Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-11-27
FIFTY YEARS AGO.
BY ELIZA LORIMER.

by ELIZA LORIMER.
"Oh, yes, we had an elegant time"
said Miss Genevra Wilber, as she set
tied her ruffles and puffs. ave Sc
cured private room in palace car,
and were just as retired and as much
at ease rs though we had been travel
ing in our own drawing-room. 1t
was furnished magnificently, all in
scarlet and gold, with panels OF pol
ished rosewood and mahogany, and a
lovely Wilton carpet. The windows
were Of French plate-glass, with
curtains and lamberquins all COM
plete. Then there was luxurious easy
chairs and sofas, great mirrors, an
upright piano, and lunch tables and
card tables, and every thing one
could devise for comfort. And it all
seemed so much like an Arabian
Nights tale that 1 fancied l had only
to rub one of the silver-platcd lamps
which hung from the ceiling to make
genii appear who would execute
my bidding. All, it was superb!'
"Seems to me times have changed
a little since l was young" said old
Uncle Ezekiel, taking advantage of
the momentary pause Miss Genevra
made. 'Then people couldn't go
scooting over the country in parlor;
they had to put up with good many
Inconvenience, not to say privations,
if they wanted to travel; but then I
guess they took just as much comfort,
on the whole, as they do nowadays.
At any rate, they looked enough sight
more healthy and wholesome than
the young folks of this generation do
with their airs and their graces, their
folderols and their pinched-loOking
forms and faces. Now, when l was
rising one-and-twenty, l took a notion
that should like to see little Of the
world. You see, l had always stuck
close at home, only now and then go
ing to the nearest village to muster
Or to trade off some apples or butter.
SO l spoke to father about it, and he
said that after haying and harvesting
1 might take the three-year-old colt l
broke in the spring and go up and
visit my relations in Vermont. 1t
was called the New State then, and
before they let it into the Union they
called it the Future State. Well, this
idea suited me nightly, and I'll war.
rant | set more store by it than the
boys nowadays would by u trip to
California. There didn't much grass
grow nder my feet for the next few
weeks, l can tell you, and we got our
last load of grain in uncommon early,
so that one morning in September l
was all ready 70 start. got up early
and fed my pony, and mother baked
shortcake before the fire and made
good cup of tea tor my breakfast;
then while l was eating she put
general allowance of doughnuts and
cheese in my bag, and showed me my
new cravat and socks she had got
ready for me. Mother was always
thoughtful for us, and, besides, she
wanted me to make handsome ap-
pearance up country; SO she had had
a tailoress in the house for week,
making me suit of the pepper-and-
salt homespun which she had just ta-
ken from the loom. The sun was
rising over the barn when l sprang
on to my pony and waived Il good
bye to my mother, and to the little
sister who had crept down in her
night-gown to see me start and stood
i'll the doorway at her side. AS /
passed through the village I noticed
quite number of the young men of
my own age stepping towards their
barns with their milk-pails on their
arms, and they stopped and stared
well to see me setting off SO early in
my new clothes; but enjoyed their
surprise too much to stop and give
them any information OH the subject.
The air was fresh and bracing, and l
was SO carried away with the idea of
holiday that l wanted to whistle and
shout and sing to work off my extra
spirits. 'Brutus' seemed to feel as
keen as I did and he cantered along
pretty briskly for the first few miles.
Then he began to take it a little slow
er, for the road was getting tolerably
hilly, and by the time we reached
Gainsborough he was considerably
tuckercd out. l knew by the looks of
the sun that it was nigh OH to noon,
SO drew up to the nearest tavern
and asked them to bait him. As for
myself, sat under a big elm tree that
grew in the yard and took out my
doughnuts and cheese. My long ride
had sharpened my appetite as well as
Brutus, and never relished anything
better than l did those cakes. Mother
always did have the name of being an
excellent cook, but thought she had
fairly outdone herself that time. AT
ter l had eaten all l cared for, went
to the well and drank some clear, cold
water, right from the bucket. Il have
always thought that / should like to
60 back and drink once more from
that well, for l have never found wa
ter anywhere else that tasted just rs
that did) After that l felt Just as
well satisfied as if l had been in an
inn and paid out shilling or twenty
five cents for a dinner, and laid down
in the shade for an hour or so till l
thought the pony had had good
chance to get rested, then concluded
l might as well push along, for l
meant to stop that night with my
mothers cousin, who lived about ten
miles further on. AS l was putting
on the saddle the tavcrn-keeper came
out.