The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1860-02-04
On THE way TO THE STATE CAPITAL.

out upon journey with more hopef9
hearts, or better prospects Of success, thar
did We, q company of nine pc: sons on tn
morning Of Jan. Oath, at four o'clock. Th'
weather, as you know, had been warm ant
pleasant for three weeks or more, and th'
roads dry and smooth, and though the star
shone but dimly, through thin light clouds
we trusted to the rising sun to dissipate al
such ominous signs, and we could but hop'
that our Indian summer-like weather woull
continue tpo days longer, if no more, JUS
for our especial benefit. But as it proved
we deferred our journey just one day toe
long. The storm did overtake us-and
such storm! But ] will not anticipate
Being comfortably "stowed away ~ and
"tucked in" between blankets and buffalo
robes, by that interchangeable friend of hu-
manity, and of the ladies in particular, Mr..
N, who persisted also in seing that our
baggage was we'll strapped on, facetiously
remarked that, I" if those trunks were lost
We couldn't splurge bit when we got there
with kind good bye's and good wishes to
friends, still fresh on our lips, we rolled out
Of Council Bluffs, in the good coach May
FOrer, as comfortable, and sociable set
of travellers as ever started on two days.
journey by stage-coacb. Snug and coy as
we were, the seats Just filed but not crowd
ed, and the coach well balanced, SO that it
rocked as evenly as a cradle, what wonder
if we dozed q little by the way, or if our so.
ciability at length subsidized, and We rode
on, in the darkness, silently for miles, till a
sudden wheeling OF the coach, and the
f" whoa" of MIDDLETON, announced that we
had accomplished the first "route'' Of our
journey and had arrived at Dick HARDINs,'
the first station, where we were to take
breakfast. That welcome meal, was soon
forthcoming, served up in neat and home
like style, and not lacking that prime essen
tial to good breakfast, excellent coffee
With appe'ites sharpened by our ride, we
paid good compliment to the cook, butt
tell it not in Gath-that was all we paid,
for not one of as opened our purses to dis
burse cent in return for our excellent
cheer. Our amiable hostess stood in the
hall as We passed out, and we all bid her
I" good morning." as affably, and kindly as
though we were not cheating her out of fif-
ty cents apiece. We slowed away again to
our comfortable quarters, and rolled on,
nor was it till miles away, that one of the
was reminded of the omission By
accidently feeling the purse in her pocket,
when she suddenly exclaimed, MS if she were
the only culprit, 8 Oh, didn't pay for my
breakfast" "Nor l." was echoed from
the opposite seat. "Nor !" "Nof II"
went round the cocch; and we laughed and
sighed over it alternately, but at las. con-
cluded that we could make amends for the
omission upon our return home, and 50
would let it rest for the present. But it
was a standing joke for the rest of the jour
ney, and Mr.. S., our facetious scout, per-
sisted in asserting that it was an Intentional
cheat, and suggested that if We could al
ways do as we'll as that, we " would do to
to travel" So with many joke and hearty
laugh, the time wore on. The.day did not
prove as pleasant as we had hoped, and
though the sun showed his face a little while
at time during the day, yet We could see
signs of an approaching storm. So by gen.
eral consent, we voted to save the time Of
meal at the station, and take our dinner in
the coach. Good bread and butter, dried
beef, mince pie, cookies, and apples, con-
stituted our bill Of fare, much better one,
presume, than would have greeted US at
any of the so-called stations along theroad,
whoreat the hungry traveller, unless other
wise provided for, is obliged to refresh the
inner man.
We arrived at DR.. MoRRlsoN's about sew
en- in the evening, and after supper held a
council upon the question of a farther drive
that night. All admitted the necessity Of
getting on as fast as possible, for signs of a
storm grew more and more apparent, but
one of our company was too i'll, and too
much fatigued to ride farther without some
rest, so We concluded to retire for part Of
the night. We were soon all snoozing in
clean comfortable beds, at three in the NOR
ming betook ourselves again to the coach,
decidedly refreshed. We now had fourteen
miles to drive to Dalmanutha, where We
we're to breakfast, and upon this "route -
it was, the last previous time which would
have saved Us all the trouble We we're DOOM
afterward to experience. The driver, an.
cry at the delay We had caused him by stop
ping SO long at Morrison's, determined, ~
it would seem, to 'spay us back in our own
coin," so he would not drive of slow walk,
during the whole route, and consequently
wo were fre hours in going fourteen miles.
But like all sublunary things, that dive at
last had an end, and We stopped to break
fast. II l were tired Of life, and knew
should die a. soon as had eaten the pro-
verbal "peck Of dirt, !" I'd 60 straight to that
Dalmanu'ha farern and register my name
as constant boarder. Pm pretty sure
wouldn't have to remain there long unless
indeed soda had saving tendency, for they
believe in soda At that house they do. We
had soda broad, soda biscuit, soda
cake, soda pie crust, and, if Pm not mista.
ken, soda coffee; at any rate it didn't taste
of "anything else." Well, by the time We
had eaten our breakfast paid for it,
it was after nine o'clock, so We trundled OF
in haste, and rode oil day, stopping only
few minutes = at time while they changed
horses, to stretch our limbs, and get little
rsstsd. Wstook the remains Of our ysster-
days dinner in the coach, in preference to
eating at the |" Harbour Station'' where We
were At noon, and which presented any thing
but an inviting appearance to tired hungry