MOVING WEST

Hi! I'm Sophie. I'm 13 years old. I live in Oregon with my family, and you are about to read our story of moving west.

My Pa owned a farm back in New England, but factories sprang up and it became harder and harder to make a decent living for our big family.

My Pa refused to let my three sisters and I work in a factory, and, firmly believing in the manifest destiny of America, decided to move West.

It wasn't easy, though. We had to travel in a covered wagon for many months, and people in our group of settlers were constantly sick. My sister, Marie, died of measles after just 6 weeks on the road.

Most roads we traveled on were poorly made or unsafe, and Native Americans were not always happy about us passing through their land.

Speaking of Native Americans, we met them and many other people on the way. Fur traders, gold miners, and Indians themselves, to name a few.

My sisters and I loved seeing the new places and nature along the way. We saw mountains that reached through the clouds, prairies with endless cattle, and lakes that stretched to the ends of the earth.

On the road, we never knew what the day would bring. Although surprises were almost always on the way, we established a routine pretty quickly.

MY FAMILY'S ROUTINE

• Wake up
• Eat breakfast
• Help with chores or watching the other kids
• Read or practice math and writing.
• Camp for the night and eat dinner.

Now that we live in Oregon, my Pa started his farm again and we no longer have to worry about money. We miss Marie every day, but my sisters and mother spend keep busy in the house doing chores, reading, and praying.

I am so glad we moved, and it is all worth it!