pgs 118 thru 121

She, at one time a beautiful Southern lady, said "and to think we have come to this after all the fine homes and things we've had!"  As my brother lifted her from the wagon, her hair had become mussed up and somewhat unkempt looking, and her clothes disarranged or ruffled from being in the wagon. But she felt better when they went inside where it was warm.
We were expecting them, and Mother had a big roast beef dinner cooked and also fresh baked bread, The children were tickled like all children, and romped around from room to room. Not satisfied with that, they went upstairs to investigate while their father drove on up to their home to unload the furniture.  Father went along to help, and after caring for the team, came in and sat down to one of my Mother's good dinners.
The children wanted to go outside next, having looked the house over; but it was unfit weather and instead of getting better, the storm grew worse for December came in with a blizzard, and by morning, when it finally subsided, the snow was quite deep.  So father was glad he had gotten the last three loads of wood and glad they had given my brother one of them.
I went up to their home a few days after they were settled, and it was just as cozy as could be.  They had a nice size bedroom, front room, and kitchen.  My sister-in-law said, "We are happy, and we are comfortable, and it's just fine, but we seem to be out of the world."  I said, "not exactly. You see, you as well as we have 160 acres, as each having that amount, our hoses couldn't very well be close together.  But you are only about two hundred feet from our house. "  She smiled and said, "she was thankful for that."  She was expecting again and at those times, one doesn't feel so good.  The children, though, seemed to be having the time of their lives. Everything was all right with them, and to run down to grandma's and grandpa's was something they liked to do and thought it fun to carry in the wood their daddy chopped.  He told them to keep them warm.  Grandma was their idol,, though, when she saved nice things for them, candy and etc.  Grandpa became their idol also when he made sleds for them to coast and play in the snow on.  When the weather cleared away, my brother took Jim's wagon and team back and Father went along with his wagon and team and hauled the remainder of their household furniture which my sister in law was glad to get.   Mother settled herself to doing some sewing and cutting out goods for house dresses.  She cut and fitted and had us do the sewing.  My sister never cared for things like that, like my older sister did. who did most of the sewing when at home.  but she was now too busy with her own children.  They were still in Portland but had become dissatisfied somewhat since we had moved away.  We received letters every once in a while, wanting to know what we thought of Idaho.  We did not encourage them too much, but rather they see for themselves. The days seemed to go by somewhat faster then.  We figured we would have no more snow storms for a while, but the last snow did not seem to disappear as had the others we had had earlier.  Jim's letters came regularly, and I tried to keep them answered and mailed.  My sister went to parties occasionally I still declined until I got a letter from Jim saying he had gone to a Methodist Young Peoples' party and had taken a certain young lady home.  And a week after that, he said he had gone skating with a bunch of young folks.  And there I sat thinking I was engaged and supposed to be dutiful and stay home and wait.  So when my cowboy friend came again one day and said he would try asking me one more time if I would go to a party with him, I said I would.  He seemed stunned for a moment and then happy. He said he'd be there on that certain date.  My sister's escort had not arrived as yet on that date, so we said she could go with us .  But about the time we were ready to go. the other fellow showed up.  It was a wonderful party, young people were there from all over.  One wouldn't think there were that many young people in the country with ranches so fare apart.   But we really had a lovely time, playing games, etc. but all the time I was there I felt like I was cheating on Jim.  When my escort took me home, I did not give him a chance to sit and talk a while before getting out of the buggy.  Instead, I started to get out myself.  He jumped out quickly and finished helping me out.  He went in the house with me but I did little talking.  He began coming oftener.  And when we asked for the mail three different times at the post office, we were told there wasn't any.  And finally, one day, we went and only the old postmaster was there at the window.  Well he said, "I don't believe there is any. " I said, "there must be."  He hunted around for a while and said, "Oh! there's some mail up on top here, I'll see."  And there were three letters from Jim, the letters that I should have been getting , One each day.  I wrote and told Jim why I hadn't been getting his letters.  He said he didn't think they could get lost between Rupert and Sublett, said he figured they had been misplaced some way or another.  Jim did not get to come again until the day before Christmas, and my brother and father cut a load of Christmas trees and Harry took them to Rupert about a week before.  It was a bitter cold afternoon when he left, and he had to drive with a slow team and wagon until about three a.m. in the morning.  Before he got there, he said on the way he stopped at Raft River, fed the horses, made a fire, and some hot coffee, and ate cold sandwiches.  He said that was the coldest ride he had ever taken, his face felt frozen when he got to Raft River, and before he left, the moon started to rise form behind the mountain peak. which was a big help to him.  When he finally got around the point of the mountain, the Rupert lights loomed up.  It seemed like a miracle, and when he got to Rupert, he soon disposed of his trees, but misfortune was his lot. for one of the horses got pneumonia and died.  Then he had to buy another horse before returning home.  The team of horses belonged to father and father felt badly about my brother's misfortune which we learned about after he returned home.  His wife and children were so happy to see him.  She worried so when he left late in the day. and the weather being so cold.  A trip at night would be nothing unusual in the summer, for that would be the coolest time to cross that flat desert like-valley.  Time had elapsed and Mother was planning her Christmas dinner.  She had a fruit cake and wondered if I would like to make other cakes, still thinking of all the cakes I had made foe Thanksgiving and how Jim and teased me, I thought for a while , then said, "O.K., I'll make two." so the next day I made the two cakes, and the following day would be when Jim would come.  I used the binoculars he had left me to good advantage to see things on a distant hill or in the canyon.  They were very handy to have, and that morning, when  I thought it was time, I kept them focused on the top of the hill where he would first come to view.  I had not long to wait when Beauty came into view.  She was coming at a pretty fair rate of speed down the snowy road.  I ran from the front room, through the kitchen saying.  "He's here!" "Who?" Mother asked.  "Jim," I answered, slamming the kitchen door behind me.  And there he was, jumping from the buggy and grabbing me at the same time, saying, "It was hard to stay away this long, but it isn't easy to get your stock cared for these winter days."  We went into to kitchen where Mother was busy.  He patted her on the shoulder saying. "you don't know how glad I am to be back.  It seems more like home out here, Mother. "  He caller her that for the first time.
He had a pretty package in one hand, I had seen him take it from the buggy seat. And when he brought his hand from his right pocket there was another very small package.  Showing it to me, he said "this is what I have been wanting to bring you ever since we were engaged."  My heart beat a little faster, for I had begun to guess to myself what it was.
So that night, after supper, he would not keep me in suspense any longer.  Opening the smaller package first, he was soon down to a small velvet box, opening it and holding it for me to see, then, lifting it out, held my hand while he slipped it on the third finger iof my left hand, a gleaming diamond, and stooping, sealed it with a kiss.  It was truly beautiful, and I went around holding my hand so all could see.  The second package we opened together the next morning.  It proved to be a White House cookbook, something I prized and treasured very much.  I enjoyed looking though it and reading all the wonderful recipes.  My sister's young man grind came for dinner, also  It was a grand dinner, the kind Mother was noted for.  I did not make the mistake of giving Jim too much cake! I was going to make him ask for it when the ice cream was passed, but Mother asked what kind of cake he would like before I could carry out my plan.  Then I saw Mother pass a piece of black walnut cake to him.  He said it was his favorite.  I did not squeak once that I had made it.  I just as soon he thought Mother did.  When he turned to me and said,  "you are improving in your cake making.  This is much better than the ones you had Thanksgiving!" "Thanks" I answered, "Glad you like it".  and to my surprise he asked for another small piece, which I passed to him. Jim was quite proud of the gold tie clasp with a forget-me- not and a good luck horseshoe I had given him for Christmas, told me os several times, and I kept telling him how proud I was of my diamond. 
As we drove along in the buggy together after dinner, going to the Post Office to get a the mail, he said he knew there was a letter from him.,  The chilly snowy air made our faces pink with cold, but ewe were happy with a fur lap robe, like they used in buggies, over our lap.  The closer we got to the Post Office, the more brisk and chilly the wind got.  And here we passed the country school where we had gone to several basket socials.  A few homestead cabins here and there, and as we drove along some looked out, so Jim and I began to sing as Beauty trotted along.  "home in the Valley." "'Neath the Maple shade." and then this one; "There's a light every night, just to show the way, a kiss for me at the door. 'tis the homesteader's home," rang through the clear, cold crisp air, over the sage brush valley.
Nearing the Post Office now, several cowboys had ridden in ahead of us to get their mail.  I discovered one of them was my cowboy friend, so he got the mail for us.  I went in to get it and in picking up the mail, held my hand so he could see my diamond.  He tried to make a date for another party.  But I said, "I didn't think so" Well, he said as I started to leave,  "I see your Rupert friend is here again. Why can't he go with a girl at Rupert?" I said, "he did , and now he comes over here to see her. "  And we bother laughed as I left. 
Jim was waiting for me in the buggy He wanted to know why I had been so long.  "oh," I said, "just talking."  Jim said "he doesn't worry my now"  and turning Beauty around, we were re-tracing the trail we came over, much faster now for Beauty seemed to want to get home but we turned off and went down by what would be our place, giving the small valley the once over where we planned our home.