the most
aggravating feature of the illness was that it developed the week that
sister Elitha and Mr. Benjamin W. Wilder were married in Sacramento;
and when they reached Sonoma on their wedding tour, we could not visit
with them, because neither had had the disease.

They came to our house, and we had a hurried little talk with a closed
window between us, and were favorably impressed by our tall "Brother
Ben," who had very blue eyes and soft brown hair. He was the second of
the three Wilder brothers, who had been among the early gold-seekers,
and tried roughing it in the mines. Though a native of Rhode Island,
and of Puritan ancestry, he was quite Western in appearance.

Though not a wealthy man, he had a competency, for he and his elder
brother were owners of an undivided half of Ranchos de los Cazadores
(three leagues of land in Sacramento Valley), which was well stocked
with horned cattle and good horses. He was also interested in a stage
line running between Sacramento and the gold regions. He encouraged
Elitha in her wish to make us members of their household, and the home
they had to offer us was convenient to public schools; yet for obvious
reasons they were now silent on the subject.

CHAPTER XXX

IDEALS AND LONGINGS--THE FUTURE--CHRISTMAS.

At the time of which I now speak, I was in my eleventh year, but older
in feeling and thought. I had ideals and wanted to live up to them, and
my way was blocked by difficulties. Often, in the cowyard, I would say
to the dumb creatures before me,

"I shall milk you dry, and be kind to you as long as I stay; but I
shall not always be here doing this kind of work."

These feelings had been growing since the beginning of grandpa's
partnership in that bar-room. Neither he nor grandma saw harm in the
business. They regarded it as a convenient place where men could meet
and spend a social evening, and where strangers might feel at home.
Yet, who could say that harm did not emanate from that bar? I could not
but wish that grandpa had no interest in it. I did not want to blame
him, for he was kind by nature, and had been more than benefactor to
Georgia and me.

Fond recollection was ever bringing to mind joys he had woven into our
early childhood. Especially tender and precious thoughts were
associated with that night long ago when he hurried home to inspect a
daguerreotype that had just been taken. Grandma handed it to him with
the complaisant remark, "Mine and G