The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1891-07-17
ON THE FRONTIER.
A Reminiscent Pens Portrayal
of Early Society.
A
A Celebration With Painful
Memories, Etc.


ny request again Iaho d Ioil-
iniscent pen and shall try and tell
something Of the society" of those
early years. The settling Of this
place was somewhat different from
the usual order, inasmuch as the
old time forerunner of civilization,
represented by the "Pike" element,
gave place to a more substantial
class and the intelligence of the
settlers was remarked upon by the
army officers. A later conner men
toned as a matter Of surprise that
he chad found no less than three
Webster's Unabridged Dictionar-
les" they were not SO common 20
years ago as now, and instead of
adapting himself to the expected
dime novel style of the West, it
put him on his mettle to know how
to observe the conventionalities of
refinement.
Sunday school and social meet
ings we're held from the first and
the incense of prayer and praise
which arose from the little band of
worshipers in tent and dugout no
doubt mingled with that ascending
from the more favored ones in the
far away homes. And as the dear
old familiar hymns were sung with
homesick hearts it seemed to bring
the loved ones near; for we real
lied that
Though sundered far, by faith we meet
Around one common mercy seat"
Literary societies were organ
lied and for a while these were
pleasant and profitable. A neigh
orlyinterchange of reading matter
was commonand upon meeting this
would be discussed. One ambit-
ious youth afforded some amuse-
ment. On one occasion, when sew
eral were present, books were spok-
en- of and one was fond Of reading
Rollins Ancient History and Plu-
tarch's Lives another thought they
were too dry, he liked something
more modern, such as Irving's Life
of Washington; another thought
Dicks works filled the bill; still
another liked Dickens, etc. This
young man spoke in a very self
important manner and said, Give
been doing quite a considerable in
the way of reading myself lately"
"Have you," said one, "what was
it?" 20, I've read the History Of
Robinson Crusoe." He had told
us he hadn't gone to school much,
but was a pretty good scholar;
didn't ask no odds Of nobody in
grammar and what he didn't know
bout 'rithmetic, the rest needn't try
to get" He was appointed editor
Of the Society paper one week and
asked one to write something. To
add variety, a little dialect story
was contributed and he kindly
took pity on the ignorance of the
writer and carefully corrected the
spelling! His own spelling look
ed as it he had adopted the phonetic
system. He belonged to the float
ing class. These primitive days
did not last long. So many peo-
pie, coming from so many different
places and circumstances, every
phase of human nature manifested
itself and as there was a lack Of
the "Charity which thinketh no
evil, but suffereth long and is
kind" misunderstanding and
unpleasantness arose and wounds
were made, which Eternity alone
can heal. Of all this, however, no
record was kept, except that writ
ten upon the feshly tablets Of the
heart. We do not wish a younger
generation to know anything about
that side of the pioneer days. Some
of the most interesting experiences
are connected with public affairs,
where we women came in, in an
incidental, but forcible manner.
It is not in good taste to" bring
them in just now, however, but in
years to come, a history of the
different county seat fights, will be
"mighty interesting reading!"
Social conditions were changed
with the changing population and
later settlers coming with families
who had had no opportunities, the
early pleasant parties degenerated
into rough romps, which we would
not tolerate. Of one, at our own
house I'll speak; it being as far
different from anything I had pre-
viously seen as was possible to
- 1J -.-, oxy-oo,ao