My early years were spent
in work and play. Law and order was the rule, but none of us were
unhappy by the restraint. It was an education that has made the men
and women of our family what they are today. We were home keepers as
well as entertainers.
Having traveled so much during our lifetime, changing from one city to
another, we were not afraid to take this last long journey. The
difficulty was what to take, especially of many of the heirlooms that
mother still retained from her girlhood home. After inquiry and
instructions from the steamship company, we found to our dismay that
no furniture could go, as there was no way of getting it over the
Isthmus. All our long-cherished household furniture must remain
behind. Only things that could be taken up in small boats were
allowed. Kind friends of the congregation made their choice and took
them as keepsakes in remembrance of us when we were far away. This act
of kindness was much appreciated by mother, who suffered much anguish
of mind to see the familiar things of her girlhood scattered here and
there and her claim to them forever gone. She had heretofore been able
to go willingly to different places because the familiar things made
it homelike when settled in new surroundings, but this time all must
be left behind. California was too far--she was going out to the
great unknown world, far from civilization, not knowing what was
before her. If everything else had to be left, she still retained the
affection of her children, and we were as watchful of her happiness
and comfort as if we were her keeper.
Pages:
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48