more than to be allowed to hold the white "papoose." They gave several of their bead ornaments for the baby's decoration, and in many ways showed their interests in the child.

     William O. Bussard a cousin to Mrs. Schwab, was a native of Aermantown, Ohio, and at the age of ten years was taken by his parents to Marshall County, Illinois. In 1866 he came to Nebraska and made the first homestead entry in Fillmore County, living on the homestead till 1887, when he moved to Lushton, York County, where he died on February 11, 1911. He was described as a man of conscientious principles, and respected throughout the district.

     John Brubaker Kauffman was born in Lancaster County, Penn., and moved with his parents to Miamisburg, Ohio. He was married to Malissa Carman Whitaker, a daughter of the first lady pioneer, and aunt to Mrs. Schwab. The Kauffman's came with their family to Nebraska in April 1870, taking a homestead in the West Blue Township. Mr. Kauffman was the twelfth man to settle in Fillmore County. He was described as a man of great industry and sterling honesty, many there were who spoke in high terms of his life, he died on March 14, 1904. His wife also was held in great esteem throughout the district.

     Mrs. Schwab died on February 10, 1893, leaving a family of young children, she was described as a good mother and a true Christian, it being a pelasure (sic) for her to do good especially among the sick and afflicted. Mr. Schwab lives in retirement in Exeter. The homestead is now in charge of his two sons.

     Jacob Pflug, a cousin to Philip Schwab, came from New York State to Nebraska City in 1865, where he lived until 1869, he then moved to Lincoln, and in 1870 he went to Seward, afterwards coming to work on the West Blue. He homesteaded west of town in the year 1872. He remembers the first Revival Services held in the "Horton" School house, a sod building; with seats made of rough slabs secured at the Blue River Sawmill. The preacher was the Rev. D. S. Warner from Ohio, representing the "Church of God." The meetings were decidedly successful, about fifty people professed conversion, many of them joining the new society which was formed as a result of the mission, and some of which remain to this day loyal and faithful Christians. Mr. and Mrs. Pflug were actively engaged in this organization as long as it lasted, afterwards joining the M. E. Church.

     Mr. Pflug worker (sic) for five or six years in the Smith and Dolan store, this give (sic) him a close relationship with the early development of the town. There were many interests in Exeter's first store to keep him busy, for besides carrying on the business of General Merchandise. They were Agents for the Town Site Company, and the Burlington and Missouri Railroad lands, the Express Company, and had the Post Office, Dr. Smith being Post Master. Among the many and varied experiences of the early days, was the building of a "Russian" heating stove. Dr. Smith had seen one such stove at Sutton and thought it would be the very thing to meet the requirements of the store. The stove was made of brick, and bid fair to give the desired service had it not been for the drafts being wrong. This of course was a very serious fault, instead of the stove being a source of comfort on cold days, it made the place just as habitable for a white man as the inside of an Indian wigwam. The smoke persisted in coming into the store instead of going up the chimney, so that the "Russian" stove was no better in that regard than the Indian's open fire.

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MRS. ROPER

     Mrs. M. L. Rogers, known in the earlier days as Mrs. Roper, came with her husband to this neighborhood in 1873, locating on what is now the McGhie farm; they built a sod house with a roof through which the rain made its way; this roof fell in one night, much to the discomfort of the family. In their district the people used open wells these were from seven to ten feet deep, on one occasion a horse fell backward into a well, and as a result of the great strain necessary to pull it out, it died.

     Dogtown lying to the southwest of Exeter was inhabited at that time, the Ropers had to come that way to church, and Mrs. Roper thought that often it looked as though the prairie dogs were having a service of their own; it was interesting to see them squatted around with one of their number sitting on a hillock as though having a confab with the others; no doubt the dogs were good listeners.

     In March 1877 Mr. Roper had gone to the unhappy task of digging a grave for a young theological student who had died of pneumonia. Mrs. Roper heard their dog bark and on looking out of the window saw about twenty Indians coming into their yard; many were dressed in scarlet blankets and carried gleaming rifles, a sight quite startling to a lonely woman. She fastened the doors and ran into the stairway from whence she could see them, but they could not see her. They looked through the windows and tried the doors then concluding there was no one at home, they went away; their absence being the best company. It was eivdent (sic) that these Indians were traveling from the Turkey Creek to the river Blue.

     Another interesting event of those early days was a trip taken by Mrs. Roper with Mrs. T. B. Farmer in a lumber wagon to the town of Crete to have their babies photographed; they sat on sacks of grain to Pleasant Hill where the grain was delivered, and then they passed on to Crete with the usual comforts of pioneers. The pictures of the baby boys were duly taken to the delight of the fond mothers, and are no doubt precious possessions in these days. The Roper boy is now in Lincoln and has a large undertaking business. The Farmer boy is the well known singer of Denver, Colorado; their callings in life are very dissimilar, but they have made good; each in his own way serving the general public.

DR. AND MRS. GOODALL

     Dr. and Mrs. Goodall came to Saline county in 1871 from Iowa and settled a few miles from the Fillmore county line. In those early days the Doctor had often to travel for miles over the open prairie in all kinds of weather, not even a blizzard deterred him from the duty of attending the sick. Probably no class of men in any profession is called upon to run greater risks to health and life than the doctors, and when to the common incidents of their calling there is added the hard experiences of the pioneer, no men deserve to my mind greater recognition. Doctor Goodall being an enterprising man, he like our own Dr. Smith, was anxious to have the new country opened up to settlement, so he ventured in where others feared to tread; he opened a smithy and hired a blacksmith so that the farmers might not fail through their not being able to have their implements of peaceful warfare in working order, he commenced a store, and managed the Post Office for his community, any of which he gladly put into other hands when suitable persons were forthcoming. His one desire was the success of his community. Dr. and Mrs. Goodall are the parents of Mrs. Jennings so well known in connection with our High School Work.

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LEONARD BRADLEY SAGE

     Leonard Bradley Sage left his family safe in Waukisha, Wisconsin, and before Thanksgiving Day, November 1871, was on his way to the South West. He traveled by rail to Lincoln, where he bought a little mule, and on this mule he rode over a large portion of south eastern Nebraska, continuing his traveling throughout December and January, occasionally making his way back to Lincoln for Divine Worship. He left the Nebraska prairies in February, being at that time well covered with a deep snow, and returned to Wisconsin. When the long Wisconsin winter was over and the roads were clear he prepared for his second trip to Nebraska. Having gathered together various farm implements and carpenters tools, he packed them in the bottom of the wagon, the kitchen utensils, bedding, etc., were placed next, then his wife and three small children were seated among these, and having a good strong cover over all he started out about the middle of May 1872.

     Mr. Heath of Fall River, Wis., mapped out the route for him, which lay mostly along the old military or government road. He drove a team of mares, and had a boy on horse back to drive his two cows along behind, The weather was beautiful and the load heavy so they journeyed slowly along making between twenty and twenty-five miles a day, but resting on Sundays. The journey was quite uneventful until they were well on their way through Iowa, when they came to a deep swift stream and stopped there for dinner. Mrs. Sage went down the steep bank to the stream for water, and the oldest child intending to go with her ran down the bank going faster and faster until unable to stop, she fell right into the stream, and was being carried swiftly away by the water when her mother who was just below grabbed the child just in time to save her.

     When they had left the old military road and almost finished the journey through Iowa, they were overtaken by the first severe storm. Hail fell and rain poured down in torrents, then the wind capsized the wagon in a little ravine. Mr. Sage sprang from the front of the wagon over the horses seizing them by the bits to prevent a runaway. Water ran down the ravine in a good sized stream and poured right through the cover of the wagon. Just before this they were joined by other immigrants traveling to the south and these women helped to pull Mrs. Sage and the babies from among the pillows under the load. Mrs. Sage's left arm was broken, this happened on Wednesday and they had to travel until Saturday before they came to a place where it could be properly attended to. On the Friday they came to the home of kind Mrs. Yerga who wrapped the broken arm, cared for the babies and fed all the hungry travelers. The next day at Red Oak a doctor gave the arm proper attendance. Mrs. Sage will never forget the grating bones of that arm as she carried it over the top of her head as the wagon jarred along over the rough roads.

     After they had crossed the Missouri the other people turned south towards Peru, while they kept on to the west towards Lincoln. They stopped some fifteen or twenty miles the other side of Lincoln, where Mr. Sage did a good big washing, and the next day they arrived in Lincoln and stopped for a short time in the street when her father put his head in the front end of the wagon cover, when they were all very glad to see him.

     Mrs. Sage stayed in Lincoln for a few weeks while Mr. Sage came out to the claim, it being the South East quarter of Section 12 in Liberty Township. There were six acres broke on the claim, so he planted beans, potatoes and cucumbers, the beans turned out very well, they sold a good many bushels at seven cents a pound, besides putting up pickles enough for a year. The babies were all sick while in Lincoln, so Mrs. Sage came out to the

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claim while her arm was still useless, things were not very cozy, but they lived only one moment at a time, and matters soon improved.

     A little later Mr. Sage went to Crete and secured a big load of lumber and before long a tiny house went up on the claim with a floor on which as someone remarked, "The neighbors will hear you walk for miles around." They had brought several things with them such as a barrel of pork, a good many pounds of sugar, etc., so they were quite comfortable that first winter. It was during that winter that they had their first glimpse of their new neighbors, and in the spring when the ladies visited them they were very pleased indeed. Even now after the old home is broken up and Mrs. Sage has left the district, she sometimes thinks of the old times and says, "0 for my dear old neighbors!"

     She also remembers the visits from the Indians, and how "The pipe of peace" was passed around, and how the "big Indian" tripped his toe and fell headlong over a squash vine as he was chasing down a chicken; much to the amusement of the children.

     They were all glad to attend the Sunday school at the J. K. Barber's sod house, and later the preaching in a sod house not far from the north east corner of his place.

     One morning in the early spring as Mr. Sage was looking over the place he came across a nest containing what looked like nine little kittens; every one exactly alike, and thinking to please the children he brought them home, but 0! what a disappointment there was when they understood just what they were. These were evidently skunks, sometimes mistakenly called polecats.

     One morning he was starting to the field and the children were playing outside when they heard a great commotion and on looking out they saw the little boy's heels (then nearly two years old) sticking out of a box of lime which lay already prepared for plastering, it was thick and heavy for the hair and sand were mixed in it. He pulled the little fellow out and took him to the tank and had his clothes removed immediately. The blood oozed through what little skin was left on his face, and for a week or two they despaired of his ever seeing again, but he finally same out all right no doubt with the help of the clear air and the bright sunshine of the prairie country.

     Mr. Sage has passed to his reward and Mrs. Sage spends her time among her family, and in looking back over the years remembers that in spite of difficulties and the newness of it all, as long as they were well. they were happy.

MR. AND MRS. JAMES ALEXANDER

     Mr. and Mrs. James Alexander left Aberdeen, Scotland, for Exeter, Nebraska, on June 22, 1872, after passing through the vicissitudes of a long sea voyage, and the initiations of the immigrant entering a strange country; they made their way westward, and ultimately arrived at the Pacific Junction in Iowa. Here they were left on the open platform without a home or shelter, but having with them some beds and rugs, and the weather being fine, these were unpacked, spread very carefully on the platform, and there with the starry heavens for a covering they passed the night. They next made their way to Lincoln, a small town in those days, and were provided for a while with accomodation in the Burlington Immigration House. In due course they came out to Exeter, and on arriving at the getting off place (there being no depot) they were put off the train with their boxes and trunks and again left to make the best of a new situation. The party

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consisted of six persons: Mr. and Mrs. Alexander, two small boys, a grandmother, and a girl who looked after the children. Mr. J. K. Barber happened to be on the ground at the time, and offered to take them to their destination, the place being three miles east near the railroad. This offer of help was gladly accepted, and they made their way to where many years of their life would spent.

     Mr. Alexander was able to buy the rights of a homestead for $50.00, and sent the necessary filing fee of $14.00 to Lincoln. It was not for some time afterwards that he learned of the $14.00 having been used for some other purpose, which meant, that the land in the Government's eyes was not his, and it became necessary to pay the $14.00 a second time. Such was the character of some people with whom the pioneers had to deal.

     They secured the use of an old soddy built on the adjoining land at a rental of one dollar a month; such a charge would appear unusually reasonable in contrast with charges in their native "Granite City," but this house was not of granite, it had but one small room, the roof was of such a character as to necessitate the use of umbrellas in rainy weatber, and the floor being dug out made a good receptacle for the water, and was at times more like a duck-pond than ought else, probably the rent charged was sufficient for such a house.

     During their sojourn in this house they were called upon to celebrate their first "July Fourth." Mr. and Mrs. James Horne having heard of the new arrivals from Scotland, and being themselves of the same hardy stock, they naturally felt led to make a friendly visit to bid the strangers welcome to the new country; making the Fourth of July the occasion of the visit. With their two children they called upon the Alexanders who at the time of this visit were without a stove or chairs, table or bedsteads; but they had brought with them some of the Scotch oatmeal, the real stuff that makes their people muscular, sturdy, and strong; some cheese and tea, which, with the aid of other good things they celebrated their independence of many other things.

     A dugout was made on their own land for a home, this also being a house of one room; wherein they had to make the most of little space in this broad land. The capacity and furnishings of this house were at times taxed to their utmost possibility. On one occasion when Mr. Alexander was attending prayer meeting in town, seven wayfaring men presented themselves at this humble home for a night's shelter. Here indeed was a task and the responsibility, yet with that large hearted responsiveness to the call of the hour so often demanded and so often granted in the hospitable west, these men were taken in and sheltered, being made as comfortable as possible on the floor; while the members of the household slept on boxes.

     Mrs. Alexander's first trip to Friend was through the kindness of a neighbor; the journey was made over the prairie on a Bob Sled drawn by an ox team named Buck and Berry. The condition of the trails were such (there were no roads in those days) that the passengers were as often off as on their seats; all the joyful bumps and jumps of a modern automobile ride are not to be compared to the pleasures of that Bob-sled ride over the prairie, for Mrs. Alexander declares she enjoyed that trip to Friend.

     They were often brought to church services by an American named Harry Sturtevant; whose name appears as a charter member of our Congreqational Church; he had a good measure of the old time religion in his soul; in fact it was "pressed down and running over," and so great was the overflow that the journey by wagon was made lively with his singing, his favorite song being, "Jesus Died and Paid it All," so real was his experience of the love of Christ which sought outward expression, that where he failed in voice volume; he made up with his feet on the bottom of the wagon.

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The services at that time were held over the Smith and Dolan store, and they presented several unusual features to the Scottish Presbyterians. It seemed odd to find the men and women divided in worship after the fashion of the Jews; the men on one side of the room and the women on the other. a custom still surviving in the services of country school houses. It was equally strange to find the people visiting together in the building immediately after service, a custom which does not obtain in the places of worship of older countries, and not even in this country among Episcopalians or Roman Catholics.

     The men thought nothing of attending services then in their blue overalls; often the color of the main garment was washed out, or had faded in the sun, while relief was given to the whole aspect of the garment by the brighter blue of the new cloth patches about the knees, how the original knee parts had been worn out is not told, though we believe many of them were men of prayer, and one thing is certain, the fashions did not count with men and women attending divine service in those days. It was the fashion to go to worship, and as their custom was they went, and He, who looketh not on the outward appearance, but looketh into the heart, gave them their meat in due season.

     During those early days many and varied were the casual visitors at the Alexander home; their house being near the railroad made it a place of call. On one occasion a train pulled up near by, and to the consternation of the women folk especially, the railroad people switched off a car containing Pawnee Indians, and left it on the siding. The Indians were on their way to make a friendly visit to the Omahas; being hungry and left here in this way, soon scattered themselves among the neighboring houses. Five of them called on Mrs. Alexander, who, well knowing that the best thing to do with an Indian was to feed him, provided for their needs and after having all they could eat and a scarf each; they went away saying, "Her a good squaw."

     On another occasion they were visited by twenty Omahas, braves and squaws, these however, instead of asking to be fed, had brought some buffalo meat with them and were quite willing to share it with the household for the use of the cook stove. One young brave saw a cap belonging to one of the Alexander boys lying near the well, and soon donned it on his own head, but the Scottish blood that had flowed through a thousand generations. and had defied the Danes and the English in bygone times was soon aroused, and would not be cowed by a young Indian buck; so Mrs. Alexander soon had the cap restored to its rightful owner. In spite of all precautions the squaws managed somehow to secure some of the household clothing. During their sojourn a train put in an appearance, and the braves stood on the track to stop the train, for which act the Engineer presented them with a good squirting of hot water; when they replied with their well known Ouh! Ouh! Ouh!

     Among the more regular visitors was an Indiain (sic) known as Pawnee John; when visiting a home he usually wanted flour, but he never refused tobacco when he could get it.

     During the blizzard of April 1873 a man on horseback came and asked for a night's shelter, but such was the storm that he remained three days; after he had gone away he sent by mail the sum of two dollars in acknowledgement of the kindness he had received. It was in this storm that many cattle and horses were lost, many being driven into the Blue and drowned. A Mr. Butler lost several cattle between his home and Turkey creek, when Mrs. Alexander asked after his horse, because it was missing; such was the easy and contented disposition of the man even in trouble that he replied, "The horse is all right" yet, the horse was dead.

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