Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-04-29

| or yard would be a great brick barn, tn
roof covered with thatch (straw.) 1t seem
ed so singular to me that so much NOR
/ pains should be taken with the barns thai
the houses. And these towns: some wer
so very handsome, with such nice yards ant
gardens filled with the choicest flowers, ant
| large shade trees all along the road. Inevel
saw such large cherry trees in full bloom
at my old home / saw the largest pear tree:
L ever saw in any country, but no such cher
ry trees as these: and so each hour we saw
something new.
At noon we fed our horses at one of the
wayside troughs, with good feed of oats,
which we bought at the house, and ate our
lunch from the commissary chest, which
was we'll filled before we left home with
boiled ham, roast turkey, baked chicken,
butter, cheese. pickles, preserves, bread,
cookies, gingerbread, etc., etc.; so we did
not stop for regular dinner When night
came on, we put up ut the best hotel the
place afforded; our teams We're cared for,
and the family assigned large parlor for
our own for the time we stayed. At sup
per we were seated by ourselves with every
thing that was good placed before us, and
excellent walters. Most of the large houses
1T that time had one large table extending
down the dining hall, but we were always
seated at one end. After supper, we spent
the evening reading, writing, or walking the
street viewing the town, until at nine O'Clock
we all gathered in family circle, q psalm
was read and prayer, just as if at our own
home: for it was our home for the night.
Then we were given sleeping rooms where
sleep refreshed us for the duties of another
day.
l must not forget one important factor, or
two of them, rather-the two bulldogs
They were our guards. In all the trip on
land we did not remove our trunks from
the wagons. Those dogs would have guard
ed those trunks from all the tramps in the
country; we felt no fear for them. All the
way those two dogs watched over every
thing; one of the family could not get out of
the wagon, as they frequently did to rest
themselves and loiter along behind, without
one of the dogs keeping at their side: and
at night the wagons were shut in the wagon
yard and a dog in each wagon.
In the morning. before breakfast was
ready, we boys would go to the stable to see
that our horses had been well cared for, and
then take stroll through the town to see
the sights and get some fresh meat fol the
dogs breakfast. After we had partakcn of
our breakfast, and had prayers in our room,
our teams were brought to the door and the |
bills paid. The host would help us in, and, |
with ''good-bye, come again." we were off
for another days journey.
/ cannot recall each town where we tarried |
for the night, just as they came, after all |
this lapse of time-almost half 4 century
but think of some such as Bristol on the |
Delaware, near where Washington crossed |
mid the fields of ice; Columbia on the Sus-
luehanna; Gett, sberg, the place where one
Of the greatest battles that was ever fought |
on American soil occurred. 1t Is a beautiful
place, and | should love to 90 over the place
once more and see the changes that have
taken place since the night we stopped there.
There is some charming scenery along that
part of the country. The weather, from the
time We started, had been very fine and
spring-like, with fruit trees and wild flowers
IN full bloom, until the Friday of the second
week. 1t then set in cold rain about eleven
o'clock, and rained till Sunday in the night.
We were within Il few miles of Bedford, on
he Juniata river The famous mineral
springs were at this place. When we reach-
ad Eedford we put up at large stone hotGl,
splendid building, with one of the finest
landlords | ever met. Here we made our
lome till Monday noon. This was our Sec
md Sabbath out. II, p. T.