Three Young Pioneers / A Story of the Early Settlement of Our Country

"Come to me, children," said Mrs. Bradley invitingly; "I will be a mother to you, my darlings. You shall not be a burden to the community, but I will take care of you myself."

Having said this, she seized the little boy and his sister and pressed them to her heart, while tears trickled down her full, rosy cheeks.

"Now you little sweethearts," she said soothingly, "you must not be afraid of me. Let me wipe your tears, and then you will come with me to my quarters, and I will give you something very, very good to eat. But by all means don't cry anymore."

The children snuggled up to her and she took them by their hands, away from the crowd which had frightened them by their curious stares. There was a sigh of relief when the woman had promised to take care of them, for all on shipboard were glad that the two orphans had found a protector.

"God bless thee, Sister Clara," said the minister; "the Lord will reward thee, after thy goodness, both here and hereafter. Nor will He ever forsake or leave thee with the extra burden imposed on thee."

"The children are no burden," the woman replied; "but rather a godsend, for both my husband and I have longed for two little angels like these long ago. How they will comfort our hearts in those weary hours of winter when the days are so short and the nights so long! And, please you, sir, there will be enough for us to eat, for the good Lord has blessed us abundantly. But I must not delay to attend to them; so kindly excuse me, I must go."

The minister looked after her with grateful eyes, and then turned to the men and women standing around him.

"A pious woman she is," he said; "a rich reward will be hers for her great kindness."

Then the congregation dispersed, each family departing for the cabins and quarters where they lodged during the long, long voyage over the Atlantic.

Traveling at that time was not as comfortable as it is now, for the conversation that we just related took place just three hundred years ago, to be exact in the year of our Lord 1630.

Since that time many and great changes have taken place in the world, and should the people of that time rise from their graves, they would be amazed at the transformation that has taken place.

At that time the voyage across the ocean was slow and dangerous; the ships were small and propelled by the wind, so that when the weather was contrary, it took the emigrants a long time to reach America. Usually the food was poor, and quite often the water gave out, so that the people on shipboard suffered extremely. At the time of our story there were many who wished to settle in America, and in consequence the vessels were usually crowded to the utmost of their capacity. The result was that sickness spread among the passengers, and many did not reach the country where they hoped to find liberty of conscience.

Among these was the mother of the two children, of whom we just spoke. The boy's name was Fred, and he was eight years old; the name of his sister was Agnes, and she was seven.

They were strong and healthy children, but their frail mother could not stand the hardships of the voyage. For six years she had lived in anxiety, for in 1624 her husband had left England to settle in the plymouth Colony, which the Pilgrims had established in 1620. He was very sincere in his faith, and rather than stay in good old England and do what his conscience forbade him, he joined the sturdy emigrants who left their homes for the Lord's sake, as they were fully convinced.

He arrived safely in Plymouth Colony and at first sent cheering letters to his wife. But suddenly these ceased, and she worried day and night over her far-away husband. She toiled diligently, so that her children did not suffer for lack of bread, but the worry broke her heart, and when she had saved a little sum of money, enough to pay for her voyage, she left England and joined the colonists who in ever larger numbers sought the land of freedom across the sea.

She did not live to set her foot on that strange, unknown land, but the good Lord called her out of all trouble, and she was buried in the sea.

Fred was old enough to realize what the death of his beloved mother meant, and Agnes, too, wept bitterly when they took away her mother and softly and slowly laid her away in the rolling waves.

The little band of emigrants at first worried considerably about what to do with the children. The majority of them were poor and blessed with large families so that they did not have any food to spare. Hence their joy was great when Clara Bradley volunteered to adopt the children as her own.

She herself was on the way to meet her husband, who two years before, in 1628, had left England with the Puritans to settle in the new territory granted by the King to the Massachusetts Company. The Puritans, as you know, differed from the Pilgrims in many respects; in consequence, they wished to establish their own settlements far enough away from the Plymouth Colony to avoid misunderstanding and trouble.

As soon as Mr. Bradley had arrived in the new settlement he wrote a long letter to his wife in which he described the wonderful country in which he had found a new home. But he begged her to wait for some time until he had built a house, cleared a small piece of land, and made other preparations to welcome his young and beautiful wife.

In England Mr. Bradley had been a merchant, and his wife came from a rich family so that he did not care to burden her with the hardships of primitive pioneer life. But she was a sensible woman, who was not afraid to work, and since she loved her husband dearly, she insisted that she would come and share with him the woe and weal of his life.

When, therefore, in 1630, the Massachusetts Company gave the people in the Colony the right to govern themselves, and in consequence, thousands of Puritans were willing to go to America, she would stay in England no longer, but sold her property, collected her belongings, and sailed with the first band of emigrants, in whose midst was also John Winthrop, the new governor.

It was by accident that she met the poor mother with her two little children, and when she heard her story, she pitied her very much. She, too, made friends with the children, and later when their mother was confined to her cabin, she took them on deck and told them many interesting stories of land and sea, and of kings and queens, and of the Indians that roved in the forests of their new country.

As she was blessed with sufficient funds, she had richly provided herself with special and delectable food so that the children received many a dainty morsel which they had never tasted in their lives.

In this way the children very soon became attached to the strange, fine lady, who wore such rich clothes and had such winning ways; and while she could never take the place of their mother, they nevertheless were comforted when their mother grew so ill that they were not allowed to see her.

When finally she died, they clung with cordial confidence to their new friend, who now taught them to call her mother.

At night Mrs. Bradley would point them to the heavens, when the skies were clear, and told them of the blessedness of their mother who was now with the holy angels and beheld the glory of the Lord Jesus.

"You see the beautiful stars up there?" she asked them. "Oh, how many there are! When I was young my mother told me that each was a window in heaven through which the angels looked to see whether all was well with God's people. Every time a star twinkled, she said, an angel looked down, and it was the glory of his face that shone so brightly."

"But is that true?" Fred asked, for he was well instructed, as all Puritans were, in the Bible. "Our teacher told us that the angels are ministering Spirits. That is what the Bible says, and we must not add thereunto." He said it almost sternly and quite reprovingly, for the Puritans were very religious and followed the Bible closely. Mrs. Bradley had been raised in a rich home, and although her parents had joined the Puritans, they remained much more genial than were their sterner brethren.

"Well, yes," the lady admitted; "perhaps you are right, but isn't it a good story, nevertheless? I love to think of the stars as being so many messengers of God watching over me in this poor life. But the angels are much nearer to us than the stars, and our Lord is still much nearer than they."

"Is He here on the ocean, too?" asked little Agnes who was a bright girl and very mature for her age. "It seems to me that we are here all, all alone with nothing but water around us, and it never ends, never!"

"Yes," said the good woman, "Jesus is here, too, though we cannot see Him. He is here at our services and prayer meetings, and He is in our hearts. When we pray, He hears us, and when we sing, our songs rise up to His throne. Every thought in our heart He knows. So we need not fear, my dear children."

Then she would kiss them tenderly, and give them a piece of ginger bread or some other dainty, so that they would forget all their sorrows and troubles.

On board the ship her solicitude for the children was soon noticed by everybody, and even Governor Winthrop at times turned to Mrs. Bradley and spoke to her about the children.

"You are doing very well as a mother, Mrs. Bradley," he teased her; "the children are very happy under your care, and they are not a whit sorrowful any more. The Lord bless you for your kindness! It is cheering to know that we have such pious folk in our company. God bless us all that His name may be glorified."

Mrs. Bradley blushed deeply when she perceived that her good work was thus graciously acknowledged. She cared for no praise, and insisted that the children were only a blessing sent to her by the Lord to comfort her and assign to her a worthy task.

As often as the emigrants gathered for worship, she was present with the children, and joined in the singing, for she had a fine, melodious voice. There was no organ on board the ship, neither did the colonists have musical instruments. Yet they sang so wondrously that it was a pleasure to listen to them. The hymns were learned by heart, not only by the older members, but also by the children, who joined their clear young voices with those of their fathers and mothers. So also they learned the Bible, and while not all had copies of that holy Book, the majority of them knew whole portions by heart; especially the psalms which they sang every day. Furthermore, there was instruction in the Catechism each day, so that the children were well occupied, as were also their elders. For when they were not worshiping God by song and prayer, they served Him by doing useful work, of which there was much to do.

The colonists, knowing that they would settle in a primitive country, had brought plenty of wool, which the women spun into cloth from which to make garments. At that time there were no readymade clothes. Everything had to be made at home. This kept the women busy almost all day, and kept them from brooding over their trials and difficulties.

After all, it was not easy for them to leave their homes and settle in a new, uncivilized country. There, as they knew, the winters were much longer and harder; the woods were filled with Indians, who at times were hostile, and before the soil could be tilled, trees had to be cut down and stones had to be removed. The future, therefore, was not promising. The life that awaited them, was not one of ease. Yet they were resolved to carry out their plan and secure a home in inhospitable America, where at least they were not persecuted on account of their religious beliefs.

But also the men were busy in various ways. Some of them were skilful in weaving and spinning, and these helped the women in providing necessary garments. Very often father and mother with their children labored at one piece of work, and there was much jollity, as the parents related many a good story to their children. Others who were skilled in carpentering, made implements which could be used on the farm, in the woods, or in the homes. Others again attended to the sick, of whom there were many at all times, while still others joined in instructing the young.

In short, each emigrant was given some task to do, and the whole activity was superintended by Governor Winthrop, who led the men in wisely employing their time.

He was genial and affable, and even the humblest could go and speak to him. Though he was still a young man, yet he was like a father to every one. In spite of storms and many unpleasant things, the voyage was not altogether dreary, and when the emigrants finally landed, they thanked God heartily for the innumerable blessings bestowed upon them.

Yet they were glad when land was in sight and when the ship passed out of the region of tumultuous waves into the quiet and peaceful harbor of Massachusetts Bay.

Six years had swiftly passed by since that memorable landing, and the

Massachusetts Company had in this time made fine progress.

The band of emigrants, numbering about a thousand people, had settled in various places, some in Salem, but the majority in the new Colony of Boston, which Governor Winthrop made the capital.

He was an excellent leader, and as soon as he had established his Colony, a steady stream of immigrants poured in from England, though there were troubles and hardships enough for the settlers.

Mr. Bradley came over from Salem, and selling his little farm in the forest clearing, started a business in Boston, where he dealt with the Indians, of whom he bought rich and costly furs, which they exchanged for such articles as the white people had to offer.

The Indians wanted cooking utensils, guns, and above all fire-water; guns were more effective than their bows and arrows when they were hunting wild animals, though later, when they became hostile to the white people, the governors did all in their power to prevent traders from furnishing them rifles and ammunition.

They also forbade them to sell to the Indians the much-desired fire-water or whiskey, for this insidious poison worked great havoc among them. So anxious were they to obtain it, that they sold their last fur blanket to the white trader, and when they got their whisky they drank to excess, and in their fits of drunkenness committed outrages both upon their own people and the whites.

Mr. Bradley was a true Christian, and therefore refrained from selling to the Indians such things as might harm them. They were like children, and would have given in exchange for worthless beads and trinkets the most expensive and valuable furs. In this way, Mr. Bradley could have made much money, but his heart was not covetous, and he tried his best to teach the Indians what articles were really of use to them.

So he prospered, but not as much as did the wicked traders who only considered their gain, and who without qualms of conscience sold to the Indians worthless and even harmful things.

His home was near the fort, and it was substantially built of huge logs which he had felled in the forest.

Since his wife was accustomed to luxuries and comforts, he tried to make his home as pleasant as possible, though she proved herself a good pioneer, who did not grumble when she did not have the many fine things to which she was used in England, and which could not be obtained in the Colony.

"God has given me so much that is precious," she would say as her husband expressed his regrets that he could not do more for her. "I have you, my dear husband, and God has sent us two obedient and pious children, though we have none of our own. So while not giving us all we want, He has nevertheless filled our cup of happiness to overflowing."

"And to me He has given a most godly and faithful wife," Mr. Bradley would then say as he caught her up into his arms. "How shall I ever be able to thank Him enough for His tender mercies!"

"And we have here so many friends and good neighbors," Mrs. Bradley would say; "the whole Colony is like one big family, though at times they do quarrel over religion and other things. Yet in general they are truly Christian people who desire to do what is right."

The husband assented. "Yes, our Massachusetts Colony is the most prosperous of them all. Every vessel brings hundreds of settlers, and the Indians live with us in peace and harmony. May God continue His blessings upon us, for we are not worthy of them."

Of course, there were also hard times when food was scarce, and when sickness and trouble afflicted many hearts.

Yet God had given to the Colony a man of great piety and wisdom who in all matters of general and private administration conducted himself with prudence and vision.

The Winthrops were great friends of the Bradleys, and often in the winter evenings they would sit together and discuss weighty matters pertaining to the welfare of the Colony. In this way, our friends became intimately acquainted with that great and good man. But every settler acknowledged his sterling virtues, and up to the time of his death in 1649, he was elected almost continually governor of the Colony. For contrary to the prevailing custom, the Massachusetts colonists could elect their own governors, as provided by their charter.

Governor Winthrop dressed very plainly so that when you met him, you could not at all tell by his clothes that he was governor. He was also a very humble man, and labored with his hands among his servants, since he was not ashamed of working. This put zest into those that were inclined to be indolent and who shirked the many toils that were necessitated by the upbuilding of the Colony.

In order to spread the principles of temperance Governor Winthrop drank little but water, and also in other respects he encouraged the habits of temperance and sobriety. This was very necessary since peace and prosperity attend a people only if it is temperate in all things.

When the Colony had little food, he liberally gave to the poor people of his own store. Once his last bread was in the oven, yet when hungry people came to him, and begged for flour, he dispensed to them the small remainder. Fortunately, that very day a shipload of provisions arrived, and for a time the distress was alleviated.

Governor Winthrop also encouraged his fellow colonists in the Christian virtue of forgiveness. One time a leading man of the Colony wrote him an angry letter, but this he sent back at once with the note appended: "I am not willing to keep such a provocation to ill-feeling by me." The offender, a man of great influence, replied immediately: "Your overcoming yourself, has overcome me." He became one of his warmest friends and from that time diligently assisted him in his arduous tasks.

The Governor was not desirous of vainglory, though according to the custom of the time, he might have demanded absolute submission and obedience. But he was a man who rather desired the love of his fellowmen than their slavish fear, and in all things he guided them so, that they could well govern themselves.

His greatest boast was that he had a "loving and dutiful son," who followed in his father's footsteps and was as pious and sincere in his religion as he was. This son grew up to be a man of excellent virtues, and he became the first governor of the Colony of Connecticut.

No wonder that under such a governor the Colony prospered and became stronger from year to year! And what a blessing it was for our two little friends that they were brought up in such a Christian atmosphere and home!

It is true, sometimes Fred longed to find out what became of his father, but in spite of all efforts made to ascertain anything about him, nothing was heard of him.

In those early times many a settler disappeared, and no one ever learned what had become of him. The woods were full of fierce animals, the Indians at times were hostile, and took revenge for real or imagined injuries which they suffered by killing innocent persons, for they regarded the Colonies as so many units, so that the wrongs inflicted by individuals were regarded as having been done by the whole community.

In the long and dreary winters storms and tempests would rage, and many a settler lost his way in the forests, and perished miserably in the deep snow. Then when spring came, forest streams would wash away the bodies, or wild animals would devour them. In short, there were many ways to account for the disappearance of Fred's father, as the boy learned when he grew up.

Yet he was not a boy to brood over matters that could not be changed, and the rich and varied life in the Colony gave him little time for dreaming idle dreams.

In the mornings he rose early, and went with Mr. Bradley to his fine store, which was near the house. There the Indians gathered, and brought their furs and other goods of barter and sale.

Fred soon learned to trust the Indians and to like them, and in a short time he was able to attend to many a sale himself. He knew the value of furs, and the prices for all articles in his foster-father's store.

Though the language of the Indians was difficult for the white people to learn, the bright lad made rapid progress in it, especially as he played with the Indian children, who did not know a word of English.

This knowledge helped him considerably in his dealings with the Indians who trusted the white people the more as they used their language.

Agnes in the meanwhile stayed in the house with Mrs. Bradley, helping her in the many duties which the housewife of that time had to perform.

Every colonist raised some corn and garden vegetables, and such things as contributed to the food supply of the community; for the food question was of great importance to them.

The corn they planted after Indian fashion, placing two fish into the holes into which the kernels were dropped. The Indians connected with this act some superstitious rite, but the white people knew that the fish were necessary to fertilize the sterile soil. Soon they used improved methods, and their harvests were much greater than those of the Indians.

In the course of time Agnes learned from Mrs. Bradley every art of managing a home. She could sew garments, make moccasins, heal bruises and wounds, cook the various dishes which the Puritans liked, and in short, attend to the many tasks of managing a home.

Mrs. Bradley never had occasion to be sorry for having adopted the children, and often she would thank God for them as she considered that she had none of her own. How lonely the large house of the trader would have been had not Fred and Agnes brought life into it!

But their life was not all work.

Their foster parents were very conscientious in giving them a good education, and for this purpose they hired Master Henry, a young theologian who had studied in England, and now continued his studies privately under the instruction of the learned Reverend John Davenport.

In the meanwhile he earned a few shillings by instructing children, visiting the sick, and doing other useful things for the busy minister, whose tasks increased as the Colony became larger from year to year.

Master Henry's teaching was not the kind which was practiced by pedagogues of little learning and experience, who ruled with the rod and inculcated their lessons by blows and punishments.

Fred and his sister liked to learn, and their lessons were always prepared thoroughly the evening before.

So when shortly after midday the young minister would come to Mr.

Bradley's home, he was welcomed by the children with great joy.

Mrs. Bradley always kept a bowl of rich, hot soup for him, or some dainty which he liked. But Master Henry was a man of frugal habits, and while he enjoyed his meal, he partook of the food very sparingly.

The instruction would continue till four o'clock, the children were given a vacation during which they might divert themselves.

These were the golden hours of unqualified joy when they amused themselves to their heart's delight. As Mr. Bradley was becoming wealthy, he could allow them many pleasures which poor parents had to deny their children.

As soon as they were old enough, he bought them two small horses which they could use very well, as the means of transportation were very primitive. So they rode out into the forests and made friends with the Indians, or they visited the other Colonies which were not far away. To the north there was the Salem Colony, and to the south, the old Colony of Plymouth, which was the mother colony of all the English settlements. On these trips they not only made many friends, but also became acquainted with the country and learned to lose all fear of white men and Indians.

One summer Fred, with the help of young Indian friends, made a boat, and he and Agnes rowed up the rivers and streams of which there were many.

At first their only weapons were bows and arrows and home-made spears which they could use with the skill of the Indians. However, when they became older, Mr. Bradley allowed them small firearms for their hunting expeditions.

Thus Fred and Agnes spent a very happy life in the Boston Colony, and they grew up to be strong and healthy, with a wisdom not gotten out of books merely, but which their varied experience taught them.

They could swim, skate, cover long distances over the snow by means of snow-shoes, shoot, ride horseback, and do almost all the things which the pioneers did.

Like all the Puritans they were well versed in the Bible, and they knew many hymns by heart, so that when they joined the church, they did this of their own accord and with firm convictions.

Thus six years passed by with rapidity, and before he realized it, Fred was fourteen years old, while Agnes was thirteen.

Their life had been very happy, and in mind and body they had matured so, that they appeared to be much older than they really were. Mr. Bradley could trust Fred with almost any task that he would assign to a man, while Agnes was a regular little tom boy, who was skilled not only in the duties of a good young lady, but also in those of young men. Whether she was in the house, or outside, she could always be depended upon.

There was not a better rider in the whole community than she, and she handled every sort of weapon with great skill.

Life in the Colony was pleasant indeed!

One evening when Mr. Bradley and his happy family were gathered around the fire-side, he seemed to be in a very meditative mood. The family had just finished its evening devotion and the open Bible lay upon the huge table which stood near the hearth.

"Why are you musing so intently?" Mrs. Bradley asked. "It seems your forehead is more wrinkled with furrows than ever, and you are altogether too young a man to look so worried." This she said with a smile, and as she said it, she lovingly stroked his cheeks.

"I am not worrying, my dear," he replied, "but only thinking, and I wonder whether that which I think, will please you."

"What pleases you," Mrs. Bradley said, "always pleases me. We are two of a kind, and I am sure I am going to agree to what you say. Pray, now tell me what troubles you."

"The matter pertains to another little youngster in our home," he replied; "though the youngster is not so very young any more. He is a year older than Fred, and I think, he would prove a good companion to him."

Fred listened with much interest, and also Agnes laid aside her book.

"What about the young lad?" Mrs. Bradley asked. "Is he the son of a poor family in the Colony?"

"His case is worse," the husband replied. "Yesterday when the good ship 'Hope' came into port, the authorities found a stranger in the band of immigrants. He was a stowaway, though some of the people discovered him during the voyage and supported him with food. Otherwise the poor fellow would have starved."

"And what are they going to do with the lad?" Mrs. Bradley inquired.

"That is the trouble," her husband said. "According to the law the boy must be returned to England. But he has begged the authorities not to send him back. He comes from a poor family, and his father is dead. In England there are no opportunities for him; So he decided to go to America. And now he is here."

"And you decided to take him into your home!" the woman said smilingly.

"That looks just like you."

"Well," the man answered, looking at Fred and Agnes, "you were lucky to find these, so I must make another contribution."

"Nor do I object," consented the woman. "The Lord has blessed us abundantly with all good things, and we can surely give him a good home. Only, I would ask, is he worthy of it?"

"That we must see," Mr. Bradley said; "but he seems to be a good pious boy, and he knows his Catechism well. I hardly blame him for leaving England."

"Then the matter is settled," Mrs. Bradley said; "but where is the boy now?"

"Governor Winthrop has provisionally taken him into his home," the man said; "though he cannot very well adopt the lad. But when he spoke to me about it, I promised to ask you, and I have guaranteed the ship company to pay his fare."

"What a fine Samaritan you are!" Mrs. Bradley said, as she kissed him. "Surely, the Lord will bless you for it, and we shall be the richer for having taken him in."

Fred who had listened eagerly, could no longer restrain himself.

Stepping up to his foster-father he asked: "And what is the boy's name?"

"His name is Matthew Bunyan," Mrs. Bradley said; "but what about you, Fred? Do you want to have the new brother? And will you treat him kindly?"

"That I will," Fred responded gladly. "I have always wished for a brother, who could work and play with me. And Matthew Bunyon is such a fine name! When can I see him?"

"You may this very evening, if you care to go to the Governor's house," said the kind father.

"Oh, then, let us go, Agnes," Fred said. "It will do him a world of good to let him know that he has a sister and a brother."

"And could he not come over this very evening?" Mrs. Bradley asked. "I surely would like to see him. Fred's bed is large enough for two to sleep in."

"Yes, bring him with you, Fred," Mr. Bradley said. "Only you must wait until I have written a note to Governor Winthrop, telling him of our resolution."

As Mr. Bradley was a merchant, the writing materials were always kept ready for use, and in a few moments the note was finished.

While the man was penning the note, Fred and Agnes dressed themselves warmly in their furs, for while March had come, the weather was still cold, and heavy snow had fallen. At that time the winters in New England were much severer than they are now.

So they strapped on their snow-shoes, and Fred took down his gun from the wall. The evening was quiet, and on the way he might see some game. In winter the deer and elk often stole into the village in search of food, and sometimes the settlers could shoot them from their open windows.

In a few moments the children were off, having kissed their parents good-by. Then they stepped out into the clear, cold night, where they at once disappeared in the woods.

"How beautiful it is tonight," Agnes said as she laughingly passed her brother. "It makes me feel gay. I think I can beat you to the Governor's house."

"Stay behind me, Agnes," Fred warned her; "there might be a deer running out from behind the brush that I might shoot."

"Do not shoot on such a beautiful night," the girl pleaded; "everything is so peaceful, and the poor animals ought to enjoy their life, too, and not always be in danger of being killed by men, beasts, and Indians."

"You are a little Samaritan," Fred laughed, "and a poet, too; well, if

I don't see anything, I won't shoot."

But nothing came in sight, and so within half an hour the children were rapping at the door of the Governor's home. Here they were kindly, received by the Governor and his wife, who urged them at once to lay off their wraps and make themselves at home.

"We do not care to stay this evening, kind sir," Fred said; "for at home father and mother are waiting for Matthew."

He handed the Governor the note, which he took and read.

"I see," he said; "so your father has declared his willingness to adopt Matthew. That is very fine of him. I shall see him tomorrow and draw up the papers."

"Where is Matthew now?" Agnes asked a little impatiently.

"He is at the home of the Reverend Mr. Davenport," Mr. Winthrop said; "the good parson wanted to examine him with respect to his religious opinions. But I trow they will be back soon, for they left quite a time ago."

Fortunately the children did not have to wait long for Matthew, who with the Governor's son John had gone to the pastor's manse. In the meanwhile Mrs. Winthrop regaled them with baked apples and sweet cider.

"Well, Father," John said, as he came in, "Matthew has passed the test, and the parson has found him efficient in faith and morals."

"Good, my son," Governor Winthrop replied; "it pleases me to hear that.

Come forward, Matthew, for I have good news for you."

Fred and Agnes looked with deep interest at the boy. He was somewhat taller than Fred, but did not seem to be as strong as he. Evidently the lad had starved a good deal on the voyage, for he looked haggard and wan. Also he was dressed quite poorly. The visit to the minister had, no doubt, been a great strain on him. He was timid and bashful, and as the Governor addressed him, his cheeks became scarlet.

"Come on, my son," Governor Winthrop said, "and be not afraid. We shall not send you back, for you will have a good home with the Bradleys. God has provided for you a dwelling place."

Fred liked his new brother right away, for his blue eyes had an honest and straight forward look.

"You will go with us right now to your new home" he told him after he had shaken hands with him. "Here is my sister Agnes," he added.

Agnes was a bit timid for a moment, but her sweet good nature asserted itself.

"I believe we must carry you," she said smilingly, "since you have no snow-shoes. Where we live is a good ways off, and we must wade through heavy snow."

"I cannot walk on snow-shoes," Matthew said bashfully, "but I wilt try my best to follow you."

"The snow is frozen pretty hard," Fred mused, "and I do not think you will break through. So let us go."

With a word of caution the Governor sent them on their way, and soon they were lost from view in the dark woods.

The children traveled slowly in order that their young friend might follow them with ease. He seemed to be very tired, and no wonder, for the trip across the ocean and the rude experiences after landing on the strange shore had worn him out. Nevertheless, he walked bravely through the deep snow, happy to be in company of children so kind and good.

But he was very glad when finally the lights of Mr. Bradley's large log house greeted them and the weary trip was over.

Mr. and Mrs. Bradley greeted the new-corner warmly, and soon he had lost his fear, and felt quite at home.

After a cup of refreshing tea he related his story, Which explained why he had left England and come to America.

"You see," he said, "my father died, and it was hard for me to secure work, so that I was only a burden to my dear mother, who had all she, could do to feed the other children who are smaller than I. A friend of my father's had promised to advance the fare, but when my parent died, he withdrew the offer. My mother was willing that I should go. As soon as I have earned enough money, I shall send it to England and have her come here."

"That is a fine boy," Mrs. Bradley encouraged him; "but in the meanwhile you will stay with us and shall be like a son to us."

"But by all means write to your mother in England," Mr. Bradley said, and the lad at once promised to do so, being happy to be able to report so wondrous an outcome of the venture.

However, the children were not allowed much time for conversation, for by this time it had become quite late, and they had to repair to bed. So they bade their elders good-night, and hurried off to their room.

Fred was glad when the new-comer after undressing and jumping into bed, folded his hands and prayed his evening prayer.

"I am pleased that you do this," he said after he had finished his own prayer; "now I can trust you the more and feel much more cordial toward you."

"Father always insisted that we pray and read the Bible," Matthew responded, "and when one has passed through the many experiences which were crowded of late into my life, he needs no prompting. There is so much comfort in it."

Soon the boys were fast asleep, each anxious to know what the next day would bring to them. Only Agnes did not at once fall asleep. It was Mrs. Bradley's custom to accompany her to her sleeping chamber and to pray with her and cover her with the warm bed clothes. It was usually at this time that the girl voiced whatever wish she had to communicate.

So when Mrs. Bradley kissed her good-night, she clasped her head and whispered into her ear: "Will you not also get a little baby sister for me, so that I can play with her?"

Mrs. Bradley smiled as she answered, "If the good Lord will send another little orphan, we shall surely adopt her."

Then with a happy smile on her face the girl fell asleep.