Gems for the Young Folks. Various

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ a wild beast in a menagerie. The name "Mormon," in fact, became to us synonymous with that of an ugly and dangerous monster, and we grew up with the most bitter prejudice and intense hatred in our hearts towards all who bore that name.

      We endured the ill-treatment of our uncle's family until patience no longer seemed to be a virtue, and we rebelled.

      Our grandfather perceived that it was only right to release us from their power, and he therefore regained all the property he could possibly secure in stock and land from our uncle, and severed our obligations to him.

      From this time we commenced to work for ourselves, and also to support grandfather and grandmother, and continued to do so until the spring of 1862.

      In the winter of 1861 I had a dangerous attack of winter fever, to which I nearly succumbed.

      In the spring of 1862 I was sent a distance of thirty-five miles to Hamburg, for a doctor to attend my cousin Sylvia Webb's child, who was sick, and after crossing the river I sent the doctor and remained with my uncle, Edwin Cutler, for one week.

      While there he inquired how I would like to go to California, as he claimed that he was going there.

      On hearing this I was suddenly seized with the gold fever, and eagerly expressed a wish to go, as I always had a great desire to roam.

      Uncle Edwin requested me to return home and inform my grandparents, and ascertain if they were willing for me to go.

      I returned home the following Sunday evening. I did not request permission to leave, but at once informed them that I was going to start for California in the morning, and that I wanted them to get my clothes ready.

      No reply was made to this remark, and, as they failed to comply, I repeated my request, stating that if they did not provide them I would attend to it myself, as I was determined to go.

      Grandmother then remarked that if I was determined to go she would get my clothes ready.

      During the night I made arrangements with my brother to take me a distance of fifteen miles, to a small town called Sydney; and early in the morning, after bidding grandfather and grandmother "good-by," we started out.

      CHAPTER II

      MY OUTFIT – DISSIPATION – START TO CALIFORNIA – UPBRAIDINGS FROM MY UNCLE – UNCLE AND AUNT DISAGREE – A STARTLING REVELATION, I LEARN THAT I AM BEING TAKEN TO UTAH – LEAVE MY UNCLE AND JOIN SPICER, TO AVOID GOING TO UTAH.

      We arrived safely at Sydney, where I took leave of my brother and started alone for Hamburg, with all my earthly possessions in my hand, which consisted of a small bundle containing a suit of old-fashioned clothes and a fiddle.

      On arriving at my uncle's residence he seemed quite elated to think he had a servant and companion, for this was the first step towards accomplishing a design at this time known only to himself.

      Previous to starting out he extended a great many privileges to me, such as a drink of whisky, hunting cattle, attending dances and riding mules, the last-named sport occasionally causing me to turn unexpected somersaults.

      During this time I effected a sale of my fiddle for a gallon of whisky and a dollar in money. From the effects of drinking the whisky I felt that I could easily reach California, and, after obtaining a pipe and a pound of tobacco, I felt fully equipped for my trip.

      When feed became plentiful we started out, in company with a man by the name of Gerard who had a lot of fine horses which he was taking to California.

      Our complete outfit consisted of one wagon, one yoke of oxen, one yoke of cows, a tent and a common camp-stove. My uncle adopted the plan of staking the tent every night, also tying ropes to the wagon wheels and staking the same. He also fixed the stove daily, or rather made me do it, and this work of course became very monotonous.

      Uncle assisted me a week or two in performing camp duties and also in driving team. I was grateful for all his previous kindness to me and in order to prove this I willingly performed all the duties required of me. But in a very short time he left all this work to me, and driving team all day and performing these duties afterwards kept me entirely out of mischief.

      All went well until after we passed Julesburg, on the Platte River, when the following important incidents occurred:

      I had slept a little longer than usual, having failed to awake before sunrise. My uncle aroused me and passionately remarked that he had not brought me along to wait upon me himself, but for me to wait upon him.

      I had discovered this fact some time before, and these unkind upbraidings made me feel acutely my position as an orphan.

      Shortly after this occurrence my uncle and his wife disagreed, and they finally concluded to separate.

      My aunt sought me out and informed me that she intended to stop at Laramie, and, in order to induce me to stay with her, she asked me if I knew where uncle was taking me? I replied that I supposed he was taking me to California.

      She then informed me that he was taking me to my father in Utah.

      This troubled me greatly, and aroused all my fears of, and hatred towards the "Mormons."

      At this time I did not know my father's name, as I had always borne the name of Cutler, my mother's maiden name.

      On receiving this information I was considerably vexed, and it caused me to swear terribly and shed tears of indignation.

      I at once charged my uncle with this intention, and we got to high words about it. He told me I need not go to Utah, but that I could go to California.

      I knew that it was unfortunate to be liberated after coming five hundred miles from home, but I felt that I would rather die than ever go to Utah.

      I, therefore, decided to stop at Laramie with my aunt and wait for a chance to go forward to California or return home.

      The gold fever had now left me, and I became perfectly reckless, having respect neither for God nor man.

      Matters continued so until we reached Laramie, when we halted for a few days.

      All this time nothing was mentioned of my uncle and aunt's separation, as a reconciliation had been effected.

      Previous to this we had fallen in with a man by the name of James Spicer, from Hamburg, who had three wagons and one hundred and seventy-five head of loose cattle. He had his wife with him but no children of his own, though he had brought with him an orphan boy. Spicer came to me while at Laramie, and said, "You don't want to go to Utah, do you?"

      I replied that I did not.

      He then said that he was not going there, and that he had noticed how I had been misused on the trip, but, as he was a small man compared with my uncle, he did not deem it wisdom to interfere; but if I wished to leave my uncle and go with him he would lay over until my relatives went forward if he had to remain all winter.

      He stated that he had a man he wanted to get rid of, who could accompany my uncle in my place.

      I agreed to this arrangement.

      Two days later my uncle came to me and said, "Abe! let us get up the cattle; we can't wait any longer for Spicer. Frank Gilbert and company, belonging to Gilbert, Gerrish and Co., of Salt Lake City, are just ahead, and we can overhaul them."

      I СКАЧАТЬ