Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 February 1918 — FORTY YEARS AGO [ARTICLE]

FORTY YEARS AGO

By Abe Martin. Th’ whole family dressed around th’ settin’ room stove, one at a time. We all walked home t’ dinner at noon. A farmer didn’ know what an’ egg or a load o’ hay wuz worth till he got t’ town. Nobuddy bought a book if anybuddy in town had th’ one he wanted. A father supported his daughters till they were grown. Nothin’ broke th’ monotony o’ summer but a one-ring circus. We called farmers country Jakes. Country editors made a livin’ by printin’ hoss bills. A feller with a hoss an’ phaeton wuz supposed t’ be wealthy. Nobuddy wore belts but Irish laborers.

Women wouldn’ go t* a show like th’ Black Crook. Bacon wuz th’ chief diet o’ th’ poor an’ oppressed. People wore patched shoes. Nobuddy wuz afraid t’ drink at th’ town pump. We used t’ borrow a cow t’ mow th’ lawn. Th* lettuce season opened late in May. New shoes squeaked. Body fountains closed in September. We all wore soggy red. flannel under wear. Th’ courthouse square wuz a wood market, v Th’ boys made money carrying notes. You could judge a feller’s financian stadin’ by his hitchin’ post. "' Ther wuz a little child swingin’ on ever* front gate. Butchers carried whips that cracked like a gUn an’ drive ther cattle thro’ town.

We only cleaned up on Saturday evenin’. Nickel cigars had a pleasant odor. Dudes sent ther collars t* th’ nearest big city t’ be polished. We pressed th’ creases out b’ ready made pants. Doctors an’ lawyers wore plug hats. Doctors an’ lawyers wore plug hats often with sack coats. Hair watch chains an’ gold headed canes were plentiful. Tug oysters set on th’ sidewalk by th’ hitching racks. Dried apples were strung on a cord. Kids chewed h.ees wax. Th’ railroads run excursions t’ baljoon ascensions. Ever* well ordered home had a rockerey. We thought ever* train goin’ west wuz goin’t’ Californy. Th’ dentists pulled your teeth if they hurt. Fruit trees looked out fer *emselves. Th’ best actors that ever lived showed fer twenty-five an’ fifty cents. We knew who wrote everithing in a newspaper. 4 Nothin’ but saloon an’ meat shops took ice. A woman wouldn’t climb in a buggy if anybody wuz looking.