The Oskaloosa herald., 1905-02-09
GHAPTER FIVE.

Amusements, Dress.
When a settler reached the end OF
his long journey his first business
was ITO select his claim and locate
his residence. In the absence of Sec
tion lines he determined the points
Of the compass by the sun at noon
and in the evening. So many steps
each way would measure three hun
bred and twenty acres more or less,
which answered all necessary pur-
poses for securing a claim. 1t was
always understood that in the right
ing of irregularities by the anal sur
vey each settler would be absolutely
sure to receive the full amount of
his claim.
Having selected a location the
most pressing business at hand was
to construct a temporary house for
the protection of the family. The
style was not a thing to be consider
ed. A shelter was the only thought
in the minds of the first home build
ers. We do not read of many dug
outs in Iowa, but thirty years ago the
writer visited many such homes on
the prairies of Nebraska. Even with
dirt floors the average home was al
ways kept neat and clean. The har-
dy settler usually had no means and
but few appliances for home build
ing. He var quite content with a
cabin such as would afford shelter
and protection from the winter
storms and excessive weather!O A
one-room cabin fourteen or sixteen
feet square, with a bark or clap
board roof and a roughly built stick
chimney with a good big fireplace
was Joy and undisturbed content
ment for years to com for the ear
ly settler. Doors and windows were
not always Immediately provided.
A blanket often did good service in
guarding the door until they found
time to split the timbers that when
Completed would swing on it's wood
en- hinges and fasten with a latch
made of seasoned hickory. AS for
furniture, there was not room for
much, and it was quite easy to i'm.
provise tables anG chairs. Some
times the door was taken from its
hinges and used as a table on spe,
cfal occasions, and when needed no
Lower for that purpose, was lifted
'steamss place again. In the earlier
daeir wfter the cabin was enclosed
and made comfortable, the deft
hand of the good housewife was
generally equal to almost any emer-
gency, and the father of the family
was left free to look after outside
affairs. How cheerful the old fash.
Toned fireplace always seemed,
with its huge back log and its
cracking fire, the family sitting in
a semi-circle aound its wide mouth,
is a picture of contentment and I'M
measured joy. No member of that
circle can ever forget the scene or
get away from the influence of its
holy fellowship. ...'" ."
The site for the home of the early
settler was usually IN the edge Of
the timber, near a spring or running
stream. The timber served as a
protection from the storms of win
ter and the excessive heat Of sum-
mer, Then the nearness to the tim
Der afforded an immediate supply Of
fuel and logs for the cabin. Along
the edge of the timber, also, the sod
was more easily broken than on the
prairie. A truck patch with the
larger portion Of it in corn was all
that could be done the first year.
These were the trying years for the
early settlers. Mills were scarce
and usually a distance of several
days. journey. In a number of in.
stances in this county, we are told,
that after a long winter which caus.
ed the scanty food supply to run
very low, it required the time of one
member of the family during the
spring months to be on the road to
and from the mill, which was often
sixty to seventy-five miles distant.
The trip was often made on horse
back, as there were no ferrys, and
the swollen streams had to be cross
ed in a canoe or raft and the horse
or oxen : would swim. In making
these long and difficult trips the pi-
oneer would camp at night on or
near the prairie, where his teams
could feed on the grass. After a
week or more Of exposure and toll
some travel, he. would be disheart-
ened to learn on arriving at the mill
thathis turn would come in a week.
Heewas lucky If he found a job TO
pay expenses while waiting. When
his turn came he was expected to be
promptly on hand to claim it, or
another would take his place. His
grinding finally ready, he was de-
lighted to turn his face homeward
and meet the dangers of the return
trip. These milling trips occupied
SO much valuable time that it made
the cost of r~breadstuffs extremely
high.
Timber and prairie wolves were a
great menace, TO the early settler.
While it was quite true in a fgura-