davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1895-01-10

istered to the spiritual wants of the
settlers in the backWoods. He was a
natural product of the times in which
he lived and of the country in which
his lot was cast. He was in the most
emphatic sense of the word one of the
people himself, for, in all probability,
he had been born and reared in the i'm
mediate neighborhood Of his Circuit"
nine-tenthS of his auditors knew him
from MS boyhood. and his father and
the rest Of his family, and were pre-
pared to give his pedigree back to the
time when the family made it's appear
arce in this country Earlier than this
few knew even their own family his
tory. and nobody cared, for it was 4
well-eStablished social principle in the
early days of the colonies that nobody
had father until he came to America,
and when he was here he was as good
rs anybody, if not little better The
travelling preacher, or circuit rider, as
b. was generally called, was q man
thoroughly and cOnscientiOuSly devoted
to his calling. He always believed him.
self to be ''caIled'' to the work Of the
ministry. and, having this conviction,
gave up everything else for it's sake.
His worldly belongings, barring the
wife and children, that always lived
somewhere within the bounds Of his
circuit. were generally limited to what
he could carry in his saddle-bags, and
these usually contained a change of
linen Bible, a hymn book, in those
days called chime book" and some
times a lunch of chicken and corn
bread, put up by Il kindly sister at the
last preaching place. He had horse,
generally a good horse, for no other
Kind could stand the hardships of the
journeys he had to make. and for his
living he trusted to Providence and the
people of the various appointments
along his route. And, as rule, he was
as we'll cared for as the means of the
people permitted, for every family
counted it an honor to have the Dreach>
er stay with them. and as he was usu-
ally the bearer of news from one neigh
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1895-01-10

oochood to another, he was always n
Welcome guest.
Ills circuit was planned, partly by
himself, partly by his ecclesiastical
Superiors, who laid out the general
S'ound and expected him to add to
'"e humber of appointments or preach
NY places as the membership increased
"Nu Tie work broadened. Two preach
e'S, Il senior and a Junior, were usually
"SSiSned to each circuit, and the ap-
comments for the two were arranged
~ S''ch way that the people of each
S"'"oh had preaching every other week,
~ ie'St, or sometimes every week. The.
'""o'S OF these self-sacrificing men
''e oy 10 meal ), however, confined TO
daF They preached every day.
s'IletllAes twice a day. reaching one
s'"''on at or 10 in the morning, hold
e service, dining with some brother
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1895-01-10

They came in tWOs and threeS, men and
women, with children in front and be-
hind, and on arriving at the grove in
which the church was situated they
tied the horses, not always far enough
apart to prevent an equine dispute,
scattered ear-corn on the ground in
front of them to be about equally oil
vided between the steedS and the stroll
ling pigs that always infested the
neighborhood on such occasions, and
men and women separated into groups.
Down at the always convenient spring
the former gathered, the elders to
smoke their pipes and talk crops, their
juniors to discuss politics. In and
about the church the old women talked
butter and eggs. or discussed the attire
Of the one "worldly" girl sure to be
found in every neighborhood, while
their daughters sat silent, for it was a
fayorite maxim in those days that
young girls and children should be
seen and not heard.
A stir in the little crowd about the
door told Of the arrival of the elder
and his brother circuit riders, for the
elder was just as much a circuit rider
as the rest, except that his circuit was
bigger, and q few of the nearest filed
into the church, whittier the preachers
had preceded them. The brethren
said their prayers, took their seats,
conferred among themselves in loud
whispers as to the order of service,
and then some one struck up famil-
lar hymn. All joined Justify, and the
sound thereof, waited out of the open
windows and down the hill to the
spring, notified the brethren there that
''meetin' had begun" and induced an
instant suspension Of crop talk and a
stampede in the direction of the meet
ing house. By the time the hymn was
ended the house was filed and the reg
ular service of the day began.
There was preaching in abundance,
for preaching was the main feature Of
the exercises. The preaching would
hardly be acceptable in 100000
church nowadays, for it often happened
that grammar and rhetoric We're con-
spicuous by their absence, but there
was always enthusiasm in any guam
tity, and also plenty of Scripture The
old preachers of those days did not
know much about the graceS of oratory,
but they did know all about the Bible
for it was the one book that they con
stantly read, and that they were thor
oughly conyersant with from cover to
cover. A proposition was started, and
Bible texts in confirmation of it were
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1895-01-10

things were, in their sight, almost
equally abominable. A man with spot
less linen was to them a dandy; wom-
an with gold chains and jeWelry was
On the right road to perdition. Some
of them preached against these things
and denounced unsparingly all who
favored them. Cards and fiddles were
their pet aversion, and when, las some
times happened, a mischievous person
went to a ''protracted meeting or a
camp meeting with fiddle or jug of
whisky or pack Of cards, the preachers
We're sometimes known to knock down
and drag out the offender with as much
energy as would be shown by any
shoulder-hitting son of Belial in the
country.
Their meetings did not lack for vi
vacity from other causes. In those
days no man stirred abroad without
his gun and his dog, and a concourse
of people was the occasion also for a
concourse of dogs. Generally ours of
low degree, they had neither patience
nor pedigree, and dog fights at meeting
were matters Of by no means infre-
quent occurrence. When they took
place outside the ours We're generally
left to settle their dispute among them
selves, unless it became too noisy, but
when this occurred some man seated
near the door and armed with good
sized whip, quietly slipped out to act
as umpire, and moment later series
of yelps, followed by silence, gave in
of an incident were they when they
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1895-01-10

was free wherever he went, and par
Of stockings here, pair of shoes there.
:, wool hat or fur cap from one. coat
from another and pair Of Jeans trous-
ers from third, eked out his scantv
support very materially. Nor was inns
all. for on his 'home round Y-that IS
when on that part of his circuit lllat
brought him toward home-he mlsht De
seen with a ham or fitch of bacon on
one side of his saddle, pair OF chlck-
ans ar a wild turkey on the other. and,
# may be a haunch of venison or a bag
IF corn in front, all the contributions
of those who gave willingly OF Whae
tbev had to give at all. These, with an
occasional wedding fee. a sum varying
from 25c to 81, paid by youth IN ms
first suit of i1l-ftting store clothes'
constituted his principal reliance for
livelihood. His wife did her own work.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1895-01-10

and her neighbors brought in supplies
from time to time to help out the
preacher, so, on the whole, he lived
about as well as they, and, what was
better, was fully content with what he
had, and cheerfully sang:
''No foot Of land do possess,
No cottage in this wilderness"
The meeting houses" where he
preached We're as plain as the people
and the fare. In Kentucky, Tennessee,
and the Southern States generally, the
first meeting houses" We're of logs, and
in Il style of architecture that closely
Appropriated that Of the settlers
cabins Where there were school
houses these were used for religious
purposes, but where there were none
the cabins of the settlers were en-
was a member Of the particular de-
nomination to which the circuit rider
belonged or not was generally willing
to open his house for preaching. Where
regular houses were built for service,
however, the neighborhood was under
stood to have advanced considerably
on the road to refinement "Quarterly
meeting" at one Of these wayside log
sanctuaries was a great occasion. The
presiding elder was always there, with
as many of the brethren as could be
mustered. Long before the appointed
hour for the service the roads were full
of primitive vehicles on the way to the
meeting house. Antiquated wagons,
a man and his wife on the front seat,
two or three wooden chairs just behind
for invited guests, and the balance Of
the load made up of children packed in
straw, were common. but more fire.
Uueent were the riders on horseback.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1895-01-10

| frequently used by vagrant swine as ;
| place of temporary abode, and when, a.
sometimes happened, the dogs took int
| were trespassers and ought to be evict
ed, the trouble was more serious from
the difficulty of reaching the battle
field, difficulty that was finally sur
mounted by sending in a boy with {
coWhide to eject both dogs and pigs
Such trifies as crying babies We're never
noticed in a congregation of this kind
crying was popularity supposed to be
good for the lungs Of the infant, anG
the mother let it cry, with such efforts
to soothe it as occurred to her on the
spur of the moment, or were suggested
by interested friends.
To the people of the present time
with their $500, 900 churches and $4,000
preachers, with organ and choir and
Sunday school appointments of the
most elegant description, such services
seem farcical and lacking in proper
reverence. But it should not be forgot
ten that all these things are merely
comparative, and that to the people OF
the latter part of the eighteenth and
the early years Of the nineteenth cen.
fury, the religious elegances of the
present would have seemed just as in,
appropriate. The preachers and the
singing We're to their taste. To them
he eloquence of Talmage and the mu
sic of Handel would have been only
words and noise. They could under
stand their preacher, and could sing
their Chimes" and were satisfied with
both. To them separate hymn books
would have been q superfuity, fol
many Of them could not read, and one
hymn book. held by the preacher, who
''lined' the hymn, that is, gave out two
lines Of the hymn at time for the PEG
pie to sing, was enough for the whole
congregation.
The old preachers have mostly passed
away, but the results of their works
are seen in the thousands of churches
that everywhere dot the country dis.
tricts, many of them on the identical
spots where the log cabins once stood
that were sanctified by the presence
and labors of the early circuit riders
And the system still continues, and
some readers may be surprised to learn
that many thousands of country PEG,
pie in the North, West and South have
row no other religious services than
those conducted by the circuit riders.
The times have changed for these too
and now they wear broadcloth and ride
in buggies instead of on horseback, to
their appointments. Their churches
are of boards, or even Of brick, and
have choirs and cabinet organs, and
the women wear feathers in their hats.
and the men polish their boots, and
the girls have earrings and finger rings
and beaux, but the principles are the
same, and the system is almost iden-
teal with that known to our grand
fathers.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1895-01-10

other. were cheerfully endured, and for
no compensation save the conscious
ness of duty well done, and the pittance
that the people were able to give IN re-
turn for the services rendered them.
Money in those times were scarce, ana
many an old preacher has been heard
to tell how in the early days of his min
istrv he received but $50 or $50 from
his people for years hard work. But
This sum did not really represent all
tbev did for him, for his entertainment
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1895-01-10

gregation, for every other exercise wa
at once suspended until the belligerent
could be parted. The brethren united
their forces, however, and by kicking
one and -Strangling the other, gen
orally accomplished the desired end il
a few moments. When the church hat
floor raised a few feet from tn,
ground, the space beneath was not in
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1895-01-10

cited; if it could<be proved from the
Bible, well and good; if not, no matter
what it was, or who stated it, it was
rank infidelity, and the proposer was
an infidel. The nice distinctions of the
higher criticism were UNKNOWN quaint
ties; the preachers of those days knew
nothing of the Javist, and the Elohist.
Where the apostle affirmed "Wives, sub
NIT to your husbands" they said that
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1895-01-10

it meant that the women should mind,
and not cherish any ideas about being
equal to the man and voting. They hat
ed gold chains and rings and silk
dresses and boiled shirts and cards
and fddles and whisky, and all these
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1895-01-10
Must Not Dance.

The teachers of junction City, Kan,
have been forbidden by the local edu-
cational board to attend more than one
dance per week.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1895-01-10
THE CIRCUIT RIDER.
,TlNERANT PREACHERS OF PIO-
NEER DAYS.

How Spiritua1 Wants of the First Set.
Tiers We're Supp1ied-LabOrso of Early
Preachers Their Miserable Paw
HardshiDS Endured.
Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1895-01-10
ParsOn and People.

Among the many peculiar characters
developed in the early days of our ma
tional history not the least singular
was the travelling preacher, who min
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-04-20

hard times are the direct cause of it.
The necessity of protection for loved
ones, in case of death, becomes more
apparent as the means become less
adequate This we think is the cor
rect view to take of this matter.
The lecture last Wednesday evening,
at the Presbyterian church, by Miss
Anna Melton, missionary from Tur-
key, was well attended. Miss Melton
is pleasing, entertaining and instruc-
tive. She captured her audience
from the start by her modest de-
meanor and held their attention to
the close as she told in her simple
way the story of missionary's life
among the Mohammedans of Turkey.
The only fault we heard found was
the brevity of the lecture although
it consumed perhaps an hour.
Judge Sutton, member of the state
board of irrigation, was in our city
last Thursday and spent some time in
looking up site for an experimental
station. He has decided to locate one
of the stations in this county and will
do so as soon as a suitable tract of
land is secured. 1t is his wish as we'll
as to the interest of all to have the
plant constructed as near Wa-Keeney
as possible. This will be more con-
venient for farmers generally to OBJ
serve the work, as most of them come
here frequently on other business and,
when strangers come to our city, they
can easily be conveyed to the station.
The plain trnth about the matter
is western Kansas will not have a
large wheat crop this season. We
have alternated between hope and
fear for several weeks, but there is no
longer any use of attempting to dis
guise the fact that much of our wheat
is dead. Some of our farmers have a
good stand and with favorable
weather will have good crop. Nearly
all the wheat sOwn on new ground
looks promising. Some fields might
make half a crop under favorable
conditions and some might be classed
as entire failures. All in all we have
a fair prospect for partial crop and
that is the best that can be said at
this time.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-04-20
Rood Notice.
70 whom it may concern:

To whom it may concern:
In pursuance of an order made by the
board of county commissioners of TregO
county, Kansas, in regular session on the
9th day of april A. ID. 1895, notice is hereby
given that
H. H. CaWley, John g. Marcy,
Joseph Lutters, Oscar w. Olson,
Charles COrnelSSen. Fritz Plath
a. j. Gullett. Herbert J. T.uttars
JoSeph W'erie- Nm. LntterS,
3 L. Garland W. A. hiatt
HOusehOlderS OF said county, residing in the
vicinity where 1t proposed to Fay out and
establish the road below mentioned, have
pFeSgnted to said board their certain petit
ton. prayer the laying out and establish
ment OF a public road in said county as fol-
lows:
Beginning at the northeast corner of sec
ton ~. township ID range "A, and running
thence south on section lines or as near the
section lines as good road can be made to
the southeast corner of section a. township
10, range "A, and terminating at the south
line OF IregO county; and that John Reddig
John Stewart and Edwin Rainey. viewers
duly appointed, will meet at the southeast
corner OF section "a, township Ia range "a on
the nth day OF May a. ID. 1905, and proceed to
view said road, and to give all parties a
hearing.
witness my hand. and the seal of said
county, affixed at my office in said county
this 9th day Of april 4. d. 1895.
c. A. HOar,
lsE<LJ Couhty Clerk.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-04-20
Rood Notice.

To whom it may concern:
In Pursuance of an order made by the
board of county commissioners of Trego
county. Kansas. in regular session on the 9th
day of April A. D. 1885, notice is hereby given
that
A. B. Jones, A. p. Lawrence,
charles A. kulp, w. S. Mead,
F. NJ. Morgan, s. ID. Thompson,
A. f. Sigler, ID. III. HenkeI,
w. III. Hiber, L. g. Johnson,
Charles E. Shinquin, Jacob $. wolf,
w. 5. Harrison
Householders of said county, residing in the
vicinity where it Is proposed to lay out and
establish the road below mentioned. have
preSentee to said board their certain petit
ment of public road in said county as fol-
lows:
Beginning at the northeast corner of sec
ton Is, township 13, range %. and running
thence north on section lines as near the
section lines as good road can be made to "a
point on the section line between sections
and in township IL, range %, where said sec
ton line intersectS with the Union Pacific
railroad right of way south side of rail-
road and there terminating; said road to be
60 feet wide. and that w. III. Dorns, A. Spena
and ChriStOf wolff, viewers duly appointed,
will meet at the northeast corner of section
Is, township Ii, range %, on the 23d day Of
May A. ID. 1895, and proceed to view said road,
and to give all parties hearing.
witness my hand, and the seal of said
county, affixed at my Office in said county
this 9th day of April A. D. 1895.
C. A. HOAR.
lsEAL.l county clerk.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-04-20
GHERIFF'S SALE.

First published April 20, 1861
By virtue of order of sale to me directed
and delivered, issued out of the district
court of TregO county, Kansas, in a case in
which Benjamin Kennard is plaintiff and
WILDER S. Knapp ct al, defendants. will on
Saturday, May 25th, 1895,
at 10 o'clock a. m. of said day at the front
door of the court house in the city of Wa
Keeney. TregO county. kansas, offer at pub
lie sale and sell to the highest bidder, for
cash in hand, all the following described real
estate, tO-wit:
The southwest quarter of section twenty
four ca township twelve I'D south of range
twenty C22), west of the sixth principal
meridian, in Trego county, Kansas.
Said property to be sold to satisfy the de-
mands of said order of sale.
J. L. ALTMAN.
Sheriff, TregO county, Kansas.
By Theo. Courtney. Deputy Sheriff.
wheeler & Switzer, attorneys for plaintiff.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-04-20
For Sale at Public Auction.

I will sell at public auction on Sat-
urday, April 9th at o'clock p. m. at
Mead's livery barn in Wa-Keeney, my
stallion ''Mondain." Sale will be on
one years time with discount of TO
per cent for cash. The horse is guar
anteed in every respect. Pedigree
and papers can be seen. Should it be
storming on 9th sale will be pOstpon-
ed one week.
GEO. It. GALLOWAY.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-04-20
SHERIFF. SALE.
Burge & Dewey, plaintiffs.

BurSe Dewey, pla1ntlffS,
vs..
John A. Gardner. Catherine B. Gardner and
Stella d. BiddiSOn, defendants.
Public notice is hereby given that by virtue
of an execution to me directed and delivered,
issued out of the district court sitting in and
for the county Of Trego and state Of Kan
SaS, will on
Saturday, May %, 1895,
at the hour of O'Clock p. m. of said day at
the west door Of the court house in Wa-Kee-
ney, in TregO county and state aforesaid
offer at public sale and sell to the highest
bidder for cash in hand all the right, title
and interest of the above named defendant
in and to the following described property,
tO-wit:
All of section seven O. township eleven
up south range twenty-five G5), west of the
9Th p. NJ.
Lying and situated in the county of TregO,
in the state of Kansas: said property will be
sold without appraisement. with all the APP
purtenanceS thereuntO belonging to be sold
according to law to satisfy one Judgment in
foreclosure of mortgage in the sum of 81, 36.25
with interest at the rate of 10 per cent from
date, and costs of suit, and all accruing costs;
said property levied on and to be sold as the
property of the above named defendants.
Given under my hand this 10Th day of
April A. ID. 1895.
j. l.. ALTMAN, Sheriff,
TregO County, Kansas.
By Theo. Courtney, Under-Sheriff. APO
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-04-20
Notice.

The undersigned will received seal
ed proposals on or before the first
Monday in May for the boarding and
keeping of Theodore Whittlesey for
present year, he being county pauper.
Proposals must state what he will be
boarded for per week and furnish him
the little neceSSarieS he may need.
ADRIAN Cross,
Trustee of Glencoe Township.
Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-04-20

The best salve in the word for cuts,
bruises, sores, ulcers, salt rheum,
fever sores, letter, chapped hands,
corns, and all skin erup-
tions, and positively cures piles, or no
pay required. It is guaranteed to
give perfect satisfaction or money re-
funded. Price % cents per box. For
sale by Jones & Gibson.