the story of a pioneer-第11章
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ask if we had received his reply。 At last； to calm
her； I told her it had come； and that Tom had chosen
for her little son the name of Arthur。 She smiled
at this and drew a deep breath； then； still smiling；
she passed away。 Her baby slipped into her vacant
place and almost filled our heavy hearts； but only
for a short time； for within a few months after his
mother's death his father married again and took
him from me； and it seemed that with his going
we had lost all that made life worth while。
The problem of living grew harder with every…
day。 We eked out our little income in every way
we could； taking as boarders the workers in the log…
ging…camps； making quilts； which we sold； and losing
no chance to earn a penny in any legitimate manner。
Again my mother did such outside sewing as she
could secure； yet with every month of our effort
the gulf between our income and our expenses grew
wider； and the price of the bare necessities of exis…
ence｛sic｝ climbed up and up。 The largest amount I
could earn at teaching was six dollars a week； and
our school year included only two terms of thir…
teen weeks each。 It was an incessant struggle to
keep our land； to pay our taxes； and to live。 Cal…
ico was selling at fifty cents a yard。 Coffee was
one dollar a pound。 There were no men left to
grind our corn； to get in our crops； or to care for
our live stock； and all around us we saw our
struggle reflected in the lives of our neighbors。
At long intervals word came to us of battles in
which my father's regimentthe Tenth Michigan
Cavalry Volunteersor those of my brothers were
engaged； and then longer intervals followed in which
we heard no news。 After Eleanor's death my
brother Tom was wounded； and for months we lived
in terror of worse tidings； but he finally recovered。
I was walking seven and eight miles a day； and doing
extra work before and after school hours； and my
health began to fail。 Those were years I do not
like to look back uponyears in which life had de…
generated into a treadmill whose monotony was
broken only by the grim messages from the front。
My sister Mary married and went to Big Rapids to
live。 I had no time to dream my dream； but the star
of my one purpose still glowed in my dark horizon。
It seemed that nothing short of a miracle could lift
my feet from their plodding way and set them on the
wider path toward which my eyes were turned； but
I never lost faith that in some manner the miracle
would come to pass。 As certainly as I have ever
known anything； I KNEW that I was going to college！
III
HIGH…SCHOOL AND COLLEGE DAYS
The end of the Civil War brought freedom to
me； too。 When peace was declared my father
and brothers returned to the claim in the wilderness
which we women of the family had labored so des…
perately to hold while they were gone。 To us； as to
others； the final years of the war had brought many
changes。 My sister Eleanor's place was empty。
Mary； as I have said； had married and gone to live in
Big Rapids； and my mother and I were alone with my
brother Harry； now a boy of fourteen。 After the
return of our men it was no longer necessary to de…
vote every penny of my earnings to the maintenance
of our home。 For the first time I could begin to
save a portion of my income toward the fulfilment
of my college dream； but even yet there was a long；
arid stretch ahead of me before the college doors
came even distantly into sight。
The largest salary I could earn by teaching in our
Northern woods was one hundred and fifty…six dollars
a year； for two terms of thirteen weeks each； and
from this； of course； I had to deduct the cost of my
board and clothingthe sole expenditure I allowed
myself。 The dollars for an education accumulated
very； very slowly； until at last； in desperation； weary
of seeing the years of my youth rush past； bearing
my hopes with them； I took a sudden and radical
step。 I gave up teaching； left our cabin in the
woods； and went to Big Rapids to live with my sister
Mary； who had married a successful man and who
generously offered me a home。 There； I had de…
cided； I would learn a trade of some kind； of any
kind； it did not greatly matter what it was。 The
sole essential was that it should be a money…making
trade； offering wages which would make it possible
to add more rapidly to my savings。 In those days；
almost fifty years ago； and in a small pioneer town；
the fields open to women were few and unfruitful。
The needle at once presented itself； but at first I
turned with loathing from it。 I would have pre…
ferred the digging of ditches or the shoveling of coal；
but the needle alone persistently pointed out my
way； and I was finally forced to take it。
Fate； however； as if weary at last of seeing me
between her paws； suddenly let me escape。 Before
I had been working a month at my uncongenial
trade Big Rapids was favored by a visit from a
Universalist woman minister； the Reverend Marianna
Thompson； who came there to preach。 Her ser…
mon was delivered on Sunday morning； and I was； I
think； almost the earliest arrival of the great con…
gregation which filled the church。 It was a wonder…
ful moment when I saw my first woman minister
enter her pulpit； and as I listened to her sermon；
thrilled to the soul； all my early aspirations to be…
come a minister myself stirred in me with cumulative
force。 After the services I hung for a time on the
fringe of the group that surrounded her； and at last；
when she was alone and about to leave； I found
courage to introduce myself and pour forth the tale
of my ambition。 Her advice was as prompt as if
she had studied my problem for years。
‘‘My child；'' she said； ‘‘give up your foolish idea
of learning a trade； and go to school。 You can't do
anything until you have an education。 Get it； and
get it NOW。''
Her suggestion was much to my liking； and I paid
her the compliment of acting on it promptly； for
the next morning I entered the Big Rapids High
School； which was also a preparatory school for col…
lege。 There I would study； I determined； as long
as my money held out； and with the optimism of
youth I succeeded in confining my imagination to
this side of that crisis。 My home； thanks to Mary；
was assured； the wardrobe I had brought from the
woods covered me sufficiently； to one who had
walked five and six miles a day for years； walking
to school held no discomfort； and as for pleasure；
I found it； like a heroine of fiction； in my studies。
For the first time life was smiling at me； and with
all my young heart I smiled back。
The preceptress of the high school was Lucy
Foot； a college graduate and a remarkable woman。
I had heard much of her sympathy and understand…
ing； and on the evening following my first day in
school I went to her and repeated the confidences
I had reposed in the Reverend Marianna Thompson。
My trust in her was justified。 She took an immedi…
ate interest in me； and proved it at once by putting
me into the speaking and debating classes； where I
was given every opportunity to hold forth to help…
less classmates when the spirit of eloquence moved
me。
As an aid to public speaking I was taught to ‘‘elo…
cute；'' and I remember in every mournful detail
the occasion on which I gave my first recitation。
We were having our monthly ‘‘public exhibition
night；'' and the audience included not only my class…
mates； but their parents and friends as well。 The
selection I intended to recite was a poem entitled
‘‘No Sects in Heaven；'' but when I faced my au…
dience I was so appalled by its size and by the sud…
den realization of my own temerity that I fainted
during the delivery of the first verse。 Sympathetic
classmates carried me into an anteroom and revived
me； after which they naturally assumed that the
entertainment I furnished was
