y's apron-strings," and I wuz
calm agin.

But all the time I wuz there talkin' to them noble wimmen, dear to me
because they're tacklin' the most needed work under the heavens,
wagin' the most holy war, and tacklin' it without any help as you may
say from Uncle Sam, good-natered, shiftless old creeter, well meanin',
I believe, but jest led in blinders up and down the earth by the
Whiskey Power that controls State and Church to-day, and they may
dispute it if they want to, but it is true as the book of Job, and
fuller of biles and all other impurities and tribulations than Job
ever wuz, and heaven only knows how it is goin' to end.

But to resoom backwards. Lofty and inspirin' wuz the talks I had with
the noble ones whose names are on the list of temperance here and the
Lamb's Book of Life. How our hearts burnt within us, and how the
"blest tie that binds" seemed to link us clost together; when, alas!
in my soarinest moments, as I looked off with my mind's eye onto a
dark world beginnin' to be belted and lightened by the White Ribbon,
my heart fell almost below my belt ribbin' as I thought of one who had
talked light about my W. T. C. U. doin's, but wuz at heart a believer
and a abstainer and a member of the Jonesville Sons of Temperance.

A little later we stood and looked on one of the great grain
elevators, histin' up in its strong grip hull fields of wheat and corn
at a time. Ah! among all the wonderin' and awe-struck admiration of
them about me, how my mind soared off on the dear bald head afar, he
who had so often sowed the spring and reaped the autumn ears on the
hills and dales of Jonesville, sweet land! dear one! when should I see
thee again?

And as we walked through one of the enormous stock yards, oh! how the
bellerin' of them cattle confined there put me in mind of the choice
of my youth and joy of my middle age. Wuz he too bellerin' at that
moment, shet up as he wuz by environin' circumstances from her he
worshipped.

And so it went on, sad things put me in mind of him and joyful things,
all, all speakin' of him, and how, how wuz I to brook the separation?
But I will cease to harrow the reader's tender bosom. Dry your tears,
reader, I will proceed onwards.

The next day we sot off for California, via Salt Lake and Denver.

Jest as we left the tarven at Chicago our mail wuz put in our hands,
forwarded by the Jonesville postmaster accordin' to promise; but not a
word from my pardner, roustin' up my a