Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1896-02-27
Old Times.

| 1LN. ht8tStCf-1 saw III ouO oA LIN
late papers some writer said this pres
eat winter was just such a winter as
the winter of 1889. That winter wa
like early fall all through. well re-
member a trip l took to Pennington in
the month of January or February oil
that winter. / had been under the
doctors care all the fall and winter
up to that time. He had come out
from Pennington several times. The
last time he came 10 see me, he said,
.sYou must ride one of the hardest
trotting horses your father has got,
every day, and when you get so you
can stand the trip, you ride to Farm
ington and stay few days. It's too
far to come way out to Arcadia to see
you very often" You see in those
days it cost about ten dollars for every
time the doctor came to see patient.
| We conld not afford to be sick often,
if we could help it.
The first time got on old Bob-that
| was the name of a horse we brought
| to this country, and he was one of the
| fastest trotters in the old town of Ell
lington, raised up in the mountains.
by an old farmers wife by the name
of Sweet; and when you got on old
Bob's back you would go boun cling up
and down like an old sawmill sweep.
And, o my! the first time 1 rode that
horse thought he would shake me
all to pieces. | thought the remedy
was worse than the disease, but had
TO obey. But after a few rides l be-
came mors accustomed to it and
think he learned to go easier; anyway,
it did not hurt me so bad. After rid
ing for or three weeks, got SO liked
to ride.
So, one pleasant morning, l started.
Mr.. j. l.. VanDoren, had sent me word
he would 60 to Pennington that day
if it remained pleasant, which it did.
So when Mr.. VanDoren called for me
| was ready to go, and as we rode
through the woods-for it was all
woods for twelve miles to the first
house-Mr. VanDoren would talk of
the beauties of the forest, of the diff
ferent kinds of birds we saw, of the
deer-and we were never long out of
sight of deer, for the woods were full
of them. And he was one of the finest
takers 1 ever rode with. 1t made the
miles seem so short and the time pass
off so quickly. 1t seemed but a little
while before we passed the first house,
but we did not stop. But at a place
called Doe Run was another house,
and as it was almost noon, Mr.. Van
Doren said, II think we had better
stop and rest, for you will get too tired
if we do not stop to rest awhile" As
we rode up to the house, we found the
family at dinner, but we were invited
to s.come in and warm," although it
was a warm day, and the doors were
wide open. 1 do not remember,
whether we were invited to take din
ner or not, but we did not. well re-
member just how the man of the house
looked, and the two daughters looked
and acted. One was about sixteen or
seventeen; the other one was a year
or two younger. But they were both
nice-looking girls. AS took a seat
on one side of the old-fashioned fire.
place, those two girls got up from the
table and came and one stood on one
side of my chair facing me with one
hand on the chair post, and the other
on the opposite side, and there was
with a girl on each side. just looking
me over. o, didn't feel small! And
there Mr.. VanDoren sat and talked
with the old man.
! said, ssMr. Van Doren, had not we
better ride?" He said, o, no, there's
no hurry; its a good while to night,
and we have only five or six miles to
ride want you to get rested" But
| saw the twinkle of his eye as he
looked at me, and don't you think l
began to think he was going to stay
all the afternoon. But after he had
enjoyed my embarrassment as long as
he cared for, we got on our horses
and rode on our way. But he teased
me all the rest of the way to town.
There we parted. He was taken
home by one of the principal men of
the town, and | went to the hotel,
where l was to stay until such time as
nv old doctor said. AS I knew but
few of the people in town l took real
nice. interesting book along to read to
help pass off the time. The next
morning as l sat by the fire reading.
here came six or seven of the young
ladies of the town and put up a quilt
in the same room l was in. And there
I sat and read, and they seated them
selves around the quilt. I tell you.
Mr.. Editor, I never wanted to be asked
to come and help them quilt or read to