Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1909-05-21

DEATH OF AN OLD PIONEER.
Which Brings to Mind a Well-known Expe
rience of Early DAYS.

Mrs. Mary J. Mac Donald, widow of
John Malcolm Macdonald. died at
Napavine, on the 9TH inst, aged y
years, and was buried on Cowlitz
prairie, in the old Mission cemetery.
On the 7th. Deceased was one of the
early pioneers. having come to the
Territory in 1852, and had resided on
the farm near Napavine all the inter-
vening years-Over half a century.
She was beloved 10y all who knew
her and she leaves a large family to
mourn her loss. They are Mrs.
Francis Donahoe, of Chehalis; Mrs
NJ. II. O'COnnor, of Portland, Ogn. :;
Mrs. A. L. Mattingly, of Glendale,
Ogn.; H. d. Macdonald. and Misses
Katharine and Isabel Macdonald, of
Napavine.
The death of this estimable lady
opens up an interesting chapter of
pioneer "reminiscences. Among these,
none are more delightful than the ex
perience of the travelling public of the
Olden time with this family as hosts,
while travelling from Portland to
Olympia, a trip of three days by
steamer, canoe or saddle, and dead
ex" wagon, the latter by courtesy
called stage coach. The journey
began with a trip from Portland to
Monticello by Capt. Hoyt's steamer
(the Multnomah No. y, where an eX-
cellent dinner was spread by A. r..
Burbank If you were in luck on ar
rival at Monticello, on the COwlitz,
you might possibly obtain passage in
a canoe to the Forks, where you
would find hospitable entertainment
by WIN. Humphrey. Ii you were
out of luck, you would have to ride
over the mountains on u "cayuSe, y
only 10 miles, but O, what long.
weary and muddy ones Tin the rainy
season.. To make time you had to
start out before daylight in the morn
ing, by stage" and when the roads
were bad, in winter. walk up the
hills and occasionally aid in prying
q wheel out of the rut with a fence
rail, carried for the purpose. For
breakfast, you halted at MacDonald's,
and oh, what breakfast you had
with the farm products SO splendidly
cooked by the hostess. The next
night was spent at Claquato, with
the once famous Davis family, whose
latch-string always hung out denOt-
ing whole-souled hospitality. Din
ner was taken at the Tilley place,
after sounding the depths of the al.
most impossible Sanders Bottom,
another stopping place famous for
the well-cOoked eatables. chief among
which, fond Memory reminds US, was
the delightful biscuits, SO light and
fluffy that a gentle breeze it was said
might watt them out of the window.
At nightfall the third day, one
might reasonably expect, barring &C
cidents. to arrive in Olympia
splOtched with mud, tired and foot
sore, out $25 in fare and three days
cost of entertainment by the way
side If first impressions are the
guide for lasting Judgment, how
could anybody under such circum
stances greet Puget Sound with thai
rapture that inspires those who now
make the trip by rail, in five hours
with dress suit, prepared for ball
room or parlor, and at a cost Ofles:
than one-fOurth the old-time rates?
Verify we live in an age of pro
gress, that a half-century afford.
ample time to develop; but alas
how true it is also of the swing o
Times remorseless scythe, which
"cuts down all, both great an(
small"