A Lantern in Her Hand portrayed a young woman who traveled out to Nebraska with her husband to become a pioneer. The novel shows how through the pioneers’ hard work and perseverence, they made Nebraska a wonderful place to live. Most of the early settlers gave up hope and trudged back east due to failing crops. Drought withered the crops, and for several years millions of grasshoppers infested the ground. It was a lonely life. The nearest neighbor might be miles away, and the days were filled with endless work and little room for pleasure. But a few pioneers stayed despite these conditions. These brave-hearted people built up the cities of Lincoln and Omaha, and other towns still thriving today. At first the towns consisted of a few houses, a general store, saloon, and possibly a church or school. In the book, the Deals, along with their neighbors, laid down Cedartown. Bess Streeter Aldrich based Cedartown off of the real Nebraskan town of Elmwood. The town started out small with only the bare necessities, but it soon grew large enough to have Friday night social events with entertainment, spelling bees, and delightful conversations. J. Sterling Morton, the founder of Arbor Day, encouraged settlers to plant trees. The scorching prairie sun shriveled many of the young saplings, and bugs infested the bark. However, when the trees successfully grew, the pioneers rejoiced for the conveniences they provided. A row of trees could serve as a windbreak, shade, or simply a refreshing picture for the eye, which got so tired of the endless brown prairie grass. In the blooming towns and cities of Nebraska, people don’t remember the persevering folks who established the Nebraska’s legacy, nor stop to think about what it would be like to view only the endless prairie and the blue sky horizon. It is important to understand what they went through, and realize the obstacles they overcame in order to have success in making Nebraska a wonderful place to live.