Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-07-08
A BOYS TRIP.
ne prove a Span of Ponies THROUGH From Lam
caster to Ripon.

DEAR OLD dkkALD---AA W AAAe
Smith can write letter to the Herald
[ guess l can. Well. | had bully
trip and no accidents. DR.. Brown
asked me to drive the Calvin ponies
through Thursday and from that time
until started Sunday morning, 5:3o
q. m guess l was the most excited
bow in Lancaster. l had everything
ready to start Saturday, but it rained
too hard, was up bright and early sun
day morning but so excited l forgot
to feed the team until Doc told me 70,
then when | hitched up had forgot
ten to buckle the names when Doc
told me would have to be more care
full and | said that / would be all
right when l got started but was
little excited just then. drove oat
of the alley from DR.. HasselIs and
met Willie Morse who was coming to
see me off, he got in with me and as
passed my home my little brother
Walt got in too, they went with me as
far as Bidwell's when they got out
and started home. l tell you | felt
pretty shaky there was lump in my
throat as big as hens egg and for
the next few miles l felt as though |
would never see home again. Went
through Sitter and got to Montfort
at 10 O'Clock, unhitched and fed the
ponies, then | pulled out the basket
Of grub Mrs Hassell put up for me
and ate a pretty good dinner after
which felt better A crowd gathered
to see me as though | was some kind
of q show. and one man wanted to
buy the ponies. Hitched up at 1890
and drove to Ridgeway, played ball
with the kids and stayed all night
and as | was asked good many
questions ] filled the boys up in good
shape. Started early Monday morn
inc and drove to Mt. Horeb, saw an
ola Indian with a lot of ponies, tied
my ponies to the fence by the depot
and wa ed for the train to see Doc
Brown Che was on his way back to
Ripon.) Saw Doe and felt better.
Hltched up after dinner and drove on
through Madison; saw a man at Pine
Bluff that wanted to ride up to Ripon
with me and offered to pay, but |
preferred TO ride alone as | didn't
know but he might own the team
before he had ridden far, and mother
had cautioned me against tramps and
three card monte men; | also had a
shot sack of money that Doe gave me
and felt little shy of strangers.
While at Madison | saw the electric
cars which were very fine; also took
in the capitol and state university,
but hadn't time to stop as it was after
6 O'Clock and wanted to drive to Sun
Prairie. 1t got to late so | asked an
old woman that had a lot of ducks to
let me stay all night, but she hadn't
any stable room, when | drove on to
the next house and as they had no
accommodations, | decided to camp
under big tree. had big sheet
that | used as tent and then rolled
up in some blankets and dreamed of
home and my little brother and sis
tiers; felt quite lonely. Got started
early Tuesday and drove through Sun
Prairie accompanied by a dog that
had followed me; had dihner and
drove to Beaver Dam. dog still with
me. and stayed all night at the hotel
where lady gave me a nice lunch on
my departure. | shared part of my
lunch with the dog A crowd of boys
collected as usual and one of them
kicked the dog and broke its leg; the
dog bad to be shot. You ought to
have seen the boy when | got through
with him. Wednesday morning
drove to Waupun. had dinner and
saw the state prison. There was
large crowd in the city attending a
soldiers reunion which was being
held in Waupun at that time l
then drove on to Ripon eighteen miles
from Waupun As l was enroute a
big rain came up and | got good and
wet and felt mighty glad when drove
into Docs place and felt that | had
got to the end of my journey.
Ripon is a very pretty town, twice
as large as Lancaster. Weat out to
Green Lake one day and saw lots of
sail boats and little steamers. Straw
berries are SO plentiful here that they
sell for p nts box I've been
busy catching mice and looking after
the chickens. but will get to pick