Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1906-11-15
Grange Building In IORa--COnIInued.

concluding our conference, Brother Price
went TO his home, packed his grip, and
game to town, bright and early. Thursday
morning, September 9Th. That morning
had my first Introduction to"Oldn Sam, the
faithful, hea-bitten sbeed, who has been
faithful many years, and who has TO draw
us over many weary mile, up hill and
down and across small streams without
number Sam had an unconquerable habit
of shedding gray hairs over our clothes He
was enthusiastic and brisk when travelling
in the direction Of home, but deiectsd and
sad when taking the opposite course.
We started out on our mission full Of
hope and admiration for the beauties OF the
surrounding country. Oar first point was
about four miles from town in Garner
Township and found shat the locality
selected had Grange some years ago, and
the hall owned by them had burned last
Christmas. This was not calculated TO
strew our path with roses, and the Srst
thing we we're told upon approaching a
farmer for an interview was: ooh yaas, we
ulster have grange, but somehow o'ruther
it didn't pan out mueh.'' That was the
first time we heard those words. The
sweetest song becomes monotonous; the
rarest music grows tiresome if heard too
much. How many times we wearied Of
that sad refrain, ''It didn't pan none TOO
WE'LL" / will not attempts to say. 1t would
barrow your feelings unnecessarily.
The community we were working in was
devoted to gardening and truck raising, and
not to the extensive farming which is rep
resentative of agricultural methods in Iowa.
/ noted the difference even in gardening IN
this locality, compared with my home
neighborhood, and must say the COMPARE
son was very unfayorable to Iowa. As we
droye over the billy and poorly kept roads
which are so common near Council Blntfs,
| continued to make comparisons and OBJ
served that New Jersey people are much
more up-to-date with their road buildings
than the citizen of Iowa. Notwithstanding
the condition of the roads she farmers are
accustomed to it and do not seem TO mind
it.
Right here want to put in good WORD
for the Iowa farmer and his family. They
are hospitable, whole-souled people once
YOU become acquainted with them, and will
always give the stranger the glad hand OF
welcome. But for she first few days OF our
campaign near Council Bluffs, they were all
gone or preparing to go to the street fair
or carnival going on in that City, and con-
sequently they were hardly disposed 10
listen very patiently 10 the arguments of
two Grange organizers.
must not forget TO describe this carnival
which was novel experience for me, but
which is common enough to Western cities.
It seems to be quite the popular thing for
each CITY here to hold it's street fair and
carnival every autumn. The carnival is
really fair to which all feel it their duty
TO go, casting of all restraint and abandon
ing themselves to merry making Battles
are fought with confetti, which is nothing
but finely chopped paper of all celors. The
confetti is thrown at everybody, pockets
are filed. hands full OF it are thrust down
the necks of passers by, the unsuspectlng
gszer finds his mouth and eyes filled with
it. and instead Of being angered, the peo-
pie. the younger ones especially are pleas
ed. and the pretty girls who have the most
on their clothes and in their hair at the
close Of the evening, consider themselves
fortunate. Bands furnish music, and the
gaily decorated booths of the merchants
and trades people attract hundreds OF sight
seers. and are excellent means OF advertise
ments. Fakirs are much in evidence, and
the amusement companies furnished attrac-
tions which their criers set forth to the
public in many fowery word and amaz-
ing phrase.
The people here, and even the news
papers, seem to be under the impression
shat our Philadelphia is sleepy town, but
after the excitement caused by the street
fair in Council Bluffs had SUBSIDIZED, the
city was so quit and asleep that it would
have been rude jolt indeed to have set its
citizens down in even the quieter streets Of
the City of Brotherly Love
The heat and dust which we experienced
during our first few days travels were very
annoying, and we wished fervently for rain
to settle the dust and cool the atmosphere.
How we got our wish will describe later.
After interviewing few farmers and find
ing them much more interested in the street
fair and their pursuits shan in our mission,
wesbegan TO realize that the way to gain
their interest and consideration, was to find
out what they were interested in most deep
" and approach them along those lines.
n 81 IL. II