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ing toward great developments of the future。 To
him an acorn was not an acorn； but a forest of young
oaks。
Thus； when he took up his claim of three hundred
and sixty acres of land in the wilderness of northern
Michigan； and sent my mother and five young chil…
dren to live there alone until he could join us eighteen
months later； he gave no thought to the manner in
which we were to make the struggle and survive
the hardships before us。 He had furnished us with
land and the four walls of a log cabin。 Some day；
he reasoned； the place would be a fine estate； which
his sons would inherit and in the course of time pass
on to their sonsalways an Englishman's most iri…
descent dream。 That for the present we were one
hundred miles from a railroad； forty miles from the
nearest post…office； and half a dozen miles from any
neighbors save Indians； wolves； and wildcats； that
we were wholly unlearned in the ways of the woods
as well as in the most primitive methods of farming；
that we lacked not only every comfort； but even
the bare necessities of life； and that we must begin；
single…handed and untaught； a struggle for existence
in which some of the severest forces of nature would
be arrayed against usthese facts had no weight
in my father's mind。 Even if he had witnessed my
mother's despair on the night of our arrival in our
new home； he would not have understood it。 From
his viewpoint； he was doing a man's duty。 He was
working steadily in Lawrence； and； incidentally；
giving much time to the Abolition cause and to
other big public movements of his day which had
his interest and sympathy。 He wrote to us regu…
larly and sent us occasional remittances； as well as
a generous supply of improving literature for our
minds。 It remained for us to strengthen our bodies；
to meet the conditions in which he had placed us；
and to survive if we could。
We faced our situation with clear and unalarmed
eyes the morning after our arrival。 The problem
of food； we knew； was at least temporarily solved。
We had brought with us enough coffee； pork； and
flour to last for several weeks； and the one necessity
father had put inside the cabin walls was a great
fireplace； made of mud and stones； in which our food
could be cooked。 The problem of our water…supply
was less simple； but my brother James solved it for
the time by showing us a creek a long distance from
the house； and for months we carried from this
creek； in pails； every drop of water we used； save
that which we caught in troughs when the rain fell。
We held a family council after breakfast； and in this；
though I was only twelve； I took an eager and determined
part。 I loved workit has always been my favorite form
of recreationand my spirit rose to the opportunities of it
which smiled on us from every side。 Obviously the first
thing to do was to put doors and windows into the
yawning holes father had left for them； and to lay a board
flooring over the earth inside our cabin walls； and these
duties we accomplished before we had occupied our new
home a fortnight。 There was a small saw…mill nine miles
from our cabin； on the spot that is now Big Rapids； and
there we bought our lumber。 The labor we supplied
ourselves； and though we put our hearts into it and the
results at the time seemed beautiful to our partial eyes； I
am forced to admit； in looking back upon them； that they
halted this side of perfection。 We began by making three
windows and two doors； then； inspired by these
achievements； we ambitiously constructed an attic and
divided the ground floor with partitions； which gave us
four rooms。
The general effect was temperamental and sketchy。
The boards which formed the floor were never even
nailed down； they were fine； wide planks without a knot in
them； and they looked so well that we merely fitted them
together as closely as we could and lightheartedly let them
go at that。 Neither did we properly chink the house。
Nothing is more comfortable than a log cabin which has
been carefully built
and finished； but for some reasonprobably because
there seemed always a more urgent duty calling to us
around the cornerwe never plastered our house at all。
The result was that on many future winter mornings we
awoke to find ourselves chastely blanketed by snow； while
the only warm spot in our living…room was that directly in
front of the fireplace； where great logs burned all day。
Even there our faces scorched while our spines slowly
congealed； until we learned to revolve before the fire like a
bird upon a spit。 No doubt we would have worked more
thoroughly if my brother James； who was twenty years
old and our tower of strength； had remained with us； but
when we had been in our new home only a few months he
fell and was forced to go East for an operation。 He was
never able to return to us； and thus my mother； we three
young girls； and my youngest brotherHarry； who was
only eight years oldmade our fight alone until father
came to us； more than a year later。
Mother was practically an invalid。 She had a nervous
affection which made it impossible for her to stand
without the support of a chair。 But she sewed with
unusual skill； and it was due to her that our clothes；
notwithstanding the strain to which we subjected them；
were always in good condition。 She sewed for hours every
day； and she was able to move about the house； after a
fashion； by pushing herself around on a stool which James
made for her as soon as we arrived。 He also built for her a
more comfortable chair with a high back。
The division of labor planned at the first council
was that mother should do our sewing； and my older
sisters； Eleanor and Mary； the housework； which
was far from taxing； for of course we lived in the
simplest manner。 My brothers and I were to do
the work out of doors； an arrangement that suited
me very well； though at first； owing to our lack of
experience； our activities were somewhat curtailed。
It was too late in the season for plowing or planting；
even if we had possessed anything with which to
plow； and； moreover； our so…called ‘‘cleared'' land
was thick with sturdy tree…stumps。 Even during
the second summer plowing was impossible； we
could only plant potatoes and corn； and follow the
most primitive method in doing even this。 We took
an ax； chopped up the sod； put the seed under it；
and let the seed grow。 The seed did grow； tooin
the most gratifying and encouraging manner。 Our
green corn and potatoes were the best I have ever
eaten。 But for the present we lacked these luxuries。
We had； however； in their place； large quantities
of wild fruitgooseberries； raspberries； and plums
which Harry and I gathered on the banks of our
creek。 Harry also became an expert fisherman。
We had no hooks or lines； but he took wires from
our hoop…skirts and made snar