Mr.  Spalding  said  to  his  wife,  recently  from  a  bed  of
lingering  sickness,  "  It  is  not  your  duty  to  go  ;  your
health  forbids,  but  it  shall  be  left  to  you  after  we  have
prayed  together."  Thus  talking  back  and  forth  between
the  sleighs,  that  were  inverted  wagons,  and  with  each
other,  they  entered  the  little  backwoods  village  of  How-
ard and  drew  rein  before  the  small  tavern.  They  took
counsel  together  from  on  high,  when  the  young  bride
was  left  alone  for  her  conclusion.  Ten  minutes  and  a
cheerful  face  brought  the  answer  :  "  I  have  made  up  my
mind  for  Oregon."

At  once  her  husband  pleaded  her  weak  state  —  the
fatigues  and  privations  of  so  long  a  journey  —  three  thou-
sand miles  at  least — and  two  thousand  of  it  in  saddle
and  canoe  and  on  foot  —  the  Indians  frantic  for  captives
and  revenge  —  distance  from  the  old  home  and  a  white
man's  neighborhood — and  all  that  and  all  that.  The
answer  was  ready ;  and  probably  man  or  woman  never
came  nearer,  in  giving  it,  to  the  spirit  of  its  author:
"  What  mean  ye  to  weep  and  to  break  mine  heart  ?  For
I  am  ready  not  to  be  bound  only  but  also  to  die  on  the
Rocky  Mountains  for  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus."


A  LONG  BRIDAL   TOUR.  129

When  detailing  these  incidents  thirty-four  years  af-
terward Mr.  Spalding  said,  with  charming  simplicity :
"  Then  I  had  to  come  to  it.  I  did  not  know  anything."
We  admire  the  heroism  rather  than  the  reasoning  of  the
feeble  woman ;  but  ardor  not  unfrequently  does  more
than  logic  in  producing  noble  results.
It  was  all  settled  then  at  the  little  village  of  Howard.
