Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-11-29
IN THE HEART OF VERNON COUNTY

EDITOR CENSOR; Riding north on the
main travelled road, we note Bleine Rusk
has "spruced mp, painted the old home
stead and outbuildings, and made inn
provements that indicate to the passer-
by the coming Of the bride and
! groom" Farmer Fred Stoll has a good
| graded herd He is worker. A short
distance to the north and west is the
home of r T. Bentson, prosperous
| farmer; house sheltered with trees, all
things in splendid condition, dervting q
business farmer He makes farming
pay. At the foot of the hill as we go on,
| is the Stephenson home, the late DIV ell.
ing place of pioneer farmer who buf-
feted the Atlantic waves in the early
| fifties, 10 find home in the heart of
| Vernon. His son took up the work and
all is well with him. We pass the Good
ell place, where our postmaster lived
and did chores in his early manhood
We note good farm house, tobacco
sheds well filled, farm under good cult.
vation, stumps on the new clearing dy-
namited into flinders. Mr. Goodell,
senior, located on the farm in 1854, buy
ing from Mr.. Langdon, an early settler,
who dying, was buried on the commons,
a field now, and the place designated by
pile of stones Mr.. Goodell lived an
honorable life, died venerable in years,
and was buried in the Viroqua cemetery
Mrs. Goodell followed few years later.
She was New England mother, noble
Christian woman. Next on the high
way the home of Thomas Thompson,
another pioneer He died few years
ago his widow resides in the old home
of her early life.
A little farther on the old landmark,
Smiths home, now the residence of
Michelet. We call to mind this home,
forty-nine years ago Christmas. A new
house was to be opened with dance.
The great storm of the century had
passed over; roads were blockaded and
opened through fields; the air crisp and
keen. It was to be the dance of the
year, on new floor, music by Austin's
band assisted by Arch Day. Dancers
came from De Soto, delegations from
West Prairie, Badsx, Rsadstown and
Brookville, while Viroqua turned out
en- masse They came with OK teams,
horses and bobs, bringing many debu-
tantas and several young mothers with
infants to make merry the nineteen hun
dred and fifty-sixth anniversary of that
great event when the Magi, following
the moving star, found the manger with
it's treasure in Bethany. After a time
tuning up, bows resined, music got in
chord, "14ll sci" announced by Dede
Decker, the dancers genteely bowling to
partners, then on the corners, when
merry Christmas eve was begun. All
night long they Swung those Is,
those pretty little girls and made the
plight merry with dance and laughter.
lere is now in our midst, lovable in
| .aracter and lovely in her womanhood,
favorite of that evening, a graceful dam
Ger with bright red cheeks, bride of a
few weeks, s,-Mrs -. Still beyond the LIE
Morse place. now the splendid home Of
Severt Larson, who for quarter Of q
century has followed the plow, has sown
and gathered, and has been rewarded
for his labor. Then we come to another
! old landmark, the Benson home of wears
ago Mr.. Benson packed his belongings
and trekked to Manning on the Kicka-
poo, where, till the coming of the rural
2eiiveryman, he was U S postmaster
He still lives, having come all the way
down from the Monroe doctrine TO Man
ming.
West from Benson's we halt at the old
home of Andrew Dahl in well shelter
ed pine woods. Everything is in good
order, machinery ana stock well housed.
chickens in splendid apartments. Still