Omaha daily bee., 1902-10-27
TwO GENUINE WONDERS.
seventy-FOur Years of Welded Life
without n Quarrel.

"ith0ut n Quarrel.
After seventy -four years Of married life
Mr.. and Mrs. John Iams OF Washington
county, Iowa, look back and and that they
never had n ~dispute-much less a quarrel.
However ~strenuously they may have
fallen out with their neighbors. their chill
dren and their other relatives, relates the
Chicago Tribune, they have steadfastly per-
sisted in keeping peace with each other.
They have just celebrated the 74th ami
versary OF their wedding and none OF their
ten children and none OF their relatives was
present. Mr.. and Mrs. Jams let II be known
that this was their celebration and that they
preferred to be alone. They care more for
each other than they do for their children,
although they are not lacking IN p~aternal
affection.
John amt is SO years old. His wife is 90.
when they took each other for better. or
worse conditions were such that In this day
people would consider 1t decidedly for
worse. Mrs. Iams, was then Sarah McVey.
After a courtshipr Of several months she
said yes to John, and an uncle, Squire
Jacob Mcvey. was called to her home to
perform the That was In Wash
ington county, Pennsylvania.
The groom wore a blue Jeans suit which
cost 81 a yard. He had a - fur cap and a
new pair of glogehowhich he had purchased
with the intention of dragging them on at
the last moment, 9but his intentions failed
him and he accepted hts bride with glove
less hands. The bride wore a calico dress
which In those days cost 81 cents a yard.
In the days when John Iams centered his
affections so strongly on Miss Sarah she
was. according to his description. the pref
tiest girl in Pennsylvania. She had rosy
cheeks and a figure that did not need a
straight 'front.' TO make 1t trim. Now she
is changed, but she holds the affections Just
the same. John, at SO years, admits the
change.
Now" he said. "she looks a little diff
ferent. Her nose and her chin almost meet
and her figure Is not so gracefully proper
toned as It was seventy-four years ago. but
she is a good old woman Just the same"
Mrs. Iams, the pretty Sarah hat was,
laughed at this description.
When they moved to the west and set
tied in Iowa their FIRST home was a rail pen.
They were busily engaged in building a
luxurious log house. but winter zane on
them before 1t was done and 1t was not an
unusual thing for the couple to arise in
their rail house and shake several inches
OF snow on the bed as the first step toward
| DTthkAhbAs CONSTITUTIONS NoIo IuE66u anu
contentment was cheap, too, as both affirm
that those days were the happiest Of their
lives.
A year afterward they had a mansion
ready. 1t was a log house OF two rooms and
a chimney. They feared the effeninizing an
huences Of such luxury. Mrs, Iams remem-
bers that her husband used to 60 to church
in his bare feet. 1t is only of late years
that they have overcome a prejudice to un-
derelothing. The complications OF modern
attire are somewhat beyond their compre-
henslon and they are giving up the study In
disgust.
When their 74th anniversary came around
they accepted with gratitude the offerings
OF their numerous descendants, but they
preferred to remain alone on that occasion,
and none OF the children or grandchildren
came to litter their floors with the remains
Of a feast. Their only callers were a few
Of the n~eighbors who Just dropped in" to
say a friendly word.
The descendants OF the old couple mum
Der ten children. thIrty-six grandchildren
and sixty-hve great grandchildren. Soon
after he had gone to Washington county,
Iowa, John Iams walked twenty-five miles
10 the government land ONCE and paid $50
for forty acres OF land.
This Is their nome now Win large aool'
lions. Year by year he added to his hold
lngs until he had a quarter section valued
at $50 an acre. Mr.. Iams does not agree
with the old saying that the ony good In
dian is a dead Indian. He asserts that HI
traded with them so long as they were hiI
neighbors and found them reliable and
honest.
A sermon against the use OF tobacco and
whisky cannot be found in his life. He hal
been a moderate user OF both. One OF hi
visitors at the recent celebration was In
vited to come back and attend the funeral
for the old people have a grim sort o
humor. Tho visitor responded earnestl!
that he hoped to be able TO come to the T5tl
: celebration instead.
II don't know that l can bring diamonds
though" he added.
That's all right" said John Iams, "brin
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