Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1856-09-20
At(iinnesota Gilnas.
WEDNESDAY,, SEPT. II, 1856.
A Week among the pi.neer.-rA.ir Meae Of Living.

WEDNESDAY,, SEPT. Il, 1856.
A Week among the Pioneers-T Their Mode Of Living.
IL was Just on the edge Of evening when we
arrived at the new town Of CAMBRIDGE, elated
with the idea Of enjoying for brief period that
calm repcse so much needed by exhausted ma
ture. We did not expect to be annoyed with ho-
tel runners and in this particular We were not
disappointed; no: did we expect to be conducted
TO q commodious hotel, but We did expect to see
neat farmhouse, it is true, apparently isolated
from civilization, but possessing the requisite
comforts of life. How sadly we were disap-
pointed. and how little we knew Of pioneer life,
the sequel will show. On the brow of the bluff,
scarcely visible thro' the branches of the trees,
could discern a small cabin, say ten feet by
twelve, with one door and no window. 1t pre-
scented unique appearance, and not until we
had drawn sufficiently near to give it 4 thorough
inspection, could we force the mind into the con-
riction that it was really habitaton, occupied
by civilized man. As the old lumber wagon was
drawn up the hill by the snorting horses, three
care!essly dressed young men made their appear
anee at the cabin door, and after q careful scru-
tiny of our caravan, gave vent to their JOY in a
burst of cheers, which frightened the animals and
set the Dr;ver'to swearing. As We draw near let
lis describe the scene. The house was construct
ed Of tamarac poles, notched in each end, in or
der to bring the logs close together and then laid
in the form OF stable one top of the other, the
.oof declining some ten feet. The chinks, or
holes between the poles, we're filed in with small
pieces of board and then mudded over to keep
out the cold air. The roof was boarded with
rough material, and was not over eight feet high
from the ground. In the back part was a CHM
ney, composed of wood and sodded, which made
it quite safe for fire. The interior resembled
more mud hut than house, with no floor, no
window. no furniture, no seats. On the right
was board bed of the most uncouch character,
constructed with pen knives and braced up by the
stumps of trees. In one corner was the pantry,
composed of board two feet high and two
broad, nailed against the logs. In this pantry
were n few scraps of doughy bread, homemade
buiscuit,-a small paper of tea, little sugar, q
few potatoes. salt pork, &c. Directly over it a
fine tooth comb, several pairs of boots, doubled
harreled gun, few plugs Of tobacco, pipes, nee-
dies and thread, buttons, and other articles
ally belonging to old bachelors. On thcleft was
table, of rough boards, covered with four tin
plates four tin cups, frying pan, knives, forks.
q tea and coffee pot, can Of molasses, &C., and
with the exceptions of several remnants of coats
and pants, these constituted the sum total inside
of the cabin. We gazed upon the scene but said
nothing.
Our friends desired to be hospitable, and
knowing that we had not been to tea, and in fact
that we had not seen any evidence of civilized life
for the last fifteen miles, they very generously
offered to spread before US their simple repast,
and SO they set to work to cook. The mode was
primitive. On the left of the cabin was driven
in the ground small crotch of q tree, and at
some ten feet distance another crotch. In these
crotches pole reaching across from one to the
other, was placed in the middle, and hung by an
iron hoop, stolen from some pork barrel, was a
kettle of water. Charley, (who appeared to be
the youngest of the group,) was busily engaged
making pancakes. Bully was frying fish. John
set to work to make tea, while Robinson Crusoe,
ian Indispensable evi) appeared to have the gene
raj superintendent of matters and gave orders
witnessed, and as for tslking-if they didn't
out-talk all the women we ever heard, then we
are no Judge Of tongue. litter-clatter, Glitter
clatter! ''was all the sound we heard" We
watched the proceedings until sickness at the
stomach warned US to leave, and leave we did
with resolution to starve before we touched
single morscl Of that supper. With our carpet
bag for our pillow, we laid down under tree,
and exhausted with travelling, were soon in sweet
slumber, dreaming. of nice little wife, and
nice little home, and as we gazed upon the tea
table, it was so clean and the vctuals smelt so
fragrant, that we entirely forgot our hard fare
with the Pioneers, and thanked God that we had
been so abundantly blessed. e..
"Supper! supper hurrah for supperr' broke
in upon our ears We could have kicked the
whole company into Rum River, and laughed over
the exploit at thus being disturbed in our plea
SAINT dream, but remembering where we were,
discretion we deemed the better part of valor,
and so arousing up, we entered the cabin. There
wero seven of US. How they were to eat out of
Jour plates, was mystery. In vain We begged
to be excused. In vain We endcavored to be DO
lite byyielding our place to somebody else--noth.
ingwould do but We must eat.We made up our mind
we rouldn't eat, feeling assured that Death from
poison would be the result, but our friends in
sisted We should eat. We pleaded want of ap.
petite 1.-THE fact was, We were as hungry as bear)
and endeavored to escape by this, but it was no
use,--eat We must, and eat we should, SO we did
eat, and never in our life did ,ictuals relish
better! and never did we eat aheartier meal than
IN that same mud cabin, sixty miles from the city
OF luxury md refinement. We observed John
1.-THE driver) who but al few moments before, had
positively asserted he would not touch the d-n
stuff, pitching into the pancakes at truly aston.
ishng rate, and fearful that he might make him.
self sick, we mildly asked him what he was
about? He gave us terribly scornful look and
replied-''Laying in supplies for wintcr-damned
Al Pm going to be starved in this heather country
dirt or no dirt.' John had the collie the next
morning which he attributed to the bad water
without brandy.
Supper over, the dishes were washed with hot
tea in order to save heating water, which Charley
Thought was great economy. Then the pipes
were brought into requisition, stories were told,
songs were sung until the s'wee hours of nisht.,'
when Crusoe suggested that some plan be hit
upon for sleey ing. The air was quite cool and
the dew was heavy. After consultation it was
agreed that we should all sleep in the cabin; but
how? was more than we could divine. We in.
sisted that It couldn't be done-Crusoe insisted
that 1t could. Ever since that memorable nicht