Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-12-14
GONE FoREvsR.1Hs oss.aoAOs STORE


the country store. 1t was located at
the cross roads or on struggling vii
tage street, perhaps hamlet Is a better
word than village: for a hamlet was
but one move from the cross roads.
The cross roads store and postoffice
was once an institution. 1t was at
"Confedrit Nroads' that Petroleum "
Nasty kept the postoffice. much to the
delight Of republicans of a passing
generation. The store, usually run"
by man OF mature age, was the GEN.
ter Of postal privilege and facility for
miles of countryside. Twice or three
times a week the stage" arrived on
the star routes of that period. Per-
maps the route was forty miles between
two county seats With railroad lines.
Then the mail came daily. once on the
way over" and next day on the way
back" The stage driver, lean and
lank and long Of limb as beftted the
low bidder for star route which had
been farmed down thru contractors
and sub-contractors until it reached
the lowest ebb, brought in a slack bel
lied mail sack. That is he brought it
in if he and the postmaster were on
friendly terms. In case OF strained re-
latiOns he threw it out on the ground
impressively and kept a watchful eye
n the until no had II
in proper possession, A stage driver in
charge of the United States mail tho
that mail might consist of three letters,
a few copies of the county papers and
a single wrapper containing an issue of
the twice a week New York Tribune or
the Chicago Times was as peevish os
He made it known that the federal
laws and regulations gave him the
right to the whole road and that the
Ctizenry inclined to crowd for half the
beaten track We're infringing on pre-
rogatlve. Not that he refused TO turn
out" when meeting another team bur
bent to do il. The stage driver and
his equipage were of the country store
and yet not part of it.
Usually the stOrekceper and P. NJ.
was an old soldier. Sometimes he
was crippled. perhaps mimic ball lay
among the muscles of one Of his limbs
;,>}n Ic a1,t t~I -,
Maybe he was lazy. Perhaps he loveo
company and was satisfied with divi-
dends of gregarious delights. But often
the little store at the cross roads made
more money in a year than the man
who farmed his half section-as half
sections were farlned then.
Sugar in barrels. crackers in like re-
ceptacles, stood along the floor before
the counter or Just behind it. In the
back end of the room a couple of mo-
lasses barrels lay on their sides with
sticky quart and gallon measures
standing on top Of them. Near them
snaky rope ends of different sizes stuck
up lElIu IoleS pOicu III liz Ilooi t!iu
were kept from slipping back into the
cellar by knots loosely tied. Three
and four tined forks and an occasional
spade stood in the corner hanked by
nail key filled with second growth
hickory ak handles, the work of the
wagon maker or some local carpenter
4
mess of one thing ana other. A box of
tallOw candles was cheek by jowl
with another box containing red her
rings. and close by was box Of Gin
namon in Sticks. as the curled bark
was known then. Canned goods there
We're none. The only canned goods
came at Christmas time when he got
in a case of oysters in fat cans. Plug
tobacco there was in round cartons
like figs and in pals OF fine cut and
paper packages Of Gamecock and T.
and J. A half dozen jars Of stick cam
| dy bore a brave front in gaudy colocs
and held the longing of youth which
never ldneu 10 lll1SeF tnere. 1t was all
| hodge podge and higgledy piggledy and
! disorder but the proprietor would seek
and find pretty nearly all the necessi-
| ties Of that day which were few and
did not include the luxuries that have
since become necessities. Out in a
shed he had certain farm implements
| -l,,~;., lie t,1
salt and the like.
| Thither on rainy days and Of even
ings led by pleasure or driven by ne
cessity came the country side. Some
came to ask ARE there any mail for
our folks and having settled that
question pro or con inquired one by
one for the mail Of neighbors who had
run out to them and requested the
favor. The informal club met there as
it meets everywhere where it is well
come and can find place to spit and
a stove about which to relate stories
| and discuss the news OF the nsiShnors
hood. Perhaps in earlier times the
counter bore a keg Of cider which had
| worked itself OUT and contained cheer
and ahe impulse to argumentative dis
cussion. Here everything from Jones
last litter of pigs to international COM
plications in politics was given the
once over. Here arose voices loud and
in wrath over township elections and
here the "patsE.astes"wasd damned with
| feryor Ia bis face Cigars there were