Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1882-07-07
"PRALSE I'VE LORD. I"
DAYroN. Ohio. JuIy 2nd. ls.


Presbyterian church, n quaint old
structure as | first remember il with
very high pulpit, reached by wind
ing stairs, clerks desk beneath il,
where the veteran tune raiser led us
in Old Hundred, Dundee, Antioch
and other then fashionable tunes, long,
common and short metre. A gallery
around three sides of the church, half
doubled the seating capacity. IL was
favorite resort Of the boys who had
the privilege Of sitting where they
liked, for they could, free from obser.
walton, defend themselves from a long
or dry sermon, by curling up and
sleeping it out. One Of the Elders
sat up stairs TO preserve quiet. The
dear old church was ready to be taken
down before ! got large enough to
claim n right TO SIT up there and sleep
or read book instead of listening;
which was a very good thing for me,
/ dare say; and | am glad Mother
kept me strictly at her "apron string
in these earlier years, for went to the
devil very rapidly after got away
from parental restraint. At last the
old church went the way Of all old
churches-the congregation, grown
wealthy, and ashamed 10 get behind
other congregations, and 50 a new
structure, they considered quite grand,
replaced the old one Twice since
then, as Dayton grew, and perhaps
pride grew, has the palmer building
given way 10 one more suited TO III e
tastes Of the worshippers, until No.
4, though on the same spot. no more
resembles No. | than Dayton Of 80
resembles Dayton OF 3G. Tcapora
MuidniiT
How we'll do I remember that trip
from Lancaster. in old Garrard, TO a
city, though cities never seen before.
The greenest gosling of ., was /,
Garrard and Rockcastle the bounda
ries of my world, when all this new
life burst upon me- Our route lay
through Lexington and Maysville.
Judge George Robertson, afterwards
Appellate Judge, entertained Us at
the former place, which at that early
day was built, under the bill, eve
ry thing beyond the rail road track
being counted suburban. The Judges
house was on the brow Of the hill
overlooking the railway. i see my
first train now, drawn by little.
puffy, fussy locomotive, that would
hardly be called dummy" now,
creeping over the old fashioned flat
rails, 10or ~ miles an hour, with
large hickory split scrub brooms in
front of the wheels, sweeping the
track and acting as oow.catchers. A
wonderful, wonderful sight that train
was 20 me.
At Maysville, we embarked on the
steam. packet "SwifIsure"-a lifth.rate
steamer of to day, but floating pal
ace OF beauty and elegance in those
earlier times.
From Cincinnati to Dayton, we
Travelled by canal packet, drawn by
three horses hitched tandem fashion.
That 60 mile voyage on the "raging
canawll" Can | ever forget IL What
luxurious ieasts three times a day;
how delicious the dolce far niente Of
the dreamy day and night it took to
make the passage; how grand the
thoughtful mien of our Captain with
cares of freight aad passengers upon
him; how full of dignity the steers.
man as with the lever Of the rudder
between his legs he looked keenly
ahead, and by skillful turn Of the
tiller kept us oil the bank And then
the cry of "bridge' that set US all to
ducking our heads to escape collision,
and the wonderful operation of meet
ing and passing another boat in the
narrow channel, by one cable being
slackened, allowed TO sink and the
other boat scraping over 1.-THE pas
sengers cheering aud waving hands
and handkerchiefs in friendly greet
ing. At night how romantic to be
hung upon narrow shelf in one of
three tiers OF them, strung along the
length of the boat. Occasionally
child or adult would fall out in the
night, varying the monotouy Of un-
disturbed repose As ! recall all this
can only live il over in imagination
say with Joe Gargery "what larksl"
The old canal still exists and once a
year brisk freights bring in a shadow
Of dividends, but the graceful pack
els with green venetian, carved PROV,
elegant upholstery aud gliding are
things of the past. Railways from
every quarter Of the compass dash
in all hours Of the day, replacing the
three steeds of my boyhood that ar
rived at the dock in a brisk trot,
TANKS lathered with foam, drivers
whip cracking, steersman's tin horn
heralding the arrival Of the graceful
packet that walked the waters like
a thing Of life Are we any better
now than than? Is il really better IA
90 fast than Slow | leave the an
swer for wiser heads than mine. The
Dayton of $50 was sleepy city Of
5000 with very little future before
il, apparently. But the boom came
long after / left il, aud the Dayton Of
$50 Is the brskest city of 10000 on
the continent. The roar Of passing
vehicles ON the streets from earliest
dawp till late at night is almost al