Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1889-04-16

ma.;o up frontier town. There wero not a
few college bred boomers. But q majority
were of the class described as ''strollers in the
Oznrl;s." They wcro the discontonts of thu
frontier. They werN down on their luck.
They were forever seeking and never finding
good neighborhood. A team OF ponies, a
dccrepit wagon, with tattered duck cover,
half dozen children and thrcc dogs COM
prised the outfit. But there nrc arlstocrnts
In all communities, and by common consent
tho aristocrat OF tho boomers present town Is
allowed to be tho Rev. William Abbott,
Presbyterian clergyman.
Mr.. Abbott lived in Dakota Tor thirteen
years previous to last September lie con-
cluded after 50 long IN experience to go
south. Thereupon no constructed unique
outfit for overland travelling. Taking good
prairie wagon without tho wagon box, he
built light strong frame, us II for house
that occupied the place Of tho wagon bed.
Above the level of the wheels it spread out to
nn Internal width Of OF feet. 1t rose TO a
height Of GN feet. 1t was 1871 feet long over
all. Across the front and back in IS inches
he built a bulkhead, thus forIning an alcoye
In front for tho driver 20 sit in.
The sides and rear wero incloscd with nnr-
row siding. The top was rooted with sheet
iron, and the whole was neatly painted. In
the rear was two foot wide door with foot
square window In 1t. On cach side was II
three pane window with glass SxlO A win
dow like tho one in the door was put In the
bulkhead forward All tho windows were
made to open TO secure ventilation. Sub
stantial muslin took the place Of plastering.
1t was, in fact, house OH wheels, tight,
strong and comfortable.
The floor, which was nearly three feet
wide, was covered with carpet. Across the
front end two comfortable spring beds were
secured, one above the other, bunk fashion.
Tho platforms that were formed where the
frame widencd out above the wagon wheels
served when cushioned, at once as sofas and
chairs. On one sido wide board was hinged
so that 1t could be let down to form a table
after the manner of making tables In yacht
cabins When not In use the tablo buttoned
up against the side.
In one corner clear aft stood two lid stove
that was complete II it was small. 1t would
bake loaf of bread or prairie chicken
nicely. Opposite was q cupboard that held q
sufficient assortment of dishes and stock Of
food Beneath tho beds was chest for spare
clothing.
The walls, where not occupied by the neces-
sary articles already mentioned, were orna-
mented with good map Of the United
States, number of tastily arranged colored
Autographs, mirror. and this motto, also in
eolors: "If ye love Me, keep My command
ments." In the alcove in front was n box for
feed, comfortable seat and thermometer
10 tell tho driver how cold he was
Another wagon, substantially like this one.
except for the stove, cupboard and table, was
then built. When 1t Is told that In camp the
steps by which the wagons were entered were
slipped to one side and the wagons wero
PLACED close together, rear, 20 rear, and con.
nected by wido plank, and that then the
open space between them was hooded in with
q piece of duck, the similarity to vestibule
train is very close. Mr.. Abbott had the vesti-
bule train in mind when he made the peripa-
tetic houses a baggage wagon completed
the outfit,
There were SIX people in the party, includ-
ing Mr.. Abbott, his wife and child, his sister.
his mother and his grandmother. The old
lady was 81 years old. The child was year
old. No ono enjoyed the trip more than the
old lady. All got fat on 1t. 1t took them
two months to travel from Faulk county, d.
T., to Purcell, just over tho border from
Oklahoma. No one will be able to cross the
boomers Jordan, the Canadian river, with
moro comfort than this Oklahoma Levite,
tho Rev. William Abbott