adjoining the town, and the joy of meeting her was overshadowed by the
thought that she had come to a homeless wilderness, while expecting
something so different; and when she asked repeatedly if the cottage
was ready, and when he was going to take her to see it, in his
unhappiness he avoided a direct reply, which, with the ominous silence
of the good friends by whom they were entertained, led her to
conjecture how matters stood; and one day she lifted the weight in a
measure from his heart by saying,--

"It would be very strange, while almost everybody in a new country are
obliged to live in log cabins, if we should be enough better off to
put up a framed house. I don't believe you have been able to yet; it
is too much to expect. But never mind; if others can live within log
walls for the sake of making money, we certainly can for a higher
motive."

"Just like yourself," said he, gratefully, relating the facts as we
have recited them.

"But what are we going to do?" she inquired; "we ought not to think of
accepting the hospitality of this generous-hearted family much longer.
Their house is already so crowded, it puts them to great
inconvenience."

"I am aware of it," said her husband. "Mr. Palmer has a little cabin
which he has offered me for temporary use until I can put up something
on my claim; but it is so rough and lonely, that on your account I
have not felt like saying anything to you about it."

"O," said she, merrily, "do take me there to-day; it would be so
romantic to live in a log cabin."

So, their host's team being chartered, they went to look at the
"rent." It was a funny wee loggery, hastily put up for pre-emption
purpose, standing in a small, enclosed field near the river, two miles
from town, the nearest neighbor being Mr. Jones, who lived a mile and
a half farther down the stream.

Mr. Palmer, in anticipation of the visit, had been there before them,
and put in a whole glass window, laid the rough boards, that
constituted the floor, more closely, and put up some shelves for a
cupboard in a corner.

"This is elegance itself!" exclaimed the little woman, laughing
heartily: "get a few chairs, and a stove, husband, and we'll move
right in; and see," she added, looking out of the door; "there are
potatoes here that have not been dug--quite a crop: perhaps you can
buy the right to use them."

"O, yes," replied her husband; "brother Palmer says we can have the
use of the cabin free, and all th