Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-07-08


guests came to visit us, though a
year or so later my father built a
lean-to or kitchen on the east and
we then felt quite proud OF our ex-
tensive quarters. With everything
else to fill up our limited space, we
had to make room upon pole among
the rafters for the seed corn, the
dried pumpkin, and the rings of
sausage and dried venison prepared
by my mother for winter use.
No carpets graced the Eastwood
floor of that dear little old log cabin
home, though it was always clean
and white No sewing machine,
when | was child of but A years of
age, and settled on the old home
stead at Spring Branch to grow up
with the country, and my thoughts
turn backward to the June days of
long ago, but not far away, for they
were all spent on, OF near the sunny
banks of Spring Branch just north
east of the fish cultural station, where
| dwelt in happiness in the little one
roomed log cabin, which my father
together with our kind neighbors,
erected in the woods, and which was
the dearest home to me that | have
ever known, though containing but
one room below which served for
parlor, sitting room, bedroom,
kitchen and pantry, and a room
above with bed in each corner, for
with fine mahogany cabinet, stood
invitingly ready for use, but my
mothers nimble fingers did the sew
ing and patching, the knitting and
darning for the entire family of ten,
with perhaps, occasional assistance
from my older sister, who could not
have been more than twelve years Of
age, while now in these degenerate
days Of prpgressiveness and plenty,
| can scarcely find tine to sew on a
button for a member of my own
family.
Addison Smith, then of the Bay
settlement, Rev. Amsden, lately de-
ceased OF our own town, and cid
Uncle Daniel Smith of near Delhi,
a good old fashioned Methodist
preacher, used to preach to us Sun
days in the school house where don
ned in our Sunday best, our sun
bonnets and calico gowns, we at
tended services and how wildly the
scene presents itself to me when
! those good old saints would arise
and give out the hymn and line it,
"a Charge to Keep | have, A God
to Glorify.' Please sing and we
sang-and with a spirit too. The
regular good old fashioned singing,
the sweetest music on earth to me,
which speaks of that home far be-
You'd, where the congregations meier
break up and Sabbaths never end.
DR.. Stout of Delhi, who was after
ward murdered by DR.. Sharp of
the same place and our own DIR.
| Morse of Manchester We're our prac-
ticing physicians.
| Our post Office was located on the
road in log cabin opposite the
burying ground, and was kept by
| Herman Annis, an uncle of Mrs. e.
j. Conger, and Mrs. Annis his wife
was the first person buried in that
little side hill cemetery where
my father and mother rest, md a
great many of the old neighbers OF
pioneer days, for during even the
last year, since we last met at this
same gathering of the old settlers,
How many have gone from our
midst and have been gathered to the
heavenly garner, carrying with them
histories of usefulness and consis-
tency which will doubtless be a
crown Of rejoicing to them in the
great dayton as the streams tend
to the ocean, SO all these are tending
to the great ocean of infinite purity
and bliss.
Oh! the sad, sweet years of long
ago! the sun, the rain, alas! too
quickly did they wane. For each
some boon, some blessing bore. OF
smiles and tears, each had its store.
Its checkered lot of bliss and pain,
4 like echo of an old refrain.
Then we had for our neighbors,
though some distance apart, Joel
Bailey Of Baileys Ford, where my
father taught school for several win
tiers, until our own log school house
was completed, and then he taught
school init the first term and fol
several subsequent terms, John
Lillibridge, John Clark, Davy Con
ner, Mid Eldredge, Sealy Raster,
Herman Annis, Matt Brayton, Steve
and Dan Potter, Uncle Solomon and
Tunis Moshier, Leb Dudley, Ferdi-
nand Durham L. S. Gates, Henry
Edmunds and many others brave
and true.
And oh! the long delightful win
ter evenings when they used to visit
around, and, Jas the poet says. "The
checkered shirt was thought no
hurt, Good company to keep And
when visit we did pay, On win
ter's night or winters day, The
oxen drew our ladies' sleigh. In the
new country"
AS stated | was but a child, but
how well | remember those visits
and the suppers when company
came. Of course they were invited,
hence, we were prepared for them,
and now for the delicious bill of fare.
1t makes my mouth water to think
of it. There was nice white home
made bread and butter, doughnuts,
which my mother often made with
and without sweetening, for sorghum
does not fill the bill in doughnuts
though we nearly always had brown
sugar. pumpkin pies, crab apples
with sugar and cream, nice fried
salt ham, dried sweet corn, and