Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-05-20

the table. When it came to me, in all the
Old and New Testament, ! could think o1
but one text that suited the occasion and ex.
press my feelings, to wit: Better is a din.
ner of herbs where love is, than a stalled or
and hatred Herewith"
The side glances and mods of approval
shall never forget. What happylookins
| company that was, at that first breakfast on
that first Sabbath in Arcadia Valley!
And then, those good old d"Aunties"-whal
fragrant coffee and such delicious ham and
eggs! Such pnffey biscuit, and the best OF
all-that great loaf of corn bread baked in
the ld-fashioned bake-ovcn. What an in
stitution those old "Aunties" were, and how
often think of them as almost indispensable
to the comfort Of the human family: always
ready to anticipate every wish, always ready
TO serve. After the breakfast was finished
all repaired to the parlor, where chapter
was read, a hymn sung, and prayers, after
which each one amused himself as seemed
best until time TO go to church. AS we had
been told, there was to be preaching at the
PRESBYTERIAN church at eleven O'Clock.
Now, having lived all my life where every
village or town had one or more churches.
with large bells to call the worshippers to-
gether, had never thought but it was so
everywhere, but that churches were a kind
of spontaneous production that grew up
with the country. SO my brothers and my
self walked back to my uncle's, where the
rest of our family We're stopping, to get
ready for church, and, as was the custom OF
ou1 people at home, we dressed in our best.
Now, as look back to that pleasant May
morning, I think we were not u bad looking
set, dressed in our blue swallow tailed coats
with bright buttons, drab pants, white vests,
boots we'll polished, and nice silk hat on
our heads. And when all the family were
ready for church, we all walked together, as
was our custom in the east. AS we walked
along that pleasant road through the woods,
such dense shade, and such variety of
wild flowers all along the sides of the road
some were old friends, some were new and
strong to us; and such a variety of birds
among the trees, with such beautiful plumage
and such sweet song-everything seemed so
different, so strange. AS we walked along,
[ kept wondering why we did not hear the
bell ring, calling us to church: Maybe We
were too suon. But when we came in sight
of an old log cabin, with the walls made of
logs, the roof of split boards, the shingles
fastened on by long logs, to hold them down
the door hung with wooden hinges. Not
a window or light of glass; the chimney
made of sticks and mud. / asked, is that
the church, l wonder If God will be there:
All, Mr.. Editor, wish had language to ex-
press my thoughts and feelings at that mo-
meDt. I cannot tell you just how I felt. As
we came near the house we found quite
a number of persons had already ar
rived and others Were coming-some afoot
a man, and some a woman, and some man
and woman, on their backs. How odd it
looked to see people riding horseback, for
had hitherto seen but few men on a saddle
except at military reviews, and had meyer
seen woman on a saddle before. How we
all stood near the corner OF the church-for
| must call it Il church-and watched those
people as they rode up to the fence and dis
from their horses, take off their
riding skirts, and shake their clothes into
shape, while the men hitched their horses
Well do 1 remember five or six couples COM
ing up the path to the church in single file;
in front was lady with the biggest hat on
her head, with the widest ribbon and the
longest streamers, the largest bows, 1 ever
saw on any woman's head in my life. When
they had come within Il few steps of us, she
stopped and looked at us from head to foot
and we looked at her. After she had tax
en- good view of us; she stepped up with
outstretched hand and greeted us with a
real, old fashioned, hearty welcome, and was
by all of her company. And such
a hand shaking all around! it made one feel
they were friends, (and those same people
are yet our friends.) Soon the sound of
singing was heard. So our lady friend
marched in, and all the rest of us followed
and took our seats as best we could. And
such seats. Seats of rough boards and slabs
all around the house, and in the center was
a tall table for the preacher, with chair
beside it in which sat the minister. When
all was quiet, the minister arose, and all the
congregation stood while that old minister,
with head covered with locks as white as
snow, asked the blessing Of the morning up
on that assembly. The thought came to me,
surely this is none but the house OF God, the
gate of heaven.
How odd to see the congregation stand to
sing aud sit at prayers. and when the hymn
was read the minister started by singing two
lines of the hymn, and then reading two
lines, and so on through. 1t all seemed so
different from the old home Sunday. And
then, after the meeting was over, the shak-
ing of hands again all around, with invita-
tions to "come and see us; we know we shall
like you, for you aren't stuck up bit" oh,
how full of the milk of human kindness! !!
ready to do you good and make it pleasant
for you.
And now, after all these years of almost
half a century, how thankful we all feel, for
we are all here yet, but the father first, the
mother next, and then the oldest brother.
To think that in all that long journey not an
accident, not an hours sickness, not thing
to mar the pleasure of the trip, occurred.
We certainly were highly blessed and have
reason to be thankful, and will echo the
voice of the Psalmist, for he said: sit is a
good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, for
his mercy endureth forever" K. 7. I.
Notes From the Normal.
CAPE GIRARDEAU, May II, 1856.
U