The Oskaloosa herald., 1905-02-09
By MANoAH ID
ESQ tell the story that the world of today
win be the better for it's recital. ~


Su III a udy at one OIL LneSe regular
wolf hunts.
There were times when it was
impossible to obtain flour, and corn
bread was an acceptable substitute.
The ingenuity Of the good mother
was often taxed to supplement the
supply of wild game. Corn was Of
ten ground on hand mills or a home
made crater and sifted through a
piece of dressed deer skin which
had been perforated by a hot wire
or sharpened nail. Bread made from
this contained all the healthful in
gradients of the grain and could not
fail to be sweet and nutritious.
This is no imaginative descrip-
ton of the difficulties to be over
come in settling the soil Of Iowa and
Mahaska county. There are persons
yet living who participated in these
hardships.
The necessities or life were not
large during those first years. They
had not ret learned the lesson OF ex-
travagance. Many a happy meal
uo CoICh VI SOIh UISdu ALI Il6dI,
prepared under the most humble
circumstances by the cheerful and
constant wife. No restitution was
ever permitted in any neighborhood.
What one had all we're free to use
while it lasted. The last pound of
meat or peck of meal was generous
ly divided with a needy neighbor.
There was nc selishness. A cordial
and generous life made all the adys Of
the year happy days. The first set
tiers who came into this country
thought themselves fortunate to get
mail from their friends onc in three
or six months. After the days of
post Offices all news was several
months old before It reached its des>
tination. The postal authorities at
that time allowed excess Of postage
Ito be paid by the person to whom
the letter was addressed. Judge
Sewers used to tell of a young pl-
oneer who was unable to raise the
twenty-five cents back postage for
the want of which he was not per-
mitted to lift the letter from the Of
fee. He made periodical trips to
the office to have the satisfaction Of
inspecting it until such time as he
could raise the price which enabled
him to secure it.
The perils and suffering to be
encountered by the pioneers did not
prevent them from being a cheerful
and light hearted people. Frolics
were frequent. Whenever anything
was to be done requiring more help
than the family could supply a day
in the future was selected on which
TO make a frolic. These occasions
were widely advertised, ana every
body was made welcome, and as a
rule the whole neighborhood plan
ned their work to attend the gather,
ed their work to attend the gather,
ing. H~ouse-raising, l~og-rolling,
wood-chopping and the like for men,
and quilting = and sewing for the
women. On these occasions ample
preparations were made TO enter,
tain the crowd with plenty of food
and drink. With joking and a gen,
eral merry-making time the work
went on until the allotted task was
done. In the evening the fun-making
began in earnest and continued far
into the night, especially among the
young people. A house-raising,
which was always regarded great
fun. would furnish a stimulus and
excitement for a neighborhood for
weeks previous and after the event,
The first cabins were built with
the logs just as they came from the
forests, round, with the bark on,
A little later it was accounted an in,
dication of good taste to chip of
two sides of each log. Then came
the more elegant home made OF
hewed logs, presenting a fiat surface
both inside and out. A good deal
of preparation was necessary on the
part Of the host to have all in readi'
ness for a house-raising. The tim
bers must all be prepared in proper
lengths, then cut and 'notched and
ready 10 be laid in place. Men who
we're especially skillful with an axe
were placed ON the corners of the
building to clip out just the right
sized chip to allow the log to make
a close fit.
Horse racing, foot racing and
shooting matches were popular
amusements. At these gatherings
there were almost always tests o.
physical strength in some form ant
sometimes vicious fights were pre-
cipitated by an imagined insult OF
some boastful spirit whose superflu
Gus vitality was chatting to demon
strate that he was the best man IL
the crowd. He usually got whaj
boosters deserve, a good Ticking,
from which time he ceased to- be The
champion Of the neighborhood. A
free use of liquor generally
brought on these pernicious con
tests. Most of these Festivities
wound up with dancing, which wa!
always a favorite diversion with thu
early settlers.