The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-11
Senator Turpie's sketches OF Our
Own Times"

uated in the northwestern corner Of Tippe-
canoe county. a few miles from Delphi and
the Battle CIR )und, and near the banks Of
the Wabash. His mother was a lover OF
flowers. and the WAR of the Roses" fought
under her command is one of the charming
episodes of this book. His father was
member Of the Disciples Church, 10 which
fact may be attributed the ex-senator's
religious character. To use his own words,
Religion had a real place in our daily walk
and cur actual contact. The vine and the
branches took a strong hold Of life and
brought forth fruitful clusters of Eschol
In the wilderness" The entire volume
(Which is published by the BObbs-Merrili
Company .IndianapOis) shows unmistakable
evidence of a man extremely familiar
with the Old Testament. \ page or two
about pioneer life as it in this State
three score and ten years ago, is accurate
and interesting. Here is his fathers log
cabin.
'"rhe floors were made OF puncheons-
large slabs OF hard wood. three feet wide,
three or four inches thick, with a length
OF five or six feet, these were split from
blocks OF the proper length and SmOOthed on
the upper side with the adze- The punch
cons did not rest on the ground, but on
pieces OF timber called stringers or sleep
upper side and Joined into the lower logs
Of the house a little above the surface. The
floor of the loft or attic-stoTy of the main
house sawed plank, closely Joined to-
gether at the edges. The doors and win
dows were fitted into their places I'm the
wooden walls more neatly than one would
now suppose It could be done with such
materials. The cracks between the logs and
around the frames of the different openings
were chinked. that is. filed with small
pieces of wood fastened with wedges or
aflu nd MIA
clay until the crevices were closed
The chimney and fireplace were proml-
nent features. and were OF large dimensions.
A man might enter the chimney from the
hearth with slight stopping. The hearth
and the bottom of the fireplace were or
beaten clay tamped down heavily with the
maui The front Of the fireplace was ten
feet wide, the back six feet. the foTe-stick
and backlog of the winter were of cor
responding size and length. The chimney
was built OF split lathS and clay-plaster,
both specially prepared for the purpose.
Our chimney was designed and built by an
artist, then called a chimney-witch, one
quite noted in the settlement. who had
made II his study from long experience to
determine just how the flue should be
framed and shaped so as TO draw all the
smoke upward and yet allow the heat to be
thrown forward into the room. 1t was not
every one who could make a good cat-and-
clay chimney. SO called for the reason that
I'm the first settlement of the country the
down or fuzz or the cattall nag was USED
I'm making the clay mortar with which 1t
was pIastered. both inside and out"
There are few more charming rural pic
lures than those set forth in Chapters 2. 3
and Of this book, where the life of a
healthy country lad of the thirties is graph
ically given, and the only regret is that
space forbids their transcription. Here is a
passage that is commended TO high school
graduates:
THE culture and the mental traits in
vOlved In spelling are of no less Importance
than its usefulness to the reader and writer
To spell correctly requires attention To sew
eral minute particulars-tO the letters COM
posing the word and to the precise order in
which each OF them occur. Perseverance i'll
this practice forms a habit very necessary
in ali trades occupations and professions.
Careful attention to details is the elemen-
tary guardian OF lie and property; fire.
best things In civilization. Some revival of
the art of spelling, even If only for the pur-
pose or training the youthful mind in the
exercise of this particular trait, might be a
useful reformation in our school world
Judge Turple's parents were alive to the
value of education, hence very early in the
forties they temporarily left their farm and
Sugar creek and moved TO Lafayette, TWEEN
ty miles distant. where they remained sew
eral years. and here the boy saw for the first
time and soon made the acquaintance of
John Petit and that mighty but now forgot
ten legal advocate, Rufus A. Lockwood.
Tradition says that David attracted the at
tention. as a bright boy, of the Episcopal
rector. and under his influence in 1913 he en-
tered the Episcopal College in Gambler, o.,
where he graduated in 1916. This accounts
for the senator's being a lifelong member
OF that church After he had received his
degree Judge Turpie taught common school
and taught IL for three successive winters,
reading law In the summer at LoganspOrt
with Hon. ID. ID. Pratt. Before obtaining
employment as a teacher he was required 10
pass an examination before the board of
trustees After being questioned an hour he
was called upon 10 show his handwriting.
Judge Iurpie relates how he wlOte out in
his best hand:
AT Dover dwells George Brown Esquire.
Good Carlos Finch and David Pryor"
the capital letters OF which so captivated
the board that his license was at once
granted. The subscription paper circulated
the next week showed over fifty scholars.
No provision was made for the board of the
new teacher. He had brought his lunch
from home. Says Judge Turpie: Il did not
know where l was to spend the night but
just at the close OF school a girl of twelve
years came TO the desk and invited me on
behalf OF her parents 10 their house for sup
per. and added that / was expected TO stay
with them for two weeks. Thus commenced
my experience OF boarding round. There
We're steel pens In those days Quilts OF
various kinds were Furnished by the pupils
the making and mendlng OF which was a
the teacher. Reading was favorite pass
time OF the young teacher, and his remarks
upon poor readers and the poor reading of
to-day are both critical and stimulating.
After three years OF study during his sum-
mers With Mr.. Pratt (and notice that this
was completed before the code OF 1853 came
into effect. and included the old Common
Law and Chancery System OF Pleading and
Pracucel Mr.. Nurpie. aged tWenty-One
FOUND himself In the little village OF Month
cello, Iull-nedged attorney and counselor
or law. Monticello at that time had less
than thee hundred inhabitants. Its courts
were held twice year IN its only church.
IL was accessible only by saddle and wagon.
No railway made It's appearance until fifteen
years afterwards a few miles TO the west
lay the Grand prairie. extending hundreds
OF miles 10 the Mississippi river and I'm real
lily part or Illinois This prairie in 1919
was common 10 all gruzers OF cattle. as
much 50 as To-Day are the great plains OF
Colorado and New Mexico The pages de-
voted TO this phase OF life as IL then was or
the open prairie are very charming They
show what a close observer of Grass fiov-
ers. winds and skies and the daily work al
nature Judge Turpie has been and how
vivid is his memory OF these delightful
things in his old age.
n sketch OF Judge Turpie's rapid progress
politically reads like romance Think of
a youth twcnty-One years old. born AMI
raised in a log cabin. I'm less than ffteen
years landing from country village with
out even courthouse in IL, into the United
States Senate and yet this is Turpie's
record. In 1852 he was elected TO the lower
House OF Representatives at indianapolis
In 1850 he was appointed Judge OF the Com
mon Pleas Court In 1901 he was promoted
20 Judge OF the Circuit Court In lS5,
he was reelected 10 the House Of Repre-.
sentatives, where he was the unanimous