The Newtown bee., 1906-03-16

L0reaCcQlDR dUtlOuue uc uSCloIS uc would return home to tld Dulchess could have hts l.n6s, but the prairie wolves could never gnaw his bones He returned East and often narrated his miraculous escape from a horrid death. During 1856 and 1857 we had small, threatening revOlu- tiOn regarding the location of the county seat. Some wanted Forest City, while others wanted New Hamp ton. They were about equally divid- ed. Old pioneers cOnverSant with early frontier life and of romantic pro. clivity, wearing leather pants and skin OvercOats, with guns on their cOuth, many of them threatening dire disaster. Happily peace was restored by long, unceastng persuasion. New Hampton won and is the county seat to-day. Uncle Ben was among them. He was 70 years old, with all the ec- centricities of a New York old batch. Earnest and always overf1Owing with comical expressions in no small de- gree.
 IN 1859 BROTHER JOHN TIRED OF
 FRONTIER FARMING
 and somewhat of a romantic turn, mapped out an exploration trip by water to New Orleans. I very reluc, tantly accompanied him. He built boat 10 feet long suitable to carry two blankets. He named the boat the Pathfinder. We started on the Cedar river, tributary of the great MiSsis- sippi, the Father of Waters. We were not like Captain Kidd of pirati. cal fame, but more after the style of Robinson CrusOe, seeking for lands unexplored, and came near reaching a similar fate down the Cedar river, which was unusually swollen. We sailed with the current, after lying down in our boat as we passed under trees and other instructions. We cooked our dinner that day on the that day we pulled our boat on the bank at Waterloo. tired and @in not any particular pleasant mood. Our 5000 mile contemplated trip would take a year. I persuaded Brother John to abandon it. We left the boat and blankets, cooking utensils. etc., in charge of family there, and started across the prairie the next morning for home, 40 miles. We slept on the unsettled prairie over night and re- turned home, much wiser than when we started and we never called for our boat or travelling outfit. \
 WATERLOO IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
 CITY IN IOWA,
 t. day. I will never forget, and recall with pleas re, how the natural terra( . ed streets greatly added to the lovely surroundings. It was then town of 100 souls. To-day, my nephew, who is lsnr. fa mfr n mt chinery, tells me 1t has $500 inhaoit- ants.
 GATHERING HAY.
 We bought an old moving machine to now the prairie, it was of the earliest pattern and of little account, heavy and cumbersome; we used oxen on it. It had heavy frame behind the cut ter bar and the cut grass fell through this frame. My brother conceived the idea to expedite gathering hay and he made wooden horse or OK rake. It was before spring tooth rakes were known. It was rude and made exact- ly as we now make corn marker. ex- cept the teeth were closer together and with some little spring to them. It was not very satisfactory then Gopher mounds dot the prairie every where. Gopners are small. tailless animal, resembling a, half grown woOdchuck. These mounds are from eight to 12 feet wide and tenanted by q family of six to 10 each. They will sit on their launches and cha deti- ance to all intruders on their territory. One of the worst features of early piO- neer life was
 THE DANGER OF GETTING LOST AT NIGHT.
 There is such sameness to the prai- rie ground one travels. Brother John was returning from postoffice 10 miles away one night in a storm. He got near home, then lost his bearings and travelled all night on the wild prairie, returning home next day, half dead with fright and exposure, while l slept in our cabin alone. In conclu- sion will say,
 We stood the blast
 And returned at last.
 But the half Is yet untold.-lC. H. Hawes.