The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1857-01-06
THE DAILY GAZETTE.
MISSOURI LANDS.

Chicago lrloune gives liie 'oiio "
,ncjlen. Of the way IN which ''pooi
hk," in Missouri live, as also the
orice Of lands in that State;
Darkness coming on, we began 20
discuss the propriety ofsheltsr BY q
division Of our party, We all found
cover in two ncighboring log houses,
tbs first ono taking in Prot. " and
your humble correspondent. Il was
situated in the midst oi o clearin of
soma tour or five acres cut ont OF the
surrounding forest, Unable in the
dark TO fathom the mysteries OF the
gate iastenings, cut the gordon knot
~ jumping over it Knocking at
the front door, a peg WAS withdrawn
inn its socket, and q pair OF wooden
hinges yielded me admission. The
room, twelve by fourteen, aud which
occupied the entire dimensions OF the
house, was Illuminated by splendid
blazo shooting up throu b its cob
house and clay outside chimney. It's
furniture consisted oftwo beds, ono
in each corner opposite the fireplace,
table, two backless chairs and sey
ersl shelves for crockery in a corner
near the fireplace. The house was
without windows of any kind, its two
doors opposite each other probably
aHording light and air in good weath
er. The family consisted Of maa,
his wife and an invalid boy The
wife immediately set about getting
supper. A wick leaning over the
edge OF saucer OF grease was lighted
to attend her domestic oderat!ons.--
Our supper consisted OF coffee without
milk OF sugar, butterless corn-cake.
bsked in covered pan over the fire,
and ''pork rios,n Missouri me for
spare rib. Gathering around the Ia
BE. the Professor and myself had the
honor OF occupying the said two chairs;
our host seated himself upon a box
turned on d, and his vile on an in.
verted half bushe measure. Ibeir
garments were made OF woolen home
spun, dyed with bQtternut, which i'm
parts 10 them yellowish snrt colof.
a corner Of this humble cabin WIS
garnished With large masses OF butter
nut.dyed yarn, prepared and stored
By its thrifty mistress for futnra webs
Of this provincial stuff; for | should
have before remarked thst home made
butternut- dyed cloth firms the nation
al dress OF rural Missouri, as does blue
Jean OF Southern Illinois and Indiana.
Asking the price OF the cloth, was
informed By our hostess, that it was
iAy cents yard; that the dress she
then wore was spun, woven and dyed
BY herself. Their tarm, forty acres,
heavily timbered, was "bit lani. =
costing two years ago, entire the tull
sum Of Eve dollsrs' Supper over an
early hour found our entire household
inmates and strangers, well slowed
and asleep in the sane fire lit room
A few fakes of snow, alighting upon
our faces as we lay, did no. suggest
dreams that we dwelt in marble
halls"
Sunday, Dec 18.-Five O'Clock
4, NJ, found our hosts astir. The
sterotyped meal Of porkribs, hoe cake
snd coffee was soon under way
Prot. w. suggested that he liked po-
tatoes pretty well. ] remarked, il a
few were put into the fire to roast, il
might contribute an agreeable change
70 the usual variety OF the table.
We've got plenty out doors, but
they are frozen up. don't know
but might knock some out" We
declined putting him to that trouble.
Thirty seven and one half cents
squared my bill for the nights enter
tainment, and Fastening forward, ear
twilight found MS at the honso where
lodged ths remainder oiour party. ~
1t was lac siuile OF the one we
had Just left, but somewhat larger =
The two beds in the corners were c.
eupied by tho women and chiidre n,
upon buffalo robes spreld upon the
foor, their feet towards the blazing
IRE, were stretched five men, just rub-
bng nights slumbers fro i their half
opened eye-lids Squatted at the fire
the mistress OF the house was tendin4
the simmering coffee AMI ribs olthe
morning repast, Looking around the
room our early rising Professor spied
An. H., just discarding the attitu1e
o! repose. Madam, said he, ''t
hopel don't tintrude. | see yon have
at length found pubic house. -
"Pnb4so indesdi | shall be glad when
get ont OF this region" -
! afterwards learned that the enter
prislng proprietor OF the aforesaid
mansion four yeare ago paid Thirty
collars into the treasury oil the unitad
States for his iara, OF two hundred
and iorty acres; mortgagsng his land
to raise the money. 70 this day ht
10 paying the annual sum oF thfet
dollars tor the use OF said thirty, an
expressed to my fellow travellers hi.
satisfaction at being able to obtall
the needed aqconodstion' 70 Hi,
holsans, who in single year purchase
plow, reap and pay Tor your acres q
iorty times the price, what think yt'
o. this specimen oi Missouri thrift
dis dllapiaated stable was too Limit
'oaccomodate our entire team; so tW {
q our mules were obliged to rema.I
sliverlng in the frosty air the nigt
through. Leaving the rest Of on
company to discuss their breakfast q
Their leisure, Prof, W, and mysel
started forward 10 enjoy 9 morniu
walk over the frozen road The coui
Try was well timbered, with here al
mere an opening; the soil much poo
er than that we had passed Wem'
IL. Il a.. Al Al