The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-08-22
JOTTINGs AND IouRNEYINes

talh' httle steamer that plies daily
between Portland and st. Helens, stop
ping anywhere upon the river bank for
freight or passengers-an accommoda-
ton packet in the fullest sense of the
word, which deserves the patronage of
the people and receives tive reached
the town of st. Helens at p. NJ, on
Saturday, where arrangements had been
made for us to lecture in the church.
The subject chosen for us by the citi-
zens was Equality before the Law" a
theme very much to our liking, and one
to which the audience listened with
profound and evidently appreciative at
tention, although the thermometer tow
cred alarmingly high, and the river
water, which all must drink because
there are no wells in the vicinity, sends
up atmospheric beads in the pitchers or
tumblers almost as soon as it leaves the
Columbia. But if rocks abound at st.
Helens, and mosquitoes serenade you,
and the tamest and most amiable pigs
run loose in the streets, the town site is
commanding and beautiful, the location
healthy, the citizens proverbially hos
pitable and the river scenery grand.
Although the town, to a Portlauder,
looks wonderfully dull in business
point of view, and decidedly scatter
ing" as to habitations or inhabitants,
yet the quiet, peaceful satisfaction of
the denizens is refreshing to eontem-
plate.
F. Giltner, Esq, merchant Of this
place, and postmaster as well, deals ex-
tensively in assorted merchandise. In
his store you can find almost ANYTHING
in his line from garden rakes to two
horse wagons, and from real laces to
hrogan boots. His customers are from
the country on both sides of the river
and he does thriving business.
A pleasant-faced woman with two
babies to take care of, keeps the only
hotel, but as almost any lady in the
place will take few boarders, there are
ample accommodations for all tourists
or rusticators who wish to avoid the
usual rush at more pretentious summer
resorts. The bathing facilities are good,
and are being INDUCED in very freely
during this month by the junior men,
bers of our household, who have tanned
themselves in the sun and wind and
water till they are almost as black as
the rocks they delight to tumble over.
Sunday was fearfully hot, but the
evening was more pleasant, and we had
another meeting in the church. Sub
ject, "Woman and the Bible" Some
questions were asked at the close of the
lecture which heightened the interest of
the occasion.
The Champions of the Red Cross have
snug hall over Mr.. Giltner's store,
where they have an organ, appropriate
furniture and good membership. Our
sprightly young friend, Mrs. Giltner,
who, without seeming to know it, is a
! first-class leader in almost everything,
presides at the organ, or manages the
intellectual affairs Of the town as though
TO the manor born. Her mother and
sisters are just as wide-awake as herself
In fact, the Mcbride family, to which
/ they belong, are noted for their intel
ligence and public spirit. OF the nine
living sisters, every one is decidedly far
above the average. There are four
brothers also living, of whom the eldest
has been to Congress, one Is in New
York in the Medical College, one an at
torney in st. Helens, and the other is,
we believe, at school. 1t is refreshing to
/ find an old-fashioned, large family, and
trace the members to their distant
homes, in these days when one or two
/ children only are allowed to have exist
ence in so many households. The ven
cradle father and mother of the family
are living in st. Helens, and though
feeble in health, are yet vigorous in in
tellect. The family is very little d.
vided upon the subject of equal rights
/ before the law; one, or at most, two
members thereof being opposed, and
the others emphatically in favor of the
principle. Those opposed to it may
console themselves with the idea that a
little opposition only accelarates the
work
On Monday evening, after an insult
ferably hot day, Mr.. Caleb Woods,
father of Governor Woods of Utah,
came over for us from Columbia City,
in his buggy. The ride, through the
grand old forest and over rocks and
ridges, was one which we shall long re-
member Cool, agreeable zephyrs
chased away the fervent noon-day heat
and famed our temples that had all day
writhed under a racking pain, to n de-
| licious dullness, which we feared would
so settle upon our senses as to spoil the
evening lecture. "Uncle Caleb" as
everybody calls him, talked of human
rights and progress, of National affairs
and local scenery, of Columbia City and
its prospects, beguiling the distance with
well-digested ideas Of men and meas
ures, until almost before we were aware
Of it, we had reached the residence Of
his son, one of the first settlers OF the
city that Is to be, whom, with bis
worthy wife, we found to be amiable,
intelligent and social.
The new academy, which has been
enclosed, foored and temporarily seated
was occupied at 'early candle lighting
by thoughtful and sympathetic audi
euce At this Diaca as well nc St