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
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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.