nd lovable women I have ever seen,
and their marriage is an ideal one. Both are fitted to shine in any
society, but neither had the slightest knowledge of domestic and
farming details. Dr. H. did not know how to saddle or harness a horse.
Mrs. H. did not know whether you should put an egg into cold or hot
water when you meant to boil it! They arrived at Longmount, bought up
this claim, rather for the beauty of the scenery than for any
substantial advantages, were cheated in land, goods, oxen, everything,
and, to the discredit of the settlers, seemed to be regarded as fair
game. Everything has failed with them, and though they "rise early,
and late take rest, and eat the bread of carefulness," they hardly keep
their heads above water. A young Swiss girl, devoted to them both,
works as hard as they do. They have one horse, no wagon, some poultry,
and a few cows, but no "hired man." It is the hardest and least ideal
struggle that I have ever seen made by educated people. They had all
their experience to learn, and they have bought it by losses and
hardships. That they have learnt so much surprises me. Dr. H. and
these two ladies built the upper room and the addition to the house
without help. He has cropped the land himself, and has learned the
difficult art of milking cows. Mrs. H. makes all the clothes required
for a family of six, and her evenings, when the hard day's work is done
and she is ready to drop from fatigue, are spent in mending and
patching. The day is one long GRIND, without rest or enjoyment, or the
pleasure of chance intercourse with cultivated people. The few
visitors who have "happened in" are the thrifty wives of prosperous
settlers, full of housewifely pride, whose one object seems to be to
make Mrs. H. feel her inferiority to themselves. I wish she did take a
more genuine interest in the "coming-on" of the last calf, the
prospects of the squash crop, and the yield and price of butter; but
though she has learned to make excellent butter and bread, it is all
against the grain. The children are delightful. The little boys are
refined, courteous, childish gentlemen, with love and tenderness to
their parents in all their words and actions. Never a rough or harsh
word is heard within the house. But the atmosphere of struggles and
difficulties has already told on these infants. They consider their
mother in all things, going without butter when they think the stock is
low, bringing in woo