The Young Emigrants; Madelaine Tube; the Boy and the Book; and Crystal Palace | Page 5

Uncle John,
laughing. "Those dirty creatures, as you call them, are our scavengers
while alive, and our food, candles, brushes, and I don't know what
besides, when dead! But look, Georgy! what say you to a ride?"
They turned a corner as he spoke, and beheld half a dozen boys
mounted on pigs, which squealed miserably as they trotted along, now
in the gutter, and now on the sidewalk, to the great discomfort of the
pedestrians. George was so moved by the fun, and encouraged by his
uncle's good-natured looks, that letting go his hand, he rushed after a
broad-backed old hog, which, loudly grunting, permitted himself to be
chased some short distance, and then, just as George thought he had
caught him, flopped over in a dirty hole in the gutter, bringing his
pursuer down upon him. The poor little fellow was in a sad condition
when Tom helped him up--his face and clothes covered with mud, and
his nose bleeding.
"You're strangers here, I guess," said a man who had witnessed the
whole affair, "or you would know that old fellow never lets a boy get

on his back. He's well known all over the city for that trick of his."
George did not recover his spirits during the remainder of the walk, and
was very glad to get home to his mother again, and have his poor
swelled nose tenderly bathed, and his stained clothes changed.
The next few days were busily employed in buying and packing the
things necessary for their future comfort; and Mr. Lee had reason to
rejoice that he had so good a counsellor and assistant as Uncle John.
Flour, Indian meal, molasses, pickled pork, sugar and tea, a couple of
rifles, powder and shot, axes saws, etc., a plough, spades and hoes, a
churn, etc., were the principal items of their purchases; and to convey
these, and the boxes they had brought from England, it was necessary
to hire one of the long, covered wagons of the country. Uncle John had
already bought, at a great bargain, a pair of fine oxen, and a strong
ox-cart. These were a great acquisition. Mrs. Lee was anxious to get a
cow and some poultry; but her brother advised her to wait, as they
would be so great a trouble on the journey, and it was, besides, most
probable that they could be procured from their nearest neighbor--a
settler about ten miles from their place.
Early one bright morning, they started for their new home, the wagon
taking the lead. It was drawn by four strong horses, driven by Mr. Jones,
from whom it had been hired, and contained the best of the goods: the
beds were arranged on the boxes within, so as to form comfortable
seats for Mrs. Lee, Annie, and the two little ones. The ox-cart followed,
guided by Uncle John, assisted by Mr. Lee and Tom, both of whom
were desirous to learn the art of ox-driving, of which they were to have
so much by-and-by. The journey was long and wearisome; and it was
not until the evening of the fifth day after leaving Cincinnati, that they
arrived at Painted Posts--a village about twenty miles distant from their
destination. From this place the road became almost impassible, and the
toil of travelling very disheartening. They were frequently obliged to
make a long circuit to avoid some monster tree which had fallen just
across the track, and to ford streams whose stony beds and
swift-flowing waters presented a fearful aspect. Mr Jones the wagoner
walked nearly all day at the head of the foremost pair of horses, with

his axe in his hand, every now and then taking off a slice of the bark of
the trees as he passed. Annie watched him for some time with great
curiosity.
"What can he do it for?" said she to her mother. "Please ask him,
mother?"
"We call it blazing the track, Marm," replied Mr. Jones to Mrs. Lee's
inquiry. "You see, in this new country, where there's no sartain road,
we're obliged to mark the trees as we go, if we want to come back the
same way. Now, these 'ere blazed trees will guide me to Painted Posts
without any trouble, when I've left you at your place."
At sunset on the sixth day, they found themselves within five miles of
the end of the journey, happily without having experienced worse than
a good deal of jolting and some occasional frights. As it was impossible
to travel after dark, they camped for the night near a spring on the road
side. A good fire was kindled at the foot of a large tree, the kettle slung
over it by the help of three crossed sticks; and while Mrs. Lee and
Annie got out