The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1882-06-30


many pleasant pioneer days, and would
not object to living them over again.
COL. RoDoLF
came to the northwest in 1884, and would
like to tell how they lived in those days
when all was freedom and hospitality.
Ladies were scarce in those days, but
they appeared more charming in their
calicos and ginghams than they do to-day
in satin and silk. Men would risk their
lives to protect them. While there were
more hardships in early days, men were
strong and ready. to meet them. Al
though the country had greatly improved
the people were not any more warm
hearted or honest.
ROBERT CAMPBELL
came west in 1885, when there were but
ten families in the entire country in
which he settled. The pioneers were men
of energy, who had come to better their
fortunes-the lazy and the rich did not
want to endure the hardships. In the
early days when you met a man you met
a friend, and it was not thought far when
pioneers went twenty miles to church,
and a dance would draw people sixty
miles. What we call hardships now were
looked upon as mere triles in the early
days.
Mr.. o'NEIL
was a member of the territorial legisla-
ture in 1S4S, and had to camp out in the
woods four nights when on his way home.
He spoke Of the few pioneers who came
in broadcloth, and did not seem to have q
very high opinion of them.
had been in the west thirty-five years,
and was glad to say that they had been
years of peace and prosperity. He spoke
Of an article written by Franklin, saying
that before the end of the eighteenth GEN.
fury white men would have settled west
Of Lake Erie. He alluded to the first
time he had ever heard Of Chicago, when
a fort was being built there and several
families had moved in. He considered
that the happiest stage of society was
during the pioneer period. Mr.. Morton
drew a contrast between the liberal laws
OF the western states and those of Massa-
chusetts and other eastern states, and
said that it was due to the pioneers.
J. A. TAYLoR
spoke of the wives of the pioneers who
never complained, but were always ready
to sustain their husbands. Noble women
make honest men, and what the pioneers
and their children are is due to the
mothers.
Contributed.
A NEW YEARS RIDE.
DR.. WEIGH quotes, "Fun, Even on the
Frontier" Such we can truly say there
was in abundance. AS well as the hard
ships and privations, there was a certain
sociability found among the frontier set
tiers which it is hard to find among the
older settled parts of civilization.
l recall to mind one of the hardest and
most clustering cold winters that it has
ever been my lot to experience. But in
spite of the inclemency of the weather,
the bitter cold. scarcity in those days Of
suitable conveyance, and poorly estab-
lished roads. a company Of young people
started ut nearly sunset. one New Years.
eve, to attend n dance some ten miles
away. The weather was so intensely
cold that one driver was unable to hold
the reins but 81 short time before he would
be obliged to exchange with a comrade
and warm his benumbed hands by the
well-known means of beating them around
his body.
In a short time night came on, with no
moon, and only n few twinkling stars to
guide us on our uncertain way. Fences
in those days were few, while lanes were
never once thought Of. We soon reached
a broad prairie where the snow lay piled
in great drifts, If not mountain high, at
least so high as to he well nigh impasssas
bic. The road track, if there had been
one, was obliterated, and we were wan
dering aimlessly about. Our horses soon
became tired and confused, as well as
their drivers. After a number of hours
rambling over that treeless, trackless
plain we succeeded in reaching the other
side of the valley, when our team became
too exhausted to go another rod.