The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1862-04-02
For the TIME
correspondence.
FAYETTE, March Nth. 1862.

FAYETTE, March 14th, 1862.
Nessrs Editors We have long felt a
desire to visit this Boosting" of the West,
the hub of Iowa, but did not bargain for
as much as we have received, three
months alienation between the hospitality
of country friends and the table of Gray's
unrivalled Hotel. So it was ordained how.
ever. We had scarcely arrived when the
Snow King commenced his i,npregnablc
blockade, shutting US up as effectually as
Secessia has been. We have on the whole
passed the time agrceably and are sad at
some signs Of foreign intervention" which
seem likely to thaw us out of our hiberna-
ton and land us on ''tother side of Jor-
dam We shall leave the place with great
regret--hope for your ferbearancc while
we dot down few impressions of it, which
may give your readers some idea of several
phases Of its individuality.
The winter opened with rousins ball
at Gray's. A big sleighng to West Union
was next in the order of festivities. 1t,
(backed by clerical dclegation) took friend
Cole by storm, reconnoitered and returned
to the old stamping ground, with every
token of having had good time, good
supper-and pleasant reunion of cone.
NAL spirits. The West Unionites, wish
ing to reciprocate, but having no piety to
export, sent the young blades down soon
after, to make night of it at Gray's in
music, mirth and dancing. In the midst
of it all, who should drop in but Jesse,
the inimitable poet, wag, and politician Of
the Dubuque Times 1t seems that "Bost-
ing is one of Jesse's ha6itues, as every
one appears to know him. He lecturcd the
succeeding evening, very finely, consider
ing what tug the youngsters gave him
in getting to sleep. But we think he fgur-
ed too low at five cents head when two
thirds Of an audience are dead heads. The
following evening donation Of the people
was made to the Baptist Minister, the Rev.
Mr.. Bush. We have rarely spent more
agreeable evening. The supper was elc-
giant and liberal, and the music spirited,
and an eminently social spirit seemed to
pervade the entire assembly. Sevcnty-fvc
dollars were realized from this gathering
and the Donation Ball set in motion Ga
godly one you see, or it woSld'nt hay, the
reverend sanction). Emulation wide
awake, some friends of presiding Elder
Skinner, took it in their heads to surprise
him, enc stormy night, with collection of
monies and miscellanies, varying from
nincty-five to hunded dollars. Then as
if to evertop the whole, the circuit preacher
came in for one hundred and sevcnty-five
dollars worth of goods and chattels, none of
which were contraband. The whole sums
realized from these Donations amounting
in the aggregate to three hundred and fifty
dollars, collected in the space of six weeks
with a spontaneousness that demonstrated
the liberality Of the people and was the
best possible guarantee of the estimation
in which each recipient was held. We call
that some in particular, in favor of COM
mnnty, the majority of which according
to the popular preaching of the place, are
in the broad road to ruin. If you know
of any body that wants situation that
can't marry into Mr. Lnceln's Cabinet, tell
them the next best thing, is to get license,
hnl- nd
Every tenth man seems to US to have been
minister, to be one, or in some process
OF transmutation towards one. How can
the people help taking to piety as naturally
as duck takes to the water? In fact the
means of grace are the sole recreation Of
the town. Every thing smacks of the con-
yenticle. Toasts which you fellows in the
Pocket City would toast down with old
Burgundy are here drank dry or dipped in
an otherwise spiritual sop. Social meet
ings slide mysteriously into protracted ones
and innocent people who supposed them
selves going to party arc found unrcsist-
ingly upon the anxious scat, listening to
homillss which they won't come out to hear
on Sunday. Too much of good thing is
good for nothing and as the people are
preached to death, the preaching does not
Affect any bo1y personally, but rather sur
feits the Christian and stuttifies the unbe-
levers mostly. In the evening meetings of
the winter, there was some good sermoniz
ing and much earnest exhortaton to bring
out volunteers but they did not rush to
the altaras Satan's allies flock to his isno-
bic standard, because perhaps, beside his
other insinuations, the desH alsoays recruits
With Hgely music. Last but not least tho
College Societies held their exhibitions as
if for our special benefit at this time
Firstly the Zephagathian 1--WE are not sure |
of the spelling), secondly the Philomathe-
ans, and lastly the Aonians composed of
the young ladies who looked very charm
ingly in their white sacques and blue sash.
es and had decidedly the best night of the
three. Tie Us are new institution and
have several talented members who added
zest to first rate performance on Monday
evening The Philomaths arc the original
order having now had an existence Of four
years and doing great credit to the College
and country. twenty-five of their men,
bers are in the various regiments Of State,
bravely serving the Union cause and the
University flag, presented to the boys on
the College Square last fall, carly waved
over the walls of Fort Donelson, planted
there 10y the intrepid standard bearer of