing driver.The last team had stopped as Victor rode up, and the driver was plac- ing the other one where he wanted the wagon to stand. Just as Victor was dismounting, the hind team was started up again. Pet, young and lively, and perhaps a little tired and nervous from the hasty ride, and not seeing the driver who was on the other side, was startled at the movement of the wagon, and sprang quickly to one side. Never before had Pet seemed so awkward or Victor so clumsy as then. The young man was thrown upon his back to the ground, partially under the wagon, and in such a manner that the heavy back wheel of the freight wagon passed over his right leg, breaking it badly just below the knee. The shock to Victor had been so great that he was taken into the widow's house in a semi- unconscious state. The young men of the house were both away at some Fourth of July celebration, but Mrs. Rusk, their mother, said that the unfortunate man might be placed on her sons' bed. One of the freighters who figured as a doctor and surgeon among them, set the broken limb, splintered and bandaged it, almost be- fore Victor was aware of what had happened. The first thing he clearly sensed was the captain's voice, who said it was well this accident happened where it did, instead of out on the dry and sandy desert, for in the latter case the young man would surely have had to die. Plenty of oaths were uttered in every sentence spoken by the men. Victor listened without show- ing signs of returning consciousness, until he learned that he would be left at Mrs. Rusk's, and the miners would go on in the

A TWENTY DAYS' LESSON. 661 morning, as if nothing unusual had taken place. Then he sank away again into forgetfulness. The absence of the Rusk boys until late in the night was the occasion of some unfortunate happenings for them. The corral bars were left down, and their horses and cattle had wandered away. Next morning, when the boys got up and went about their work, the freighters had been gone for some hours, and not a sign of their own animals could be discovered. Victor's horse. Pet, was the only one that had been securely fastened, and that could be made use of in the search for the estrays. The Rusk boys were acquainted with Victor, and wondered at their mother's story of his going with the miners. They spoke to him about using his horse, and he replied that they were at liberty to use her as much and as long as they might need to, only he asked to have her kindly treated and cared for. The Rusks were good-hearted, but extremely rough and ignor- ant people, and for days and even weeks the care bestowed upon poor Victor's broken limb was worse even than no attention would have been; at least, so it seemed to him. He didn't relish the food they brought him; the cooking was unlike his mother's, and altogether he was in a pitiable condition. Two weeks and a half passed, and still Victor could not make up his mind to humble himself sufficiently to ask that word might be sent to his folks concerning the misfortune which had befallen him. When first he had been able to talk after the accident, he asked the Rusks not to inform his people of his whereabouts, or what had happened to him. He felt then that he would soon be able to go out somewhere and earn money, and he wished at least to be independent before he again entered his father's house. That was well enough for the Rusks. The boys were glad to have the use of Victor's horse, and took special pains to ride her where the Dresslows would not be likly to catch sight of her. It was in their own interest, as well as to accommodate Victor's feel- ings that they did some scheming to carry out this purpose. Mrs. Rusk, in her simplicity, felt that as long as Victor chose to lay there in her boys' room, and put up with what they could do for him, it was not for her to complain or suggest any change. She kept track of the days as they passed, feeling sure she would be

662 IMPROVEMENT ERA. paid by and by. Every day meant so much money for her, and why should she not be satisfied with the arrangement? Victor had a great aversion to giving trouble, or asking to be waited on, so he lay there without help day after day, growing weaker and more disheartened. When, at last, the morning of the Twenty-fourth dawned, Victor counted over and over the days which had passed while he had been lying there. Twenty days! Only twenty? It seemed like twenty years since his mother had last kissed him, and Said: "The Lord be with you, and show you your error!" That was a prayer! was his mother still praying it? He sat up and attempted to get his feet on the floor to see if he could stand, but a sharp pain ran through his broken limb, and he fell back upon the bed exhausted and helpless. Would he ever be better? No; if he continued to lie there he felt assured that soon he would die. Then what of his relatives and friends? What of his mother? And his father? How many times had he needed the help which his boy could have given him, had he not been lying there helpless! What of Alice? Would she forgive him? He raised his hands and examined them. How white and thin they looked! He clenched them, they were very weak. He covered his eyes. "Oh what shall I do?" he sobbed. And then he prayed earnestly, eagerly, such a prayer as he had not voiced since he de- cided to go to California. His heart was softened, his eyes were opened. The Rusk boys told their mother on the Twenty-fourth that they were going over to the settlement on horseback. Victor chanced to overhear some of the conversation. And when the elder Rusk boy came in to see what he could do for the invalid, Victor said in as firm a voice as he could command, "Ride 'round by my father's place, will you, please, and tell him where I am, and why I am here?" The squeaking old carriage which Victor had condemned, as e was leaving home, stopped at Mrs. Rusk's gate, in less than two hours after the message had been given to his father. He could see it from the window, and felt that there was never a sweeter sight than it and the horses. Two minutes later he was in his father's and his mother's

A TWENTY DAYS' LESSON. 663 arms. Even Mrs. Rusk wiped her eyes as she watched the meeting. "How did you get here so soon, father? How could you for- give — forgive me — so readily? Mother," he continued, "your prayer has been answered; I see my error." "When you are a little stronger, Vic," said Alice Groves, as she sat by him that evening at the Dresslow ranch, "you may come down and try your hand at furniture making in father's shop, and see what Nat is getting ready for Millie." '"You will still trust me, then, Alice,*' said Victor, "still be- lieve in me?" "I certainly will, Victor, since the Lord loves you well enough to place you in a position where, in twenty days, you have learned a lesson which some men would not master in twenty years." Salt Lake City, Utah.