Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-09-06
Westward, Ho!

On Tuesday morning. August 14th,
We left the golden streets of Ironton
about 10 o'clock, A. NJ, with our
crew of six, not counting s'old Judy
and the other three steeds. and 1.-The
our faces northward we slowly rolled
along, packed to the upper deck with
bundles. baskets. satchels, rolls OF
bedding, ETC., and every little corner
filed with Adde'S nice musk melons
not gathered by moonlight. but pur-
chased honestly from his car, on Main
street. Our baggage so completely
filled the vacuum that we had to double
and turn to find places to stow our
needful members-our feet. We spent
some time in the useless endeavor to
solve the problem-given-a car load
ed to repletion-some very rough road
-Where would the occupants be in case
| of an upset. Probably Heterogeneous
mass of quilts, blankets, baskets. um-
brellas, muskmelons. guitars and fly
ing hats.
After leaving the good, smooth roads
of solid old Iron county, we found some
regular ague shaking. liver-dlsplacing
road, through south Belleview, until
we reached good spring, where we
stopped to rest our Pegasi, and take
our we'll earned dinner. By this time
| old Sol had vaulted into mid heaven
and sent his electric beams to scorch
our heads. Che could not penetrate our
promiscuous load.)
After dinner, passing up Belleview
Valley the heat was sitting, reaching,
at last, the pleasant home of DR.. G.
W. Farrar, Jr., where a most cordial
invitation was given US to stop and
rest, and stay. We gladly availed our
selves of part of the invitation, and
spent several very pleasant hours with
him and family. I confess l was sal
most persuaded" by the oppressive
heat, to accept the kind offer to remain
with them, and go no further; but hav-
ing ''put my hand to the plow" and had
given my promise to the loving mother
of those children to watch, guard, pro-
tect, and keep (as far as possible) from
temptation, I could not desert my
charge, and dare to face again the
mothers of those fledgings, should
Providence spare US to safe return.
Did you ever wish, or try, to sit at
once On two stools? That was my con-
dition; 1 wished to stay with my son
and family, and was equally anxious
to go forward to my perspective des-
tination-to see the face of my long
absent, far away, but never-forgotten
boy.
Resting several hours, on the wide
veranda and under the wide spreading
trees on the lawn until P. NJ, we
again packed ourselves into the crew
ices of our van or wagonette, and
obeying the ADVICE of the famous
Horace Greely-..go westr young
man-we started westward, passing
up the beautiful Belleview Valley, past
farms, rich and lovely, beautiful
homes, between long, rich cornfelds,
which had stubbornly resisted the
fierce heat of this unprecedentedly dry
summer.
AS we bowled along speedily, the
declining sun found US 'off our native
heath" we began to scan every nook
and shady creek, looking for a suita-
BILE place to pitch our tent. Just at
dusk we came to nice old farmhouse
with cool gushing spring, and most
apropos just across the road 0 came
near saying street, but just remember
ed in time We were .'out of town.
well, just across the road was a splen-
did field of roasting ears" and better
still, real apple orchard, with real
apples in it-in limited supply, how
ever. But, of course, as all of US. but
one, belonged, when at home, to or
thodo. churches, that was light temp
tation-we did not forget our nightly
'.lead US not into temptation" but
demurely pitched our tent, ..unl1mber
ed our teams, prepared our gypsy
supper, spread on the grass, refresh
ed by delicious, sweet, cool milk pro-
cured at the farmhouse near.
Such appetites as we all carried that
supper would cause famine, if it be-
came contagious.
After our supper table was cleaned
away the .'dIvine affiatus" seized the
musical members ;and with instruments,
not of war, but of peace, banjos, vio-
lin, guitar. and vox humane, they
made a sortie on those helpless, un-
suspecting. sleeping inmates, with
their quickly gotten up ..fresh air
concerts;" while B. and 1 like the rear
guard of the camp of Israel-..staid
by the baggage and stuff" and like
the brave rear guard of the Israelitish
army perhaps received as much re-
,,-,rd "a thoSa uho apfarad into tho