The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-04-29
Laingsburg Gives the Boys Send OFF.

Laingsburg Gives the Boys Send Off.
The patriotic people of this little burg
were out in gala dress to bid the 'sojer
boys" cheerful adeu as the train passed
through going south this p. M.
Bands played, cannon ratified, flies
squeaked, drums beat, people shouted
hearty and rousing cheer to the boys, some
of whose eyes were still wet with the part
ing tear shed at Owosso, who were off for
the war. l noticed as the train-which
had halted for a moment-started slowly
ahead and the crowd turned to go to their
several homes, here and there a tear dimmed
eye among them, at the sad, sad thought
that many of them may never return.
The band, however, struck up lively
air and the over crowded street with its
banners and regalia had soon disappeared
or scattered into groups TO talk over the.
episode, or to their homes
Prominent among them was John Har-
mon, who lives down east on the Grand
River road. He seemed to be saddened by
the occurrence. and when asked IL he would
like to go, said: Yes, sire, If was as
young and spry as l was when came to
this county," "How long have you lived
here, uncle John?" some one asked
SWELL" said he as he blew little tobacco
juice, unnoticed, on the questioner's white
shirt front, 'Its nigh onto 81 years." ION
that same place down east here?" "Yes,D
said he, with another little puff of tobacco
juice onto the chaps white shirt 'front.'
"Yes sir, got that so acres of land of
old Chilson Sanford for span of horses, q
new milch COW, wagon and whiffletrees,
and drag"
"Lived right there ever since?"
"Yes sir, an the first dollar got after
that-fOr dollars were mighty scarce then,
you bet-was for VOLTS hide that shot
down on the Lo0kingass river and sold to
old man Brown, who lived over tother side,
for three dollars in money, seven bushels of
wheat, an a new milch COW. Fact, l tell
youw said he, as he conveyed little more
color to the shirt front. "Big bounty on
wolves, you know-town, county and state
AN l got a boat, an arter luggin' the
wheat down to the river on my back rowed
1t across in mighty nice boat made of
clap boards-no canoe, understand-an'
then 1 had to kerry it up to my house,
about a half mile you know from the river,
on my back. Yes 1 didw said he, and he
deposited some more color on the front, by
way of emphasis.
"What was wheat worth then?" said his
interlocutOr, who was so interested in the
story that he hadn't noticed the fecks of
juice that John had unwittingly adorned his
immaculated linen with.
"Well," said the old man, 'I've sold
wheat for three shillins bushel up at
Hartwel's and took half of it in trade out
of the store, at that. oh, wheat wasn't
wuth much. Had to live cheap. and the
old woman was pooty good hand to keep
things patched up"
"a dollar wouldn't buy as much store
goods as it will now either, would it?"
"Buy more? Lord! we didn't have any
thing to buy ,oitls. so we just went without
cUery thing only what we had ter have"
"Lived just as happy / suppose as you
ever did, too, didn't you?" asked his friend.
"Ya-a.s, lived better, an I'd like to live
them days right over again." said the old
man, dotting the shirt front little more,
and wiping his mouth with the back of his
hand he moved slowly away with the crowd.
A few moments later when some one
called that listeners attention to his front,
he slowly dropped his chin, surveyed the
work, then gurgled language entirely un-
orthdox, and searched him out club. But
John-good old soul-had gone home.
La'ngsburg. April 20, 1898.
WARD.