o bury her dead in
the plot of land he had saved from the fire, at the cost of his life.
A rough wooden box was made to contain the remains of the brave husband
and loving father, and a grave was dug in a corner of the wheatfield.
Four or five neighbours, all who lived within a radius of ten miles,
attended the funeral, and tried to cheer the hearts of the widow and
orphans by sympathetic words and kind and thoughtful actions. Tenderly
they bore the body of Abram Garfield to its last resting-place and
committed it to the earth, without a prayer except the silent ones
which no ear but God's heard.

Then they accompanied the bereaved ones back to their own desolate
home. How desolate it was, none who read this book can fully realise.
To be alone in the wilderness is an awful experience, which intensified
the loss a hundred-fold.

CHAPTER IV.

THE FOUR SAPLINGS.

The Father's Dying Charge--Advised to give up the Farm--A Noble
Resolve--Brave little Thomas--A Hard Time of Trial--The Harvest that
saved the Family.

Mrs. Garfield had no time to nurse her sorrow. She knew that she must
be up and doing, for she had to be both father and mother to her
children. "The four saplings" which the dying father had committed to
her care were so young that she could scarcely expect much assistance
from them.

Winter was fast approaching, and the strong arm of the husband and
father would have been severely taxed to supply all the wants of the
family. Without the breadwinner there seemed to be nothing before them
but starvation. Uncle Boynton was consulted, and he advised his
sister-in-law to give up her farm and return to her friends. He said
that she could not hope to carry it on alone, and by her unaided
efforts support her children.

Mrs. Garfield saw how dark the future was, and yet she could not follow
the advice so kindly given. She thought of the lonely grave in the
wheatfield, and declared that nothing would induce her to move away
from that sacred spot. She felt somehow that she derived comfort and
support from the knowledge that she was near the dead husband, who had
prepared this home for her and her children. Added to this feeling,
there was the self-respect which independence always brings. She saw
that if she sold her farm, which was only partly paid for, the money
she received would be swallowed up in paying debts, and in the cost of
the removal of her family. But this would leave her and her c