THE TORCH OF REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON, AUGUST 31, 1899.
to work with dyspepsia aud head­
ache Monday morning!
In the cabin below sweet music
BY P . W . G E E R .
was coming from the instruments
I have become accustomed to in the hands of the orchestra, and
saying goodbye on this trip, but it all the passengers seemed to be
was not without a feeling of sorrow happy. Time passed quickly, and
that I turned my back upon the at eleven o’clock the music stopped
Wetmore home in Buffalo, where I and people began to retire for the
enjoyed such a delightful stay of night. By midnight all was quiet,
three days. Dr. Wetmore expects save the deep thud of the engines,
to be in Oregon this fall, where I which seemed to lull one to sleep;
expect to meet, him again. I am and a peaceful sleep too, compared
only sorry that he and Mrs. Wet- with the broken rest on a railroad
more could not have accompanied train.
me on my homeward journey, and
It was a pleasing sight in the
especially on that delightful voyage morning to see the sun rise on the
across Lake Erie by moonlight.
blue waters in the east, while the
Traveling by rail in the summer moon was apparently dipping into
season often becomes monotonous the waters on the western horizon,
and disagreeable, while the traveler Bright and early we steamed into
becomes tired, hot, and dusty. port at Cleveland, and no sooner
What a rest it is to change to the were we anchored to the wharf than
cool, pure air of a sea voyage, on a stream of human freight was
fresh, sparkling water.
I had leaving the vessel. I was too busy
sailed on the ocean, I had traveled to notice the city from a distance,
by steamboat on the old Columbia, and the first view I had of Cleve­
I had floated on the placid waters land was a very unsatisfactory one
of the Hudson, and I had a splen­ from the river below, which flows
did voyage on the Long Island from the south,and cuts the town in
Sound and Narraganset Bav; hut twain. The banks of the stream are
the ride that moonlight night on very high and at frequent intervals
Lake Erie was no less enjoyable. immense viaducts span the river
It was different from all these others. and the low lands below. I fol­
Just at dark, when the sun was lowed up the river a few blocks and
still painting the small streak of then ascended a long flight of stairs
clouds on the Western horizon, and to the bridge above, when I could
the silvery moon was peeping up see that a beautiful city surrounded
over the city from the West, the me, while below was a dirty hole
great floating palace steamed away filled with sooty buildings and
from the moorings at the Buffalo smoking chimneys, with railroad
Wharf, and, with the aid of two trains running in all directions,
little steam tugs, floated out past ami in the narrow river steamboats
the great elevators into the lake. were plowing along.
Empty street cars were running
It took two tugs, one at the stern
and one at the bow, to float us to and fro, and on the street cor­
safely out the narrow passage be­ ners immense crowds of people were
yond the little light-house, and gathered, even at that early hour,
then, like toys, the little boats blew and I wondered if the citizens of
a farewell whistle, and steamed Cleveland had never s**en electric
back to the great electric city, cars before. There were very few
which at that time looked like a people riding in the cars, while a
holiday instead of a holy day (so great many were looking on. I
called), was just closing. The great ventured up to one man who
wealth of white lights in all their seemed to he amazed, and tried to
brilliancy, with the full moon just engage him in conversation. He
rising above, made a very pretty remarked that those people riding
in the cars were running a great
display.
I went to the upper deck, and, risk. I told him that it did appear
seated at the stern, I watched the dangerous to those who were not
apparently receding city, while the accustomed to seeing electric cars,
moon threw a silvery light over the but out in Oregon we were used to
path of the vessel, which could be such things and people never
traced for miles. The people on thought of danger. ‘‘Are these the
board were principally from Cleve- first electric cars you ever saw?”
land, where they had left the night said I. No answer came, and when
before, after their day’s work had I looked around the man was ten
ended. Saturday night had been paces away, and he had such a
spent upon the water, Sunday had disgusted look on his face that I
been devoted to viewing Buffalo could see it on the back of his head
and the Niagara Falls, and now as he walked away. I didn’t know
they were on board the great travel- what was the matter, but as I
ing hotel and would reach their walked towards the public square I
places of business early Monday heard a group of men talking about
morning, ready and willing to the strike, and I soon learned that
work after their splendid outing, the inotormen and conductors had
How much better than to spend a struck, aud dynamite had been
Sunday in prayer and soberness in used freely the day before. I was
some holy, .-anctified place, breath- just preparing for a trip out Euclid
ing foul air and disease, then going Avenue to view the city and parks,
A broad.
but decided to be content with spreading in every direction, with
walking about the business section. large, well-kept farm-houses and
I went to the public square, barns, gave evidence of prosperity
where is situated the large soldiers’ and contentedness, The forests of
and sailors’ monument. I don't Ohio lack only the evergreen trees
like this monument. It cost thou­ to be complete. The oak, hickory,
sands of dollars, and stands to com­ and walnut trees are very pretty io
memorate something that we would summer, but present a dreary ap­
like to forget. Around the statue pearance in the winter. There are
are life-size figures of Union sol­ lots of good things about Ohio, and
diers killing their Confederate the people may well be proud of
brothers, and the picture seems to their country. Oregon possesses
teach that it is right and something all of the good things and a few
of which we should be proud. Of more. There are some bad things
course we know that all this really about Oregon which the Oregonians
happened, and it is a sad piece of regret, but Ohio possesses all these
history; but such a statue as this is bad qualities and some a little
surely not a pleasant sight to a worse. Some of my Ohio friends
southern veteran, nor to a young may not agree with me on this ques­
man whose father fought under the tion, but it is simply because they
Confederate flag. We boast of haven’t seen Oregon. I have seen
uniting the North and the South in both. If the Ohio people who have
a friendly feeling and forgetting our seen Oregon do not agree with me
“late unpleasantness,” but surely it shows simply a difference in
such monuments are not conducive taste for which there is no account­
to such ends, and I don’t like to ing.
We arrived at Delaware, Ohio,
sec them.
I staid but a few hours in Cleve­ after a few hours’ ride and there I
land, and did not see much but the changed cars, and in a few7 mo­
business section of the city. The ments we were again darting on­
street car strike was about to be­ ward, through fields and past
come a riot, and I did not care to beautiful country homes. We passed
take part in it by becoming one of through the little towns of Marys­
the passengers, and in that way ville and Milford Centre, and at
taking sides in the matter. I pre­ 4 o’clock arrived at the little vil­
ferred to remain neutral and walk. lage of Irwin, where I alighted
That Monday morning was my from the train, to find Miss Nellie
first introduction into Ohio. My Van Ness waiting with her horse
father and his mother were both and phaeton to drive me to her
born there, and I had often longed father’s home, two miles distant.
to be there. Now was my first op­ I had told Miss Van Ness goodbye
portunity. Early in the afternoon a month before in “cultured Bos­
a train pulled out over the “Big ton,” but a few weeks on the farm
Four” tracks, and before we had did not seem to change her. She
proceeded far to the southward the is not one of the changeable kind.
conductor discovered that I was on Her ideas are founded on common
board. He asked for my authority, sense and her ways on good morals
and I produced a scrap of paper. and manners. There is no need
He punched a couple of holes in it, for change, and you will find Miss
stuck a piece of red cardboard in Van Ness the same whether in the
my hat and marched on, apparently city or on the farm.
A few moments’ drive along the
as much satisfied as myself.
We were soon out of the canyon pike brought us to the Van Ness
and the limits of the city, and were home, which seemed to be deserted.
going towards Kentucky at a rapid The ducks had strayed away and
rate. I like Ohio very much in­ had to be followed up the creek and
deed, especially in the summer, and brought back. Iu a short time the
I think there must have been some­ truants were returned and the
thing wrong with the Oregon pion­ family re-uriited, save the son
eers, or they would not have left Philip, who is away in the Philip­
such a beautiful country to fight pines fighting in the army. Since
Indians across the desert on their leaving Oregon I had spent three
six month's trip toward the Golden months traveling about or iu large
West. Oregon must have been cities, save the one day at the
painted in glowing colors to tempt Bliven home in Connecticut, and
them so strongly. Of course they the prospect of a three days’ stay
were right and made no mistake, in the quiet, health-promoting
for in Oregon they found a better country was very pleasant to one
country even than Ohio, hut it who had spent his boyhood days
seems to me they were running on a farm iu the Waldo Hills.
great risks. Now that we have
Mr. Van Ness has an ideal farm,
railroad communication it is not at which is usually the case with Sec­
all surprising to see people from ularists. His cattle are fat and
Ohio, as well as every other state, sleek, his horses are gentle when
removing to Oregon and the West. young and active when old; his
The ride by train that morning pigs grunt contentedly, the ducks
was almost as delightful as the one have about the proper quack, and
the night before by boat. The low the little negro cook is about as
hills, covered in places with beauti­ black as it is necessary for one of
ful trees, immense fields of corn ¡her race to be. Mr. Van Ness is