The Allis Family

The Allis Family; or, Scenes of
Western Life

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Title: The Allis Family; or, Scenes of Western Life
Author: American Sunday School Union

Release Date: May, 2005 [EBook #8083] [Yes, we are more than one
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THE ALLIS FAMILY;
OR,
SCENES OF WESTERN LIFE
* * * * *
_Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1858 by the
AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION, in the Clerk's Office of the
District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania._
* * * * *
No books are published by the AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL
UNION _without the sanction of the Committee of Publication,
consisting of fourteen members, from the following denominations of
Christians, viz.: Baptist, Methodist, Congregational, Episcopal,
Presbyterian, Lutheran, and, Reformed Dutch. Not more than three of
the members can be of the same denomination, and no book can be
published to which any member of the Committee shall object._
* * * * *

THE ALLIS FAMILY.
Mr. and Mrs. Allis lived away out West, on a broad prairie, where Mr.

Allis was busily engaged in "making a farm." Perhaps some of my
young readers, who have always been accustomed to see farms already
"made," will not understand what I mean by "making a farm;" and I
will try to tell them.
First of all, let them try to fancy a large meadow, either perfectly flat or
a little uneven, as large, perhaps, as can be measured with the eye, and
sometimes without a single tree, or scarcely a clump of bushes. There
will be no fences in sight, and sometimes no streams of water, but the
surface of the ground is covered with high, coarse grass. This is what
Western people call a "prairie."
In order to "make a farm," this ground must be ploughed, or, as
Western people say, "broken up." Some of the children would smile, I
think, if they were to see a regular "breaking team" before a "breaking
plough." This plough is quite unlike that which is used in the older
States, and it takes five, six, and sometimes as many as eight yoke of
oxen to draw it. This ploughing is usually done in June. After
ploughing, the ground must be enclosed, and then it is ready for the
seed.
Some people make curious mistakes when they undertake to make a
new farm. Mr. Allis was one of these persons. He arrived at the little
town of B----, with his family, late in the fall, and immediately set
about looking for a location. Several miles from B---- he found a place
that seemed to suit him. The soil was rich, and apparently inexhaustible;
but it was poorly watered, and destitute of any timber suitable for
building or fencing, and there was very little which was fit for fuel. The
great thing he thought of was a large farm.
After a while he found out his mistake, but it was too late for him to
help it, for his money was nearly all expended for land. But Mr. Allis
was a resolute man, and he immediately set himself to work to do the
best he could. It was a long walk to the grove where he went every day
to cut down trees for his cabin, and to split rails for his fence, and a
whole day's work to go twice with his oxen to draw the logs and rails to
his farm. But he rose early, and was ready to begin his work with the
dawn. On rainy and stormy days, when he could not be out, he