Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-02-07

q lked whei the winds moved them about,
aring they would fall and demollsh the
.pm ellie that sheltered them. A. soon a.
lme aud circumstances made II possible
these were cnt away, anu one OF the pastlines
@as, toy The mOthe, aId children to vacatc
he premises, while these were being tclled,
and at - safe distance 10 watch them fall up-
on the house and crush 1t. | nevcf saw one
accomplish this dire catastrophe. I ever
heard OF II, bat the feminne- were AWAY :
looking forward To II eXpec antly nOtwith
standing.
Our good honsewlves didn't have cisterns.
but "A mighty ram trough; aud the abiutions
of the family were performed in one ot
7maller dimensions. The wells were little
hollow- scooped in the earth and quickly
filled with the surface Gator which, partly
owing 10 the protection of the surrounding
forest, was very plentiful aud nearly every
where visible. neither drainage nor water
works were then available. This was OF
course conclusive To chills and ague, which
IN Oh be numberfd with diversions, or ~ {,
~ one looked at 1t. This was also before
the advent of doctors, leastWise IN the ''rural
Districts, and the Rntidotes were cherry
bark, wahoo and "sassyfril'y". Some pro-
dent mothers used "A preventive aud made
root beer for a beverage. which WAS a great
favOrite. As soon as n little spot of ground
could ne chopped and under brushed an ef
fort was made to put in the ground some
kind Of seed Every family brought with
them 10 their immigration, supplleS 10 last
for a longer or shorter time. but the getting
of more was an almost Hercuean task, and
the iii must be made to produce them. The
ground was too rough and new, the stumps
in too close proximity for pillow or drag, had
they been available or obtainabe. Corn and
POTATOES were put in the ground by aid Of
the ax and hoe. and grew in spite of the poor
cultivation and preparation. BY and by the
frosts came and made the famine which
history has recorded and of which some of
Us know. Roads in the early days made one
think strangely Of the bottomless pit, il was
mud and mud First of all, one finds hir
wav 10 n neighbor's on foot along an Indian
'"ail or 10y means of blaZed trees, and If
after dark with the and OF a hickor7 torch.
All supplies, after being taken from the
landings on Maple and Saginaw rivers were
either toted on his back or dragged through
the mud behind oxen in little jays on stone
boa 3. often made from tree top and called
- "crotch". He belonged 10 the gentry, in
deed. who could boast of anything that bore
the resemblance of a wagon. Carriages,
cutters and horses were minus quantity for
many months. and il was years before they
become universal or could oe used without
colapsing upon the ole causeways and cord
urOys. A great event was the binding Of
the state road from st. Johns northward.
Previc Us 10 this period people We're obliged
90 travel VIA Maple Rapids, n much longer
distance to reach the aforesaid village. This
great thoroughfare was built 10y contrac,
and let in mile sections. OF which John ".
How'd VIM. w. Comstock and John JeTery
ench took mile. Wonderful featS Of
pedestriauism are told of those days. and it
was really the most feasible plan OF Getting
any whore. | recall trip ON foot nade by
T.. W. Kellogg in 1865. which extended all
'he way from his farm ~ Newark 70 Owosso,
C)runna, Waterloo and thence to Wash'ennw
90 and Clinton, and return, in all the
round trip only met one team and driver.
VIM. W. COmstock tells Of walking to
tIreenhush, I miles, with a bushel and peck
of corn upon his back ~ be ground mt the
mill. James How'd walked to 81. John with
n deer hide taken from the animal he had
slain. 10 buy pair Of boots. John Jefferv.
I'haca's pioneer Merchant, found himself in
Maple Rapids al the time of q thaw and
inst after he h"1 slaughtered the hogs in
tended 20 supply the people Of Ithaca and
vicinity with their winter pork. fearing il
wOu6 spoil he started on foot for home.
wod no the Maple river flats TO his arm pits.
his vet Garments clipginy to him, even freez-
ing Pc he walked till he reached a place of
shelter
~ I4Ouis. | believe. had the first post Office
estqbiahed in the county. and Billy Gruette
was hired to carry the mail from that point
to st Johns on foot or horse back distribut-
ing all along the route Next following them
are Of the lumber wagon and high spring
seat This, in fact was the pattern of the old
stage for several years In the age of pro-
grassion came the covered coach. after years
of mpatient waiting the puff and snort Of
the locomotive. Our homes were rot
brilliant in illumination in those days,
neither was bric-a- brPc ever heard of. Per
hans one window of 10 or small panes
liohted dwelling by day and SANGER Of
lard nv night. with hutton and rag. which
iguted and the whole called nv very in
elegant name. The candle ard raudlestirh
come along, in its train kerosene and
electricity
School districts we're orgari2ed. "nd
schoolS attempted almost as early IA the
organization Of townships. T''ch"rs. to-
time were imrorte1. INT the natives hnd
aspirations and in an incredible suace of
time resident lads and lasses we're welding
the rod BEING one 90 those mvsalf. truth
cOmnels me - state that. thouvh ! tried %
frihifullv a. knav how 10 ~ NV duty.
with the light he'd. rever think Of my
cude efforts 10 ''teach" without finishing.
and banking heaven that it il an age Of
progress.
Church services were held If ut all. in The
school houses or the woods. and some Of the
preaching was unite on 2 par with the teach
inr however not all I have in mind two
ministers. whom | have ever heid in great
reverence: Uncle Elij4h Beard. who I'M little
over q twelve month since went 70 his well
earned rest ard Rev. LAFAYETTE Church. still
an houoref member of our country's back
bone. the farmers.
The agricultural indictments and methods
Of warfare uscd in Suhdung the wild untitled
soil. were ~ great contrast 10 those in
present use as other things | have named
II j. probable that the stock breeders of
Gratiot Co to-day, would wax merry were
someone 20 stand along side their lerseVs
and Berkshires. their long cared Iona tailed.
lonQ bodied swine. unregistered lean kline
and bony raGs. but they are gone and they
had their usefulness. peace to their ashes
OF theimprovements in implements of toll.
varieties of seed and methods employed. in
these batter DAYS. will not veuiur. mon An
attempt at descriptiUn, opinion or comparI-
son. FOR fear Of exciting mirth by my ignor-
ance. and also because there Is no need whore
so MANY are present with more and better
knowledge than ! possess. ! only add in
conclusion. that believe ~ lntelpent aud
educated farming: and n Farmers Institutes
n an importont momement towards eecur
ing il.