USA > Illinois > White County > History of White County Illinois > Part 8
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An original prairie of tall and exuberant grass on fire, especially at night, was a magnificent spectacle, enjoyed only by the pioneer. Here is an instance where the frontiersman, proverbially deprived of the sights and pleasures of an old community, is privileged far beyond the people of the present day in this country. One could scarcely tire of beholding the scene, as its awe-inspiring features seemed constantly to increase, and the whole panorama unceasingly changed like the dissolving views of a magic lantern, or like the aurora borealis. Language cannot convey, words cannot express, the faintest idea of the splendor and grandeur of such a conflagra- tion at night. It was as if the pale queen of night, disdaining to take her accustomed place in the heavens, had dispatched myriads upon myriads of messengers to light their torches at the altar of the setting sun until all had flashed into one long and continuous blaze.
The following graphic description of prairie fires was written by a traveler through this region in 1849:
" Soon the fires began to kindle wider and rise higher from the long grass; the gentle breeze increased to stronger currents, and soon fanned the small, flickering blaze into fierce torrent flames, which curled up and leaped along in resistless splendor; and like quickly raising the dark curtain from the luminous stage, the scenes before me were suddenly changed, as if by the magician's wand, into one boundless amphitheatre, blazing from earth to heaven and sweeping the horizon round,-columns of lurid flames sportively mounting up to the zenith, and dark clouds of crimson smoke curling away and aloft till they nearly obscured stars and moon, while the rush- ing, crashing sounds, like roaring cataracts mingled with distant thunders, were almost deafening; danger, death, glared all around; it screamed for victims; yet, notwithstanding the imminent peril
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of prairie fires, one is loth, irresolute, almost unable to withdraw or seek refuge."
WILD HOGS.
When the earliest pioneer reached this Western wilderness, game was his principal food until he had conquered a farm from the forest or prairie,-rarely, then, from the latter. As the country settled game grew scarce, and by 1850 he who would live by his rifle would have had but a precarious subsistence had it not been for "wild hogs." These animals, left by home-sick immigrants whom the chills or fever and ague had driven out, had strayed into the woods, and began to multiply in a wild state. The woods each fall were full of acorns, walnuts, hazelnuts, and these hogs would grow fat and multiply at a wonderful rate in the bottoms and along the bluffs. The second and third immigration to the country found these wild hogs an unfailing source of meat supply up to that period when they had in the townships contiguous to the river be- come so numerous as to be an evil, breaking in herds into the farmer's corn-fields or toling their domestic swine into their retreats, where they too became in a season as wild as those in the woods. In 1838 or '39, in a certain township, a meeting was called of citizens of the township to take steps to get rid of wild hogs. At this meeting, which was held in the spring, the people of the town- ship were notified to turn out en masse on a certain day and engage in the work of catching, trimming and branding wild hogs, which were to be turned loose, and the next winter were to be hunted and killed by the people of the township, the meat to be divided pro rata among the citizens of the township. This plan was fully carried into effect, two or three days being spent in the exciting work in the spring.
In the early part of the ensuing winter the settlers again turned out, supplied at convenient points in the bottom with large kettles and barrels for scalding, and while the hunters were engaged in killing, others with horses dragged the carcasses to the scalding platforms where they were dressed; and when all that could be were killed and dressed a division was made, every farmer getting more meat than enough, for his winter's supply. Like energetic measures were resorted to in other townships, so that in two or three years the breed of wild hogs became extinct.
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NATIVE ANIMALS.
The principal wild animals found in the State by the early set- tler were the deer, wolf, bear, wild-cat, fox, otter, raccoon, generally called "coon," woodchuck, or ground-hog, skunk, mink, weasel, muskrat, opossum, rabbit and squirrel; and the principal feathered game were the quail, prairie chicken and wild turkey. Hawks, turkey buzzards, crows, blackbirds were also very abundant. Sev- eral of these animals furnished meat for the settlers; but their principal meat did not long consist of game; pork and poultry were raised in abundance. The wolf was the most troublesome animal, it being the common enemy of the sheep, and sometimes attacking other domestic animals and even human beings. But their hideous howlings at night were so constant and terrifying that they almost seemed to do more mischief by that annoyance than by direct attack. They would keep everbody and every ani- mal about the farm-house awake and frightened, and set all the dogs in the neighborhood to barking. As one man described it: "Sup- pose six boys, having six dogs tied, whipped them all at the same time, and you would hear such music as two wolves would make."
To effect the destruction of these animals the county authorities offered a bounty for their scalps; and, besides, big hunts were common.
WOLF HUNTS.
In cerly days more mischief was done by wolves than by any other wild animal, and no small part of their mischief consisted in their almost constant barking at night, which always seemed 80 menacing and frightful to the settlers. Like mosquitoes, the noise they made appeared to be about as dreadful as the real depre- dations they committed. The most effectual, as well as the most exciting, method of ridding the country of these hateful pests, was tha. known as the " circular wolf hunt," by which all the men and boys would turn out on an appointed day, in a kind of circle com- pr .... ng many square miles of territory, with horses and dogs, and th n close up toward the center of their field of operation, gather- ing not only wolves, but also deer and many smaller " varmint." Five, ten, or more wolves by this means would sometimes be killed in a single day. The men would be organized with as much system as a little army, every one being well posted in the meaning of every signal and the application of every rule. Guns were scarcely ever allowed to be brought on such occasions, as their use
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would be unavoidably dangerous. The dogs were depended upon for the final slaughter. The dogs, by the way, had all to be held in check by a cord in the hands of their keepers until the final signal was given to let them loose, when away they would all go to the center of battle, and a more exciting scene would follow than can be easily described.
BEE-HUNTING.
This wild recreation was a peculiar one, and many sturdy back- woodsmen gloried in excelling in this art. He would carefully watch a bee as it filled itself with the sweet product of some flower or leaf-bud, and notice particularly the direction taken by it as it struck a "bee-line" for its home, which when found would be generally high up in the hollow of a tree. The tree would be marked, and in September a party would go and cut down the tree and capture the honey as quickly as they could before it wasted away through the broken walls in which it had been so carefully stowed away by the little busy bee. Several gallons would often be thus taken from a single tree, and by a very little work, and pleas- ant at that, the early settlers could keep themselves in honey the year round. By the time the honey was a year old, or before, it would turn white and granulate, yet be as good and healthful as when fresh. This was by some called " candid " honey.
In some districts, the resorts of bees would be so plentiful that all the available hollow trees would be occupied and many colonies of bees would be found at work in crevices in the rock and holes in the ground. A considerable quantity of honey has even been taken from such places.
SNAKES.
In pioneer times snakes were numerous, such as the rattlesnake, viper, adder, blood snake and many varieties of large blue and green snakes, milk snake, garter and water snakes, black snakes, etc., etc. If, on meeting one of these, you would retreat, they would chase you very fiercely; but if you would turn and give them battle, they would immediately crawl away with all possible speed, hide in the grass and weeds, and wait for a "greener " customer. These really harmless snakes served to put people on their guard against the more dangerous and venomous kinds.
It was the practice in some sections of the country to turn out in companies, with spades, mattocks and crow- bars, attack the princi- pal snake dens and slay large numbers of them. In early spring
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the snakes were somewhat torpid and easily captured. Scores of rattlesnakes were sometimes frightened out of a single den, which, as soon as they showed their heads through the crevices of the rocks, were dispatched, and left to be devoured by the numerous wild hogs of that day. Some of the fattest of these snakes were taken to the house and oil extracted from them, and their glittering skins were saved as specifics for rheumatism.
Another method was to so fix a heavy stick over the door of their dens, with a long grape-vine attached, that one at a distance could plug the entrance to the den when the snakes were all out sunning themselves. Then a large company of the citizens, on hand by ap- pointment, could kill scores of the reptiles in a few minutes.
BHAKES.
One of the greatest obstacles to the early settlement and pros- perity of this State was the "chills and fever," " fever and ague," or " shakes," as it was variously called. It was a terror to new- comers; in the fall of the year almost everybody was afflicted with it. It was no respecter of persons; everybody looked pale and sallow as though he were frost-bitten. It was not contagious, but derived from impure water and air, which are always developed in the opening up of a new country of rank soil like that of the Northwest. The impurities continue to be absorbed from day to day, and from week to week, until the whole body corporate became saturated with it as with electricity, and then the shock came; and the shock was a regular shake, with a fixed beginning and ending, coming on in some cases each day but generally on alternate days, with a regu- larity that was surprising. After the shake came the fever, and this " last estate was worse than the first." It was a burning-hot fever, and lasted for hours. When you had the chill you couldn't get warm, and when you had the fever you couldn't get cool. It was exceedingly awkward in this respect; indeed it was. Nor would it stop for any sort of contingency; not even a wedding in the family would stop it. It was imperative and tyrannical. When the ap- pointed time came around, everything else had to be stopped to at- tend to its demands. It didn't even have any Sundays or holidays; after the fever went down you still didn't feel much better. You felt as though you had gone through some sort of collision, thrashing-machine or jarring-machine, and came out not killed, but next thing to it. You felt weak, as though you had run too far after something, and then didn't catch it. You felt languid, stupid and
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sore, and was down in the mouth and heel and partially raveled out. Your back was ont of fix, your head ached and your appetite crazy. Your eyes had too much white in them, your ears, especially after taking quinine, had too much roar in them, and your whole body and soul were entirely woe-begone, disconsolate, sad, poor and good for nothing. Yon didn't think much of yourself, and didn't believe that other people did, either; and you didn't care. You didn't quite make up your mind to commit suicide, but sometimes wished some accident would happen to knock either the malady or yourself out of existence. You imagined that even the dogs looked at you with a kind of self-complacency. You thought the sun had a kind of sickly shine about it.
About this time you came to the conclusion that you would not accept the whole Western country as a gift; and if you had the strength and means, you picked up Hannah and the baby, and your traps, and went back "yander " to "Old Virginny," the " Jar- seys," Maryland or " Pennsylvany."
" And to-day the swallows flitting Round my cabin see me sitting Moodily within the sunshine, Just inside my silent door, Waiting for the ' Ager,' seeming Like a man forever dreaming; And the sunlight on me streaming Throws no shadow on the floor; For I am too thin and sallow To make shadows on the floor- Nary shadow any more!"
The above is not a mere picture of the imagination. It is sim- ply recounting in quaint phrase what actually occurred in thousands of cases. Whole families would sometimes be sick at one time and not one member scarcely able to wait upon another. Labor or exercise always aggravated the malady, and it took General Lazi- ness a long time to thrash the enemy out. And those were the days for swallowing all sorts of roots and "yarbs," and whisky, etc., with some faint hope of relief. And finally, when the case wore out, the last remedy taken got the credit of the cure.
EDUCATION.
Though struggling through the pressure of poverty and priva- tion, the early settlers planted among them the school-house at the earliest practical period. So important an object as the education
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of their children they did not defer until they could build more comely and convenient honses. They were for a time content with such as corresponded with their rude dwellings, but soon better build- ings and accommodations were provided. As may readily be sup- posed, the accommodations of the earliest schools were not good. Sometimes school was taught in a room of a large or a double log cabin, but oftener in a log house built for the purpose. Stoves and such heating apparatus as are now in use were then unknown. A mud-and-stick chimney in one end of the building, with earthen hearth and a fire-place wide and deep enough to receive a four to six-foot back-log, and smaller wood to match, served for warming purposes in winter and a kind of conservatory in summer. For windows, part of a log was cut ont in two sides of the building, and may be a few lights of eight by ten glass set in, or the aper- ture might be covered over with greased paper. Writing desks consisted of heavy oak plank or a hewed slab laid upon wooden pins driven into the wall. The four-legged slab benches were in front of these, and the pupils when not writing would sit with their backs against the front, sharp edge of the writing-desks. The floor was also made out of these slabs, or " puncheons," laid upon log sleepers. Everything was rude and plain; but many of America's greatest men have gone out from just such school-houses to grapple with the world and make names for themselves and re- flect honor upon their country. Among these we can name Abra- ham Lincoln, our martyred president, one of the noblest men known to the world's history. Stephen A. Douglas, one of the greatest statesmen of the age, began his career in Illinois. teaching in one of these primitive school-houses. Joseph A. Wright, and several other statesmen of the Northwest have also graduated from the log school-house into political eminence. So with many of her most eloquent and efficient preachers.
Imagine such a house with the children seated around, and the teacher seated on one end of a bench, with no more desk at his hand than any other pupil has, and you have in view the whole scene. The " schoolmaster" has called " Books! books!" at the door, and the "scholars" have just run in almost out of breath from vigorous play, have taken their seats, and are for the moment "saying over their lessons" to themselves with all their might, that is, in as loud a whisper as possible. While they are thus en- gaged the teacher is perhaps sharpening a few quill pens for the pupils, for no other kind of writing pen had been thought of as
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yet. In a few minutes he calls up an urchin to say his a b c's; the little boy stands beside the teacher, perhaps partially leaning upon his lap; the teacher with his pen-knife points to the letter and asks what it is; the little fellow remains silent, for he does not know what to say; " A," says the teacher; the boy echoes "A;" the teacher points to the next and asks what it is; the boy is silent again; "B," says the teacher; " B," echoes the little urchin; and so it goes through the exercise, at the conclusion of which the teacher tells the little " Major " to go back to his seat and study his letters, and when he comes to a letter he doesn't know, to come to him and he will tell him. He obediently goes to his seat, looks on his book a little while, and then goes trudging across the puncheon floor again in his bare feet, to the teacher, and points to a letter, probably outside of his lesson, and asks what it is. The teacher kindly tells him that that is not in his lesson, that he need not study that or look at it now; he will come to that some other day, and then he will learn what it is. The simple-minded little fellow then trudges, smilingly, as he catches the eye of some one, back to his seat again. But why he smiled, he has no definite idea.
To prevent wearing the books out at the lower corner, every pupil was expected to keep a "thumb-paper " under his thumb as he holds the book; even then the books were soiled and worn out at this place in a few weeks, so that a part of many lessons were gone. Consequently the request was often made, "Master, may I borrow Jimmy's book to git my lesson in? mine haint in my book: it's tore out." It was also customary to use book-pointers, to point out the letters or words in study as well as in recitation. The black stem of the maiden-hair fern was a very popular material from which pointers were made.
The a-b-ab scholars through with, perhaps the second or third- reader class would be called, who would stand in a row in front of the teacher, "toeing the mark," which was actually a chalk or char- coal mark drawn on the floor, and commencing at one end of the class, one would read the first " verse," the next the second, and so on around, taking the paragraphs in the order as they occur in the book. Whenever a pupil hesitated at a word, the teacher would pronounce it for him. And this was all there was of the reading exercise.
Those studying arithmetic were but little classified, and they were therefore generally called forward singly and interviewed, or the
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teacher simply visited them at their seats. A lesson containing several "sums" would be given for the next day. Whenever the learner came to a sum he couldn't do, he would go to the teacher with it, who would willingly and patiently, if he had time, do it for him.
In geography, no wall maps were used, no drawing required, and the studying and recitation comprised only the committing to memory, or "getting by heart," as it was called, the names and locality of places. The recitation proceeded like this: Teacher- " Where is Norfolk?" Pupil-" In the southeastern part of Vir- ginia." Teacher-" What bay between Maryland and Virginia?' Pupil-" Chesapeake."
When the hour for writing arrived, the time was announced by the master, and every pupil practicing this art would turn his feet over to the back of his seat, thus throwing them under the writing desk, already described, and proceed to "follow copy," which was invariably set by the teacher, not by rule, but by as nice a stroke of the pen as he could make. The first copies for each pupil would be letters, and the second kind and last consisted of maxims. Blue ink on white paper, or black ink on blue paper, were common; and sometimes a pupil would be so unfortunate as to be compelled to use blue ink on blue paper; and a " blue" time he had of it.
About half past ten o'clock the master would announce, " School may go out;" which meant " little play-time," in the children's parlance, called nowadays, recess or intermission. Often the prac- tice was to have the boys and girls go out separately, in which case the teacher would first say, " The girls may go out," and after they had been out about ten minutes the boys were allowed a similar privilege in the same way. In calling the children in from the play-ground, the teacher would invariably stand near the door of the school-house and call out " Books! books!" Between play-times the request, "Teacher, may I go out?" was often iterated to the annoyance of the teacher and the disturbance of the school.
At about half past eleven o'clock the teacher would announce, "Scholars may now get their spelling lessons," and they would all pitch in with their characteristic loud whisper and "say over " their lessons with that vigor which characterizes the movements of those who have just learned that the dinner hour and " big play- time" is near at hand. A few minutes before twelve the " little spelling-class " would recite, then the " big spelling-class. " The latter would comprise the larger scholars and the major part of the school. The classes would stand in a row, either toeing the mark
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in the midst of the floor, or straggling along next an unoccupied portion of the wall. . One end of the class was the "head," the other the " foot," and when a pupil spelled a word correctly, which had been missed by one or more, he would "go up " and take his station above all that had missed the word: this was called " turning them down." At the conclusion of the recitation, the head pupil would go to the foot, to have another opportunity of turning them all down. The class would number, and before taking their seats the teacher would say, " School's dismissed," which was the signal for every child rushing for his dinner, and having the " big play- time."
The same process of spelling would also be gone through with in the afternoon just before dismissing the school for the day.
The chief text-books in which the " scholars " got their lessons were Webster's or some other elementary spelling-book, an arith- metic, may be Pike's, Dilworth's, Daboll's, Smiley's or Adams', McGuffey's or the old English reader, and Roswell C. Smith's geography and atlas. Very few at the earliest day, however, got 80 far along as to study geography. Nowadays, in contrast with the above, look at the "ographies " and "ologies!" Grammar and composition were scarcely thought of until Indiana was a quarter of a century old, and they were introduced in such a way that their utility was always questioned. First, old Murray's, then Kirkham's grammar, were the text-books on this subject. " Book larnin'," instead of practical oral instruction, was the only thing supposed to be attained in the primitive log school-house days. But writing was generally taught with fair diligence.
"PAST THE PICTURES."
This phrase had its origin in the practice of pioneer schools which used Webster's Elementary Spelling-book. Toward the back part of that time-honored text-book was a series of seven or eight pictures, illustrating morals, and after these again were a few more spelling exercises of a peculiar kind. When a scholar got over into these he was said to be "past the pictures," and was looked up to as being smarter and more learned than most other people ever hoped to be. Hence the application of this phrase came to be extended to other affairs in life, especially where scholarship was involved.
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SPELLING-SCHOOLS.
The chief public evening entertainment for the first 30 or 40 years of Western pioneering was the celebrated "spelling-school." Both young people and old looked forward to the next spelling- school with as much anticipation and anxiety as we nowadays look forward to a general Fourth-of-July celebration; and when the time arrived the whole neighborhood, yea, and sometimes several neigh- borhoods, would flock together to the scene of academical combat, where the excitement was often more intense than had been expect- ed. It was far better, of course, when there was good sleighing; then the young folks would turn out in high glee and be fairly beside themselves. The jollity is scarcely equaled at the present day by anything in vogue.
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