Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-10-04
Old Times.

Ed. Register-As we had all of our
corn cut up and in the shock, I
thought would like to ride over my
old hunting grounds once more. So l
saddled old Julia and started out to
see how that part of the world looked
once more. AS / rode out through the
east gate OF the Valley. 1 noticed the
road up through the mountain pass
was extra good. found it had been
worked in good fashion, and person
could take some comfort in riding in a
buggy; and as rode along those noun
tain sides, saw that the same noun
tains were clothed in green, with mill
lions OF wild asters, daisies. oxalis,
golden rod. and a great many other
sorts of beautiful wild flowers. And l
saw that since We have been having
such beautiful rains, all of the little
brooks that come down out of those
deep canyons, were full of clear, cool
water. 1t all looked so different from
what it did just a few weeks ago
then so hot and SO dry, it did not seem
as though those brooks would ever run
again. rode past cornfields, l saw
squirrels run across the road to the
woods. l saw some fields of corn
that 10 oked as though the corn was
pretty good for this year, and some
fields cooked as though there would
not be much to gather.
As rode along, at one place had
waited to my sense of smell most de-
licious scent. 1 stopped and shifted
the air, and tried to think, what flow
er tree or shrub could produce such
fragrance. 1t smelt as though it was
mixture of balm, cinnamon, cloves, and
saffron. 1t was almost intoxicating.
AS rode over those mountains, hills
and valleys, l could hardly recognize,
the country: the woods were SO thick,
the whole face of the country so
densely covered with tall saplings
reaching way up. and the tops so mat
ted together the sun could not shine
through to the ground.
When just at night I reached old
Brewers Creek, l found the banks of
the creek so densely overgrown with
brush you could not see the stream.
In my old hunting days the woods
were open, with not bush or sapling,
and there were acres and acres where
on not Il tree grew of any sort, big or
little; you could see deer half of a
mile away. Now, if a deer was within
rod of you. you conld not see it. SO
dense are the thickets. And l MOTTO
ed, all along, where the big freshet of
last spring had left drift and trash
lodged against the trees in the hollows
eight or ten feet high.
And as l rode down to where the
old sawmill had stood, not a timber,
not a rock that was ever part OF the
mill or dam was in existence: no sign
that mill had ever been there. Even
the hearthstone of my old cabin had
been washed away. / never in all my
life saw such devastation: all OF the
fields in the creek bottom, where good
crops were raised each year, were all
washed away-not a rail or a sign of a
fence left.
When night came found myself at
one OF my old ueighbor friends. where
l was greeted with a hearty welcome:
and after such ride you may be sure
1 was glad when the word, "come to
supper" was brought. l tell you it
gives one keen appetite to ride over
such mountains!
And what good time we had as we
sat at the table, loaded with good
things to eat and drink, surrounded by
four generations. There was the
81 years old,
grandmother, daughter and her
daughter. After supper was over and
lights brought. was asked to read.
As l read ..Bab," mark Twain" and
I'M. Quad" and few "Old Times"
stories, no one thought of time until
my tongue began to get stiff. l look
ed at the clock, and, don't you think,
both hands stood almost straight up!
Oh my. is it that late? Everyone
turned and looked, and no one had
thought it was so far in the night. AS
I was shown to bed l saw the covers OF
the. bed turned down part way. |
looked. and, don't you think. as
counted the covers found only seven
comforts, quilts and blankets on that
bed to keep me warm! / tell you
those people believe in good bed.
But / turned off all but one. and was
soon sound asleep. All at once saw
light, and here came my old friend
with light for me to dress by. as
breakfast was almost ready. How
short the night seemed! And again at
breakfast were the four generations at
table.
After the good-byes were said. /
took the road towards Fredericktown,