The New Penelope and Other Stories and Poems | Page 4

My husband was strong and cheerful, now that he was
having his own way; the baby throve on fresh air and good milk--for
we had milch cows with us--and the summer months on the grassy
plains are delightful, except for rather frequent thunder storms. The
grass was good, and our cattle in fine order. Everything went well until
the cholera broke out among us."
"And then?"
"And then my husband died."
"Ah, what have not pioneer women endured!"
"Mr. Greyfield had from the first been regarded as a sort of leader.
Without saying much, but by being always in the right place at the right
time, he had gained an ascendancy over the less courageous, strong and
decided men. When the cholera came he was continually called upon to
nurse the sick, to bury the dead and comfort the living."
"And so became the easier victim?"
My remark was unheeded, while my hostess lived over again in
recollection the fearful scenes of the cholera season on the plains. I
wanted to divert her, and called her attention to the roaring of the wind
and beating of the rain without.
"Yes," she said; "it stormed just in that way the night before he died.
We all were drenched to the skin, and he was not in a condition to bear
the exposure. I was myself half sick with fever, and when the shock
came I became delirious. When I came to myself we were a hundred
and fifty miles away from the place where he died."
"How dreadful!" I could not help exclaiming. "Not even to know how
and where he was buried."
"Nor if he were buried at all. So frightened were the people in our train

that they could not be prevailed upon to take proper care of the sick and
dying, nor pay proper respect to the dead. After my reason returned, the
one subject that I could not bear to have mentioned was that of my
husband's death. Some of the men belonging to the train had taken
charge of my affairs and furnished a driver for the wagon I was in. The
women took care of Benton; and I lived, who would much rather have
died. Probably I should have died, but for the need I felt, when I could
think, of somebody to care for, support and educate my child. My
constitution was good; and that, with the anxiety about Benton, made it
possible for me to live."
"My dear friend," I exclaimed; "what a dreadful experience! I wonder
that you are alive and sit there talking to me, this moment."
"You will wonder more before I have done," she returned, with what
might be termed a superior sort of smile at my inexperience.
"But how did you get to Oregon?" I asked, interrupting her again.
"Our train was about at the place where the Oregon and California
emigrants parted company, when I recovered my reason and strength
enough to have any concern about where I was going. Some of those
who had started for Oregon had determined to go to California; and the
most particular friend Mr. Greyfield had in the train had decided to go
to Oregon instead of to California, as he first intended. Now, when my
husband was hopeless of his own recovery, he had given me in charge
of this man, with instructions to be governed by him in all my business
affairs; and I had no thought of resisting his will, though that bequest
was the cause of the worst sorrows of my life, by compelling me to go
to Oregon."
"Why cannot people be contented with ruling while living, without
subjecting others to the domination of an irrevocable will, when they
are no longer able to mold or govern circumstances. I beg your pardon.
Pray go on. But first let me inquire whether the person to whom you
were commanded to trust your affairs proved trustworthy?"
"As trustworthy as nearly absolute power on one side, and timid

inexperience on the other, is likely to make any one. When we arrived
finally in Portland, he took my wagons and cattle off my hands, and
returned me next to nothing for them. Yet, he was about like the
average administrator; it did not make much difference, I suppose,
whether this one man got my property, or a probate court."
"Poor child! I can see just how you were situated. Alone in a new
country, with a baby on your hands, and without means to make a
home for yourself. What did you do? did you never think of going back
to your parents?"
"How could I get back? The tide of travel was not in that direction.
Besides, I had neither money nor a sufficient outfit. There was no
communication by mail