The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-08-16
LIVES IN THE PAST AND
ENDURES THE PRESENT
From Tuesdays Daily.

II live in the past; | endure the
present, and l know nothing of the
future and care less" These were
the words spoken by Mark L..
Wildes, the sage of Washington
Lake, during conversation he had
with The Free Press yesterday aft
ernoon. Mr.. Wildes, in his charac-
terfstically vigorous and picturesque
language discussed the present and
the past,Scontrasting the days when
he was a young man with those
which are now gliding into history
so swiftly that people hardly take
notice of their flight.
Mr.. Wildes was in reminiscent
mood-made so by the recent re-
ceipt of a couple of pictures, sent
to him by his niece, Miss Jennie
E. Wildes of Hibbing, Mimi, who,
of late, has been looking over the
scenes of her uncle's boyhood days
at Phippsburg Center, Me. One of
the pictures is that of the oldest
school house in Maine. 1t was built
away back in 100, and it stands
today a mute reminder of the days
when school teaching was something
of task and conditions surrounding
the requirement of an education
were far different and more difficult
than those which exist in the pres
ent age of modernism.
Old Time Memories.
ofhar piotnra ic fhof IF
three-story brick building erected in
1906. 1t is the store and postoffice
of Phippsburg Center "The old
building still stands there just as
it did when / was a boy" said Mr.
Wildes. at will stand there until the
resurrection day, for it is built as
solid as the Rock Of Gibraltar" Mr..
Wildes gazed at the picture and at
once flood of old-time memories
rushed down the corridors of his
strong and active mind. People
nowadays talk despairingly of the
high cost of living" said Mr.. Wildes.
why, can remember when -four
sold out of that store at the rate of
$50 per barrel and other things
brought prices in proportion.
Wages were from so cents to
81 per day, but no one ever
complained of the high cost of liv-
ing. Not a murmur. People accept
ed conditions and were optimistic.
Yes. sir, | can remember of going
to that store one day to buy some
flour for my mother. l carried
small sack on my arm and on en-
tering the, store asked the proprietor,
cousin of the late Thomas B. Reed,
once speaker of the house of repre-
sentatives, If he could fill it for S..
The storekeeper scratched his head
and replied that he hardly thought
he could. Anyway purchased IS
worth of flour. Today that same
quantity could be purchased for a
third of the amount of money and
wages have doubled and trebled.
Change in Conditions.
Eyes, sir, there has been a won
derful change in conditions. The
name of God has been legislated out
of the school books and the rod,
the blacksnake and birch have been
thrown into the discard. When l at.
tended school bad boys were trounc.
ed and made to obey the rules.
Crime is on the increase and those
who violate the law are treated far
better than many poor, hard-work-
ing laboring man, who is honestly
and courageously striving to support
his wife and children and give the
latter an education. Women did not
wear hobble skirts and young misses
did not parade the streets after
nightfall nor "lallygag" around young
fellows who possessed no sense"
Mr.. Wildes is in his eighty-fifth
year, but he does not look or act
the part. He is vigorous physically
and strong mentally. He has not
shaved in sixty-two years and in all
his life never used tobacco in any
form nor drank drop of intoxicat-
ing liquor. He is one of the pio-
neer residents of Minnesota.