‘ ’9 ~‘ AfA __

PIONEERS or: GLADSTONE ' 4

We started out again, nineteen all told, in a small
rcovered wagon. The winter was rapidly approaching. \We
were travelling over wild open prairie with scarcely a hab-
itation to be seen. During daylight, we pressed on as rap~
idly as we could. Fortunately our driver had been over
the trail before, so we were generally able to reach a hab—
itation before darkness set in. Each morning we passed
through the same routine of the previous day. After, a
hurried breakfast, the team was harnessed and the children
were hustled in to the covered wagon. Many a trial was
forgotten through the kindness of those who kept “open
house” by the side of the road. Accomodation at the
various stopping [places was very limited. I remember our
driver pulling up one evening to a little log house. We
were all tired and hungry. The one room and bed was
assigned to Mrs. Anderson and my mother; the rest of us
led a lshake—dOWn on the floor. As soon as we entered
the threshold, the owner took out a loaf of bread, cut it in
slices, buttered it, and in addition brought out a few
spanish onions which he handed to the children, saying,
“the poor children must be hungry.” We have never had
anything that tasted just so good as the bread and onions
on that .day.

\Vhirl’e we slept peacefully on the floor that night, the
man. and his wife were kept very busy. They spent the
night cooking biscuits and baking bread. Nineteen guests
arriving late after a day spent in the open air, meant a
need for a full cupboard. There were no canned goods to
fall back upon; no grocery store around the corner; no
friendly neighbor, from whom they might borrow.

After some days of arduousetravel, we came in sight
of a village consisting of a few houses scattered here and
”there without any apparent regularity. Our driver informed

us, this was Fort Garry.