Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-04-19
FROM MISSOURI.
A Hawkeye among the Pukcs--AHis
Observations and Experiences--.In.
cidents Cnmical and Otherwise.
HfAwArHA, Kansas, ]
Aor;1 18th 1870 (

FRIEND lOMAN:"l nave just Hi
ishcd drive Of two hundred and
fifty miles through Northern Mis-
souri,, from Glcnwood via. Trenton,
Savannah and intermediate points,
to Oregon, on the Missouri river
The country altogether is good and
has some very desirable features
Timber is plenty, soil good, and the
climate mild, well adapted to all
kinds of fruit-raising. The water
is poor, although there arc some
exceptions to this rule. The winter
wheat is badly injured by the ex-
trcmely cold winter experienced ev-
erywhere. Farmers expect about
half 4 crop. Peach crop also con-
sidcrably damaged. The inhabit-
ants are with very little exception)
at least twenty years behind the
age-I mean Iowa-in their mode OF
living and in improvements gencr-
ally. The wealthy arc old pioneers,
who came there at very early day,
and although they are able to live
well, they seem to know Of nothing
better than corn dodgers and bacon,
and muddy coffee without milk or
sugar. The poor are really in the
most pitable plight Imaginable
hardly equalled by the give Points,
of New York City for restitution,
filth and ignorance. The only
thing the people of North Missouri
seem to manifest any good sense
about is tn" one fact that Hapgood
& Cos. plows are a ''heap better
than any others in the market, and
it takes a "right smart chance" to
supply "these yer parts"
Perhaps few little incidents OF
my trip would not be Objectionable
to your readers. Ono rainy after
noon l found myself in miserable
little town called Goshen, twenty
five miles from a decent hotel,
which are very scarce in North
Missouri. l drove up to one of the
best houses and asked the lady if !
might stay all night, and was an
swered with the usual "Wall, l
reckon" After seeing my team
well fed and as comfortable as pos
siblc for the night, we went in the
house to a supper of corn bread,
salt pork, black coffee without milk
or sugar, and no butter. Being
very hungry, l managed to get some
of the above out of sight, and all
went merry as marriage bell till
the time for retiring arrived. l
had relapsed into a brown study as
to where and with whom l was to
sleep. There was big six-foot ma
tive and the hired domestic, besides
my host and hostess. In the two
rooms were three beds; and while
l was bordering DER what my fate
was to be, anxious, Of course, to
choose the least of the evils, my
quandary was settled by the six
foot native informing me that l
might have the honor of sleeping
with him. Accordingly l went to
bed in the same room where we had
eaten supper and sat during the
evening. Awoke in the morning to
find them all up Except my bedfel-
low and preparations being made
for breakfast. Here was another
difficulty: how were we (nativc and
y to get up and make our toilets?-
Native again came to my relief by
reaching for his pants, and by a
dexterous movement sliding out of
bed and into his trowsers at the
same time, movement although
easy to contemplate, quite difficult
to perform without practice. l fol-
lowed his example as nearly as pos
sible, and soon found myself in
presentable attire.
Ny next incident occurred at the
town of Whitesyille. This town was
built expressly for the sale of "wet
groceries," at Is cents per glass;
1t was the scene Of quite a little
skirmish during our late "unpleas-
antness." stopped at the so-called
hotel, and after supper was inform
ed that a new and eloquent divine
was expected to hold forth at the
neighboring school house, to which
l at once made my way. At the
appointed time we opened the exer-
cises by singing through our noses:
81 would not live always, &C." after
which Rev. - opened upon ua
in good earnest, from Genesis to
Revelation and back, at a regular
Sleepy John rate. After listening
for one hour and thirty minutes, l
made good my escape to the hotel,
went to bed to be walked up about
IL o'clock by "Hello, stranger; you
asleep" After moments pause;
"Who are you? Where you from
and what do you follow" With q
yawn, 1 answered: "I'm a hummer;
Pm from any place but this and
shall be from this in the morning;
I follow a team through the coun-
try" "Wall," said he, "that'll do.
l sell farm utensils, insure, and
drink whisky" told him I thought
him to be the best hand at the lat.