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The Log-Cabin Lady — An Anonymous Autobiography by Unknown
page 6 of 61 (09%)
her crying.

"Mary," she said, with a tenderness that was rare, "if I die, you must
take care of all your brothers and sisters. You will be the only woman
within eighteen miles."

I was ten years old.

That night and many other nights I lay awake, trembling at the
possibility of being left the only woman within eighteen miles.

But mother did not die. I must have been a sturdy child; for, with the
little help father and his homestead partner could spare, I kept that
home going until she was strong again.

Every fall the shoemaker made his rounds through the country, reaching
our place last, for beyond us lay only virgin forest and wild beasts.
His visit thrilled us more than the arrival of any king to-day. We had
been cut off from the world for months. The shoemaker brought news from
neighbors eighteen, forty, sixty, even a hundred and fifty miles away.
Usually he brought a few newspapers too, treasured afterward for months.
He remained, a royal guest, for many days, until all the family was
shod.

Up to my tenth birthday we could not afford the newspaper subscription.
But after that times were a little better, and the Boston Transcript
began to come at irregular intervals. It formed our only tie with
civilization, except for the occasional purely personal letter from
"back home."

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