Image provided by: Silverton Country Historical Society; Silverton, OR
About Torch of reason. (Silverton, Oregon) 1896-1903 | View Entire Issue (May 31, 1900)
THE TORCH OF REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON, MAY 31, 1900. 2 fish” was jelly; and the last course, “Nectar of the Gods” was water. There was more regard paid to BY P E A R L W . G E ER . having a good, jolly, though refined, Country life in Ohio, or at least time than there was to piety, and in Madison County, is about the after the supper we played cards ced *- d y-*-; - >-1-11,1 - J »>• iU b ^ b tfu l J .e v e r r i enced. apd r— ¿«L as1s^-t-sy . -14 i sciM?—XiiC. .-long.’t rai n ■ •! la-d-U».. it', not like the so-called country life their regaliaed husbands dance the in the suburbs of large cities, where cake walk! They say that these people do business in the city and affairs are not unusual in that sec live in the country, or live on their tion and I am sorry that my pre large incomes with more luxury than sence theie has to be so unusual. I ,had Mr. Van Ness’ horse and can be had in a city. Country life adulterated with city ways is bet buggy, which he gave me the use of ter than city life adulterated with for the afternoon and evening if I what is supposed by some to be would take the young lady school- marm to Mechanicsburg. I think country life. What I have reference to when I he knew the task imposed was a mention country life in Ohio is ! pleasant one and I am surprised farm life—life among those who that he didn’t perform it himself,but live on and get their livings he is a generous “cuss,” for which from the farm. In the first place, I am very thankful. But he said the topography of Central Ohio is he would sit up until my return to beautiful and the rich soil, luxuri help take care of the horse, so I ant vegetation and cool, shady hastened away from the party, forests are conducive to prosperity which he didn’t know I was attend and contentment. The pike roads ing, and it was with great sorrow are traveled with equal comfort that I approached the Van Ness and ease, either summer or winter, home, for I saw a light shining in carriages, on bicycles or in through the window and I was sleighs. Then electric lines are sorry to keep my good friend up so built and being built all over the late. Still I was informed by a Mr. country, and the neighbors are now number of people that able to communicate with each Van Ness was young himself other by means of telephone. And once. I drove into the yard and there is such a neighborly feeling no man appeared. I went to the among the people of this particular barn and put away the horse and vicinity. They all seem to love there was no one to even show me each other, and they have their the proper stall, but the horse ladies’ clubs, euchre clubs, etc., knew; and when I proceeded to where they meet together often. the house there was no one to show The“Up-and-Down Euchre Club” me my bed, but Geer knew where is what I will refer to more par to go, and the “light in the window ticularly just now. It consists of for me” I extinguished. All this thirty members, who had just was not known to the Van Ness closed a very interesting tourna family until next morning, and I ment. It is understood that the am glad of it for I would not de losing side, the “Downs,” are to sire to distnrb them in the “wee give a banquet to the “Ups” at the sma’ hours.” Mr. and Mrs. Van close of the contest, and I shall Ness made my stay pleasant, of still more particularly deal with course, and we visited, talked, one of these banquets which I had played “Crokinole” and argued re the pleasure of attending, on the ligion with the school-marm. I invitation of one of my cousins knew Mr. Van Ness was a good who belongs to the club. man with good sense, but I didn’t We reached the home of Mr. know that he is so deeply interest Burnham, where the banquet was ed in the Liberal University. What held, and we were ushered into a he said to me gave me new courage spacious house especially adapted and I am led to believe that he is to that kind of affairs. There were as deeply interested in the L. U. O. more than sixty there and I never as I am myself. That is putting saw a jollier crowd. They were it pretty strong, but not exagger nearly all dressed in bright yellow ating. with gorgeous jewelry, and the Mr. George Van Ness and his ladies wore long trains while the daughter came out from Mechanics gentlemen wore yellow regalia. burg to spend Sunday, and we had ellow is the club color. Well, “a right jolly time,” as Liberals we were just in time for the ban usually do when thrown together in quet, and were seated at tables that way. Miss Nellie was not built for four, and awaited our fate. there and her absence was a cause The first course, according to the for regret. Our minds and conver menu, on a large heart, diamond, sation went away out to Los An club or spade, was “yellow jackets,” geles, where the young lady is con and we were afraid we would have ducting a school of elocution. “bees in our bonnets,” but were As may be expected of one so active, happily surprised when the beauti 6he is doing nicely. ful waitress brought us oranges! My visit at the Van Ness home Five courses were served and all w as brought to an abrupt close when tantastically named. “A kind of, my grandmother’s brother, Mr. Travels. Jaines Willard, came and claimed expensive mansion built in which me. We loaded my valises into to dwell after death. Many poor the buggy, said goodbye, and soon suckers who buy his oil would like Uncle and I were driving over the to have such a home to live in. pike. We reached the home of Mr. Rockefeller is charitable to the Mr. and Mrs. Dickason (cousins), worms, he believes in their being -where I'-¿charged /a»«.,”—^a43..A£s«« Dickason and I were ooon¿rr-Ltsir*" ■Y“,<ri'Ytrr;uiiQ' a' cTfelnalory in UievU-’ don, where we listened to a Uni- land, but Mr. Rockefeller’s moral(?> versalist sermon. Il was masterly sense couldn’t stand the shock of in composition and ably rendered, such a thing and so I am informed but too Liberal to be orthodox and that he used his influence and vet a trifle too orthodox to be Lib- money to defeat it. I intended to go by boat from eral enough for me, although it contained truth and information Cleveland to Buffalo, but the train best suited my requirements so I which I and all the world need. My Uncle James is a dear old went by land. I reached Buffalo gentleman and time passes pleas somewhat disabled and was glad to antly while in his c >mpany. He be taken into custody by the Drs. has religion—the Religion of Hu Wetmore, at whose comfortable manity—and I don’t believe he ever home I spent a few days, pleasantly knowingly committed a wrong in indeed, in spite of a sore throat Mild his life. His common sense if and consumptive cough. not his experience teaches him that remedies were administered, and all wrong has its punishment and after one little escapade with the never a reward of pleasure. Would doctor to the theater in the after that all the world understood it as noon, Mrs. Wetmore took me in well. The children and grand charge and didn’t allow my lanky children of this nobleman have his form to move out of doors until I religion and hi3 morals and I am decided that I was well enough to travel and we all thought a change proud to call them cousins. Uncle James drove me over the of climate would do me good, w hich country and to London, where I it did. Luke Erie was full of ice boarded the train for Cleveland. I and some of the time the air was reached the “Forest City” at noon full of snow. What a difference and then set out to find my friend here in Washington City, where I Chas. Elton Blanchard. He had am so hot I am slowly melting. We didn’t have any rides on moved, which was hard on my soles for I tramped, and tramped, bicycles or in automobiles in Buff and tramped until I finally found alo, and didn’t see the parks, the his place of abode and awaited his monkeys and the peacocks, but the return. Mrs. Blanchard came first doctor has many playthings with and I was pleased to learn that my which he tmused me during my friend has such a splendid woman stay, and Mrs. Wetmore’s bright for his wife. It is an evidence of conversation and cheerful disposi his good judgment. tion always makes one happy. The When Mr. Blanchard returned doctor has a telescope through we immediately called the meeting which we looked at the moon and to order and proceeded to discuss studied civilization on Venus; and all sorts of questions. It was evi then he has a phonograph with dent that an early adjournment which he has bottled up some of was not probable so it was settled his own eloquence and some of his that I must remain for the night, friends’, and he dealt it out to me which arrangement suited me in allopathic doses, which were none exactly. Mr. Blanchard is educat too large to be appreciated. Then ing himself in the medical pro-' we developed some films and print fession and in another year will be ed some pictures and did other a full-fledged M. D. Then he is things too numerous to mention. coming to Silverton and will give Next year the Pan-American Ex the Liberal University the advant position meets in Buffalo and I age of some of his knowledge by have an invitation to spend a week giving a course of lectures. at the Wetmore home. What Next morning, Mr. Blanchard a generous offer and what a pleas and I went for a bike ride through ure it will be to accept it. If my the parks and over the speedways throat only behaves itself and other of the eastern part of this beautiful matters permit I will be there. Ohio city by the lake. We visited Garfield’s monument and then If it is our duty to forgive our en passed on through the city of the emies, ought not God to forgive his? dead. I never saw such a ceme Is it possible that God will hate his tery for angels. They all seem to enemies when he tells us we must be materialized and, in fact, petri love ours? The enemies of God can fied, and I turned my kodak loose not injure him, but ours can injure on a group of them mourning over us. If it is the duty of the injured a mound of earth. It is a good to forgive, why should the uninjur scheme to h;ive marble angels weep ed insist upon having revenge? over you if your friends won’t. Why should a being who destroys Mr. Rockefeller lives in Cleve nations with pestilence and famine land and he evidently expects to expect that his children will be die there, for he is having a very loving and forgiving?—[Ingersoll.