Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1906-11-15

cerned over5 it's safety. She began asking
questions. regarding everything .icennected
with travelling, of everybody within hear
ing, hut I, being nearest, was compelled to
answer most OF them as best / could, filling
her with CONSERVATION when it chanced
that | could not give she desired informa-
tien. The conductor and brakeman suffered
too, and it required their combined efforts
to prevent the good old soul from leaving
the train at every station under the impress
sion that she had reached hers destination.
After acting as advisor in chief to the old
lady for something like an hour, realized
that l was missing the opportunity Of view
! ing the broad acres of Illinois, / concluded
to resign my position, and upon inquiry OF
the breakman found that / could get seat
in the cafe car. Always anxious for new
experiences I gracefully withdrew from the
side of the worried old traveller, and for the
first time in my life entered cafe car.
During the remainder of the ride through
Illinois made up the time lost and closely
observed the we'll titled and fertile farms of
the greatest agricultural commonwealth
among ouT many farming States. We next
reached the Great Father of Wasers, and
crossing it entered Iowa, and by the way,
please do ne not inform nay Iowa friends
that I claim for Illinois the honor of being
the first i'm agriculture, for they will not
hear Of Iowa taking second place to any,
and more than half believe they have good
cause for the stand they take.
observed that the fields of eastern Iowa
showed signs of severe lack of moisture, and
was told that the rains had been scarcely
sutiicientlfor the needs of the mammoth
crop of corn, of which we in the east hear
so much, and is King in Iowa.
Upon reaching Abba we were informed
| that the cafe and observation car was to be
cut of, and if we.desired TO continue oar
journey we must 60 forward into the car
had lett, which we promptly proceeded to
do. found that the old lady had either
reached her journeys end or had succeeded
/ in eluding the conductor and 2eft the train
at some other station. At least she was
gone took the same seat wondering If
should get another seat mate, and if so, how
4 fortune would favor me in that way. After
getting comfortably settled, the brakeman
brought in young lady and asked if she
might occupy the seat beside nae. 0bseFV-
ing that she was young, attractive, not
troubled with superabundance of baggage,
and having an air about her that gave the
i impression that she had travelled before and
4 knew what she was about, found it easy
to be gallant, and willingly allowed her te
take the seat she desired. Af$er little
conversation found that she knew as much
about travelling as l did, yes, as much as
knew combined with what the old lady
knew after had answered all Of her ques-
tions. Upon learning my business in
Iowa, she informed me that / was about to
undertake "a difficult proposition, and my
i experience since has led me to have CON
i siderable respect for her knowledge of con.
j ditions She left the train at Creston, 9
junction point were we stopped twenty
4 iye inmates for supper, the first meal j ever
ate in Iowa, where was destined to eat my
meals for many days.
l entered the train again aftei supper glad
that was nearing my journeys end, for il
4 seemed TO me that was long way from
my native State. And although 1 knew
that the sun which was setting in the di-
rection toward which we were speeding was
the same that had seen rise that morning,
4 4 seemed to be so far from my beloved home
that could scarcely believe is was the
same sun that had been shining over my
neighbors back there that day.
4 Tuesdays are excursion days for home
seekers in the Western States, and our train
was loaded with people on their way to the
vast areas still further west, out Of which
farms are being carved and on which homes
are being built.
i We soon found ourselves nearing Balfour,
the home Of a friend and brother, A. B.
4 Judson, Master Of the State Grange Of
Iowa, to whom | had wired while in Chi
cago, informing him that would reach his
station about 8. 80 in the evening Il was
moonlight and I alighted from forward
car and found our brother waiting at the
only building in the town-the depot
After travelling alone for two days and one
night, it seemed good to the weary traveller
TO meet friend, and doubly good to receive
from him the fraternal hand clasp and vel
come Of Patron.
Ourselves and baggage we're soon in tht
carriage and were not long in reaching the
hospitable home Of Brother Judson, where
hastened to stow myself away for my first
nights sleep in the Hawkeye Stale. Day
light gave me an opportunity TO view ths