The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1860-09-05

This town affords facilities for the student
of human nature to improve himself-in
what Pope calls the "noblest study of man
kind'-rarely equaled by towns even of
much greater importance. American char
acteristics, intensified, predominant. We
have here the phlegmatic Northerner, the
genial Southerner and the fair representa-
tive man from the vicinity of Mason & Dix
on's line, besides foreigners from almost
every part of the civilized earth; hence, the
study of character may be INDUCED in to
any extent and lasting benefits accrue there
from. Now, Mr.. Editor, permit me to re-
late some of my observations in the proven
bial.y fast town Of McGregor.
have observed that many persons arrive
here from the East, entirely unsophistocated,
and with their noses turned up at every
thing differing in the least with the cold,
calculating precision of Eastern manners
and customs. So strongly imbued are they
with their native prjudices that they regard
Western people as being exceedingly ver-
dant and, in point of refinement, but little
above the Savage. A few mornings since,
two fellows from east of the Hudson river
took breakfast at the McGregor House, and
after looking obviously at the various dishes
before them and ridiculing Western hotels,
in general, they commenced an onslaught
sIn thu ,~,snv, I- - ,cl
ner as to give color to the idea that they had
never eaten anything but such delicacies as
picked pork and white beans since they
had passed the terrible ordeal of teeth-cut-
ting. Their disparaging remarks in relation to
the fare did not correspond very well with the
style in which they gratified their voracious
sppetites. We had some nice, tender prai-
RE chickens and these two ninnies made a
good deal Of sport of the ''prairie hens'-
as they called them-but they managed to
devour nearly two between them. 1t is
well known that the McGregor House is one
Of the best hotels in the State, yet we often
find verdant chaps from "way deoun east"
who can't appreciate good living or any
thing else that is Western. Such fellows
usually get their "eye-tecth cut" before liv-
ing in the West halfa-century.
Some HOLSTERS, at the breakfast table the
other morning, unconsciously afforded con-
siderable amusement for your humble serv-
ant by relating their "serious adventures"
and ''hair's- breadth 'scapes" since leaving
"Posey county" 1t was evidently their
first trip from home and, per consequence,
they had been "taken in and done for upon
several occasions. One fellow, with hick-
DRY bark suspenders, told how he had been
the victim of misplaced confidence ut a way
station on the railroad. He had stopped to
buy dimes worth of gingerbread and gave
a dollar bill in pay, whereupon the grocery
man stepped into back room to get the 80
cents change, but failed to make his appear
ance till the whistle blowed and the cars
were under full Roadway, with the Posey
county man safely aboard-lninus his 80
cents, After relating the circumstance, the
Hoosier asked me if didn't think "thc
Teller done it a-purpose." told him that
it did look very much like design on the
part Of the gingerbread vender, yet could
not think it possible to find any man so ut
terly depraved as to be Intentionally guilty
Of such sharp practice!
An old fellow from "York State asked
me If we had any "wide-awakcs" or "rail
splitters" here yet. I told him No; tina,
we were not such fools in this country