_ ,* ^^'^'^ '"^^*' /\. '•.^'' *^'% 
 
 4 o 
 
 
 
 ^°-n*-^ .■ 
 
 
i-^ ".' 
 
 - ,^'°- 
 
 9 ' iS>-t» - 4 
 
 
 i^* V "^ • ©lis ♦ AT *%>, 
 
 >^ .0- 9 ^ 
 
 
 V *•' 
 
 .*' <,' 
 
 c. "^^..^^^ ym^\ %,♦* ,'^^", \/ 
 
 
 
 ^o^ *' ..T* A 
 
 <> 'o . , * ,G 
 
 / \ 
 
 
 
 o .^^/ O^""^"^- "'^^'° h«-^% ''%..^, 
 
 
 •*t-o« •' 
 
 . -> 
 
 
The Only 
 
 ^OUSE ON WHEEL 
 
 ADVENTURES 
 
 : : : OF ! : ; 
 
 THE LASLEYS ^^^jc 
 

Across America 
 
 IN THE 
 
 Only_ House on Wheels; 
 
 OR 
 
 Lasley's Traveling Palace. 
 
 BY 
 
 M. E, A LASLEY, 
 
 Author of *♦ Sketch from Life's Book of the Mouse 
 on Wheels." 
 
 Price. 25 Cents. 
 
 Howse on Wheels Publishing Company, 
 Room 611 and 612, 150 Nassau Street, New York. 
 
 Copyrighted by M. E. A. Laaley, 1899. 
 

 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 2859r7 — 
 
 In bringing out this book the author feels it will fill 
 a place untouched by others, the heroes of this book 
 being the only parties that have crossed the American 
 continent in a house on wheels. And having lived in 
 the western country for last twenty-five years, he feels 
 well acquainted with the country, people, resources, 
 climate, etc., and can describe it in more truthful words 
 than those not otherwise posted could do. Experiences 
 of former years are also mtroduced as touching our 
 present condition and showing causes leading up and 
 preparatory to our successful trip. All figures are 
 accurate or as near as can be procured. This book is 
 of facts, not fanciful sketches. Sketches, j)ictures, ex- 
 periences, etc., are from our journal noted at the place 
 and date. This book is not a literary production, but 
 historical and biographical. Eead, then judge. 
 
 ^^^^5^ the Author. 
 
 TWO COPIES R^t-IVEO. 
 
 ^"' 4» ]m \ 
 
 A3 lo ^ 
 
Across America in the Only House 
 on Wheels^ 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 A Home Love 5cene. 
 
 ** Say ; Tell me dear, why does there seem to 
 be no mirth in you for the last few days? 
 Have I done or said anything at which you 
 could have felt hurt? You have tried to be 
 cheerful, but I can see that there is something 
 weighing upon your mind. Come, love, tell 
 me, let me know all. Now while 'tis wet and 
 disagreeable outside, come and sit down in the 
 arm chair before the big fire, and while I do 
 some mending tell me what causes you to look 
 sad, even when you smile." 
 
 The chair placed, the mother and loving wife 
 in listening attitude, the father began : 
 
 '• Well, I've been studying our condition over 
 and over, and at last have come to the con- 
 clusion that I must leave you." 
 
At this time the two little girls who had been 
 playing in the adjoining room burst into the 
 sitting room just in time to hear their father say 
 that he must leave. It surprised them, and they 
 broke into a plaintive cry : " Oh, papa, dear 
 papa, don't leave us; don't leave your loving 
 family ! " 
 
 The father's heart was touched at this un- 
 expected display of tenderness, and he caught 
 his little girls in his arms and kissed them. 
 The baby boy, asleep upon the bed, was awak- 
 ened by their childish cries, and he, too, joined 
 in, letting go one of those cries that only a baby 
 knows how to, and soon lie had the attention 
 of the household. The father seeing he was 
 the cause of all this commotion, concluded to 
 change the programme. He grabbed little 
 Robert in his arms and danced around the 
 room, catching the girls in turns — around they 
 go ! The mother joined in song and soon the 
 house resounded with love and merriment, 
 lasting until bedtime, when after kissing papa 
 and mama good-night they are soon snugged 
 in their little beds. 
 
 •'Now, mama dear, sit close by me and I 
 will tell you more. Now dear, you know that 
 I have worked hard and undergone many ha rd- 
 
 4 
 
ships to make a home for my h:>ving family, 
 and now we are about to k)se all, and not 
 being strong I feel sad ; so, love, I give you 
 my determination. I'll make a cart and go 
 down into California, earn some money and 
 then send for my darling wife and loving chil- 
 dren.*' 
 
 •"No, dear; I don't approve of your plan. 
 Tomorrow I will give you a plan I know will 
 succeed. Good night." 
 
 The above and much more was a scene that 
 transpired in a little cottage home of an hum- 
 ble, honest mechanic in the frontier town of 
 Port Angeles, on the Straits of San Juan de 
 Fuca, in the State of Washington, late in the 
 fall (November) of 1893. 
 
 A Wonderful Woman. — A restful night spent 
 and breakfast over, the active brain of the 
 little wife sought to unfold a plan, the success 
 of which has been beyond the measure of what 
 was anticipated. 
 
 ''Now, love, listen to me. I will never con- 
 sent to you going alone. I married you to live 
 trifh you not away from you. Of course I 
 know 'tis best to leave this wet country. You 
 do as I plan, and all can go together. Build 
 a house on wheels; get another house; wait 
 
 5 
 
till spring opens, then we can all g-o together.** 
 *^ Build a house ! " echoed the hushand, after 
 the plan had entered his surprised brain, ''I 
 can't; I've no money to buy a horse, and no 
 mone}^ to live on this winter." 
 
 The loving, determined wife insisted upon 
 the adoption of her plan, and finally the hus- 
 band, desiring to do the best thing, consented, 
 and the details of her plan were talked over. 
 
 "You go down to Dungeness (a farming 
 place) and work this winter, and take your pay 
 in a horse. I will support the family by taking 
 in washing. After getting another horse [we 
 liad one] then you follow my plan and build 
 the house — the details I will give when you get 
 the team." 
 
 CHAPTER H. 
 
 Tried and Found True. 
 
 '' Hello, Mr. Ranchman, do you want a hand?" 
 
 *^No." 
 
 '• Do you know who does ? " 
 
 "No, I don't." 
 
 " Its getting dark," 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 " Looks like it is going to rain." 
 
 " Guess it will or 'twill be a long dry spell." 
 
 6 
 
'' Why don't you come to the point ?" 
 
 " Don't see any point to come to/' 
 
 '' Why don't you ask me to alight ? " 
 
 *'You can't smoke here; haven't got my 
 barns insured." 
 
 ''Plague take it !" 
 
 '• Take what. Who did you speak to ? " and 
 the excited rancher looked around, expecting to 
 find a hobo near by. 
 
 '•My friend, I am trying to get you to ask 
 me to stay all night. " 
 
 "Stranger, anything worth having is worth 
 asking for ; but you may stay over night if you 
 can eat our hash and sleep with our hired man. 
 You can put your pony in the shed; you will 
 find oats in the bin and hay in the mow ; find 
 a trough and get the feed — help yourself ; then 
 come into the house." 
 
 "Draw a chair up to the fire; you must be 
 damp and cold." 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 Supper soon being ready, an invitation to 
 partake was accepted — cold boiled pork, boiled 
 potatoes, corn bread, cold biscuits, sauce, pre- 
 serves, coffee, tea, bread and butter. Supper 
 over, my host says : 
 
 " I say, stranger, can you read the papers ? " 
 
'•Well, I am a populist ; will you read the 
 new copy to me ? " 
 
 *•' Yes " (Paper all read) . 
 
 *' I say, stranger, let me sell you a horse — got 
 one more than I need." 
 
 " Can't buy; I have no money." 
 
 " Are you willing to work for one if you can 
 get it cheap ? " 
 
 " Yes, you bet I am." 
 
 ''You can do rough carpenter work, I sup- 
 pose ? " 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 " Well, now listen. My name is J. P. Ander- 
 son. I am a Swede. I am a leading farmer in 
 this valley. I desire things not owned by my 
 neighbors. I want a horse power like we used 
 in Sweden. If you can make me one I will 
 give you the horse. See ? " 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 " I'll board you. I'll make a sketch of it, 
 then you make the power. O. K. See now. " 
 
 After several experimental cuts and tries a 
 wooden horse-power was declared satisfactory ; 
 attachment made to cutter; oats, straw and 
 hay cut up nicely. Anderson was very proud 
 of his success, and handing me the halter to 
 
 8 
 
the iiorse, saying, ''Now we are both satisfied. 
 I have a new machine; you have a pair of 
 horses [a team]. Good by," This was on De- 
 cember 20th, 1893. 
 
 My loving wife was not surprised when I 
 came home witli two horses instead of one. 
 
 '•I knew you would succeed if you would 
 only try. My plan, you see, will be a success." 
 
 CHAPTER II!. 
 A Western Wonder. 
 
 Now for our house on ivJieels. " Build it same 
 as if it was to i-emain stationary, sills, floor, 
 walls, windows, doors, canvas roof, side board- 
 ed up and down." 
 
 My Avife said: ''I desire to assist you in 
 building our house as much as I can." So we 
 took the cross-cut saw (a seven-foot one), ax, 
 wedges and f rowe. We chose a nice white cedar 
 tree. I notched it; then together we used the 
 saw. In about an hour the monster of the 
 forest lay at our feet. Discai'ding some thirty 
 feet of the lower portion we got to the straight- 
 grained part, cut out a portion, split it up, used 
 the frowe and shortly h.id shakes (split cedar 
 
boards) for the sides and floor. The sills are of 
 red fir. 
 
 During- the balance of the winter, and be- 
 tween jobs of mattress making and repairing, 
 of vvdiich I did all I could get to do, and after 
 serving twenty-two days as a petty juror dur- 
 ing that term, of court, I succeeded in making a 
 sure enough house, small but comfortable, 14 
 feet long, 6 feet high, 5 feet wido, three small 
 windows, door in two parts, closing independ- 
 ently of each other; roof heavy duck; under 
 part of roof and inside of the house lined with 
 cloth, then nicely papered. 
 
 Now came the tug how to couple it, so as to 
 draw, knowing all other vehicles on uneven 
 ground were subject to twists, and as this was 
 nailed together could not stand twists, for 
 three long days I studied over a new coupling. 
 Finally the idea came, and a blacksmith was 
 instructed to make the coupling of the best iron ; 
 we put it on and completely attached the front 
 axle to fore part of the house ; the hind axle we 
 morticed into under part of the 2x4 fir sills. 
 Not having any springs, no fifth wheel, no 
 bolster on front axle, I placed the large wheels 
 before and tlie small wheels behind. This plan 
 made it easier to get in and out. 
 
 10 
 
inside Fittings. 
 
 "Now dear, you plan for inside arrange- 
 ments." 
 
 '' A sheet iron stove in the corner, just inside 
 the door in rear on right hand side, then a cup- 
 board for my cooking utensils. A spring slat 
 mattress on hinges on wall on right hand side, 
 extending to front; on left hand side a cup- 
 board or locker for dishes and provisions. 
 Then a folding table on hinges ; above this 
 pockets for drugs, packages, spoons, knives 
 and forks, bottles, etc. Under the table a box 
 for tools — saws, hammers, wrenches, braces 
 and bits, files, nails, bolts, nuts, tacks, screws, 
 etc. In corner, a commode. In front end a 
 largo box for clothing, extra bedding, books 
 and sundries. A high chair for the baby boy 
 and a rocking chair [for the wonderful, endur- 
 ing wife]." 
 
 "Being all completed on the 21st March, 
 189 i, we moved into this only house on ivheels, 
 sleeping in ifc to see how it would seem. Neigh- 
 bors called upon us. We had a social greeting. 
 They christened our home on wheels, " Lasley's 
 Traveling Palace." 
 
 On March 22nd we finished putting in place 
 our clothing, medicine, tools, sewing machine, 
 
 11 
 
^rub (provisions), fastened pictures Upoii the 
 walls, sold off everything not needed upon our 
 trip, converting it into a little money. 
 
 The inside arrangements of our traveling 
 pr:^,lace should be seen to be properly under- 
 stood, being the most complete traveling outfit 
 ever constructed for camping. 
 
 The Poor Man's Home. 
 
 They say that mine is an humble home, 
 
 And they call us very j^oor ; 
 Yet are the prints of the fairies' feet 
 
 All over my sand floor; 
 And I hear sweet sounds of mirthfulness 
 
 That greet me at break of day ; 
 And the fairies bright come across my path 
 
 Ere I start with my house away — 
 
 And when at eve I am safely camped, 
 
 One fairy will slice my bread. 
 And little ones will climb mj' knee 
 
 For a kiss ere they go to bed. 
 Then let them prate of their houses rich, 
 
 Of their jewels and silver and gold; 
 I have what is better— fairies bright 
 
 Whose love is not to be told. 
 
 The Start. — Everything being in readiness, 
 friends gathered and shook our hands and 
 wished us "good by" for the last time. The 
 horses were given the word " go," and into the 
 
 J2 
 
street (Fifth Street) rolled our now famous 
 Western Wonder at two o'clock on Thursday, 
 March 22, 1894. 
 
 News Clip CondenGed. — "Lasley says he is gomg 
 in his house on wheels to California, hut we kuow he 
 can't get there. He is a rustler, hut at a job now he 
 can't do." — Fort Angeles Washington Tribune, 
 March 20, 1894. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 Camp Life. 
 
 '• Whoa, there ! " ('Tis growing dark.) '' Vi- 
 ola, please unhitch the horses; Leona, you take 
 care of baby Robert; I will gather wood for the 
 fire and get water. I will water the horses and 
 feed them. Mama will prepare supper." 
 
 Stabling for our horses was found in a vacant 
 barn of an absent farmer, and plenty of good 
 hay given them, v/hicli they relished. The sta- 
 ble found was half a mile from our palace, in 
 which the wife and children were camped by 
 the road side in the forest. The woods were 
 very dense; many of the trees were 300 to 400 
 feet high and the underbrush so thick that a 
 deer twenty yards away could not be seen, al- 
 though heard, in daylight. Wolves, cougars, 
 panthers and bears being seen by the ranchmen 
 
 13 
 
any day along the creeks. The creeks abouno 
 with fish that they come to get. 
 
 '• Papa ! papa! " 
 
 *^What, dear?" 
 
 '• Oh, I only wanted to know if you were com. 
 ing. 'Tis so lonesome here in the Avoods with- 
 out you," answered the light-haired girl of five 
 summers. 
 
 "Come in to tea dear; I have been waiting 
 for a long time ! Quite a ways to a stable, 
 is it ? " 
 
 ''Yes, and slow work in the dark. But we 
 are O.K. now." 
 
 With good relish we gathered around, and 
 with thankful hearts partook of delicacies ob- 
 tained from forest, field, water and homes, such 
 as the seasons produce. Small game of al] 
 kinds we feasted on at times, I killing it with 
 my revolver (the Western man's weapon) being 
 a good shot with it. Sleeping apartments ar. 
 ranged for the night. The journal was written 
 up by the father. Family devotion over w€ 
 prepared for and retired to rest. Honest toi] 
 bringing the sweetest rest. Washington woods 
 have a death-like stillness, not even the hooting 
 of the owl nor the cooing of the dove breaks 
 their quietude. 
 
 14 
 
An Ever Wakeful Eye.— A year bcjfore starting 
 on this trip a neighbor gave us a worthless black 
 run-about dog, saying, "If you can keep him 
 you may have him." Seeing the dog vs^as young 
 and of a good breed, I took him home and com- 
 menced training him, fed him well and cared for 
 him. He took well to us, developing fine traits 
 as a shepherd dog. A better hunting dog or a 
 sharper watch dog one needs not want. He has 
 proven valuable to us on this trip. He loves 
 the children, permitting no animal to come 
 near any of them. He won't ride in the house 
 unless compelled to. He is the only animal that 
 has walked entirely across the continent ; he 
 traveled every day about twice as far as we 
 did, so he has quite 13,000 miles to his credit. I 
 keep his feet in good condition so that he does 
 not get lame. He is fat and sleek, admired by 
 all lovers of that faithful friend, the dog. He 
 is very intelligent and much loved by us. Noth- 
 ing troubles camp that he does not know of. 
 
 Slow Progress. — March 2S. — Having called a 
 halt down upon a creek (Morse Creek) of course 
 we had a hill to climb to get up out of the valley. 
 Roads in extreme western Washington are upon 
 high lands, as the bottoms are generally wet 
 and marshy. Oh, what a hill I Steep, wet, 
 
 15 
 
muddy, nearly a mile long. Horses were only 
 able to draw the house a few steps at a time ; 
 all had to walk ; Avif e had to carry the baby boy, 
 except when I carried him a little way ahead, 
 then resting until we got the team with house 
 up to them. The road was only wide enough 
 for our wagon, except at certain places where 
 teams could pass freely. The timber and brush 
 grow to the very edge of the road, and was so 
 dense that we could not see into it ten feet, 
 abounding with bear and cougar (mountain lion). 
 It was not pleasant to be very widely separated, 
 even on a bright day. The roads were bad 
 (hub deep in places) and rough, and our first 
 hill experience was repeated several times the 
 same day. The road was so bad that at noon 
 we only had five miles to our credit. 
 
 Coming to the first ranch (farm) we were 
 hailed by the owner, Charles Agnew. Said he : 
 "Where are you going? Where did you start 
 from ? How long have you been on the roa :1 ? 
 How many are there of you ? Say, send tlie 
 little girl over; got a lot of eggs you can have. 
 Here are potatoes in this pit; help yourself.*' 
 
 The child returned with a basket of eggs and 
 a loaf of bread. 
 
 And he added : "Put up your horses in the 
 
 16 
 
stable ; feed them oats and chop ; just help 
 yourself. " 
 
 Dinner over, we thanked him, and he insisted 
 that we stay all night, but receiving his bless- 
 ing, we started forward. 
 
 While hitching up the team three ladies and 
 a man came from an adjoining ranch to see us, 
 being the first visitors on the trip. Since then 
 we have had more than a million (1,000,000) 
 visitors. 
 
 On arriving at the next ranch (Hoffman's) 
 through the mud, they persuaded us to stop 
 with them over night, which we did. And oh, 
 what an abundance of good grub and lots of 
 horse feed ! They tried to get us to sleep in 
 their house but failed; we slept in our palace. 
 We accepted their invitation to eat in their 
 house. We had been all day at hard travel and 
 only eight miles to our credit for the day ; 
 team and selves tired. 
 
 A Surprise at Breakfast.— '' I say, Lasley, 
 you had a mattress factory in Angeles, had you 
 not." 
 
 '^Yes." 
 
 '• I have a fine mattress that needs overhaul- 
 ing; what is to hinder you upliolstering it for 
 me today ? " 
 
 17 
 
'•O.K. Just what rU do. I have with me 
 all the requisites to repair with." 
 
 At three o'clock the job was finished, and we 
 again hitched up and were ready to start when 
 Mrs. Hoffman said: "You have forgotten 
 something." I went into the house to get it and 
 she handed me $3.00, the factory price for doing 
 the job. I offered to pay for our meals and the 
 feed, but Mrs. Hoffman said, "we do not take 
 pay for accommodation offered." The money we 
 thankfully received, work being scarce. 
 
 Again Among Friends. — Leaving Hoffman's 
 with best wishes we pushed forward to Dunge- 
 ness bottom. We hailed the same ranchman 
 we got the horse of; he recognized us and in- 
 vited us to stop with them over the Sabbath, 
 which we gladly did. Going to church on Sun- 
 day we met many old and dear friends. 
 
 At the Metropolis. — At Dungeness wc learned 
 that we could go no further, there being no open 
 road, so we decidod to ship by boat. The beach 
 is flat at this point; deep water is reached by a 
 dock (wharf) 1,100 feet long. At this place is 
 the mouth of the Dungeness River. When the 
 tide is out a person can wade across the river as 
 it spreads out over the bar; when the tide is in 
 it will swim a horse any place under the wharf, 
 
 18 
 
And oh, the salmon ! I saw a net drawn at this 
 point, and it contained 2,200 salmon ! For more 
 about fishing see chapter on salmon. 
 
 The steamship Monticello coming into port I 
 asked the captain to take us to Seattle. " Yes." 
 '' How much ? •" '' $20.00/' '' Only have $18.00 
 all told, must live, you know." "I will for 
 $15.00." '' I'll give you $10.00." '' I'll take you 
 for $12.00." ^' O.K.," said I. Arrived at Seattle 
 at 2 a.m. ; on board till 7 o'clock, getting stock 
 and house off on high tide. 
 
 The papers heard of us being at the dock: 
 reporters interviewed us; the following is a 
 condensed clipping : 
 
 Traveling in Pioneer Style. — A Family Starts in 
 A Prairie Schooner for a Sunnier Clime. — A rig more 
 resembhng a " prairie schooner " than anything else 
 started from city dock yesterday afternoon on a long 
 journey southward. The occupants were a wife and 
 three children, while the husband, M. E. A. Lasle}^ of 
 Port Angeles, rode in front and drove the team of 
 horses. 
 
 Mr. Lasley has been living with his family in Port 
 Angeles for several years, where he has some real 
 estate. 
 
 He said yesterday that he had started for some 
 country where the sun shone more than it did here; 
 lie formerly lived in Colorado. The schooner was 
 brought up on the Monticello Tuesday and is a unique 
 
 19 
 
Outfit. It is notliitig more nor less than a small house 
 on wheels. Mr. L.isley constructed of cedar a very 
 ligflit but comfortable house, canvas roof, three 
 "Windows, door like a hack. The interior is supplied 
 with all the comforts of an ordinary home for the fam- 
 ily on their journey. Lasley carries tools for repairing 
 the house, mending the wheels, shoeing the horses, 
 etc, and j^roposes to do his own work. His wife waS: 
 much more anxious to start than he. — Seattle Post 
 Inteligencer^ March 28, 1894. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 Our Family Autobiography. 
 
 It may be of interest to the reader to know 
 something of our former history; it will give 
 some idea of the preparations we have had to 
 accomplish such a trip. I will now give a con- 
 densed history of 
 
 The Queen of the Traveling Palace — Mrs. Las- 
 ley. — She was born about August 25th, 18G6, in 
 Greensburg, West Moreland Co., Pa. She was 
 taken to Missouri when very young, then to 
 Iowa, where she Avas left in the care of a very^ 
 cruel family near Des Moines. She was beaten 
 by tiie woman, knocked down, kicked and 
 cuffed, lifted by the hair and ears, caused to stay 
 out-doors with the thermometer below freezing; 
 slept in the stable, poorly fed, bed a pile of dirty 
 
 20 
 
clothes while the family slept on the finest 
 feathers ; today she bears marks upon her per- 
 son showing the abuse passed through. The 
 woman's husband was a Dunkard preacher; but 
 his lips were sealed, his life was not his own. 
 Many a time he has slipped a crust of bread or 
 a piece of meat into his napkin to give to poor 
 Mary, who stood weeping outside the kitchen 
 door. Finally the treatment was so hard she 
 ran off to one of the neighbors, barefooted in 
 the snow. They sheltered the broken-hearted 
 girl; sent word to her folks in Colorado, to 
 whom she was sent. Prior to nine years of age 
 she spoke Dutch entirely; but the woman, Mrs. 
 B., whipped the Dutch all out of her, until at 12 
 she did not know a ^'':i\l of it. 
 
 In Colorado she had a checkered life, working 
 sometimes out and at others at her folks ; when 
 out at work variety was her lot — some places 
 good, others not. Her home life was never 
 what a home should have been; her wages were 
 never her own, others were benefited thereby. 
 She tried hard and succeeded in her studies, 
 both in school and out, and by dint of diligent 
 application and energy succeeded in getting a 
 good common sense education. Her maiden 
 name was Mary L. Ambrust. 
 
We have learned indirectly that she has prop- 
 erty coming to her, but it has been so covered 
 up that she has not yet received her heritage. 
 We get clues to it little at a time and may s^on 
 be in a position to force things open. 
 
 The Author. — M. E. A. Lasley was born in 
 Gallipolis, O. My father's folks Avere Kentucky 
 people; my grandfather was an associate of 
 Daniel Boone. My mothers family were F. F. 
 V's of the Shenandoah Yalley, of Virginia. I 
 lived in Gallia Co., O., till I was 19; finished 
 my education in the high school of Denv^^r, Col. 
 Our foreparents fought alongside "Gen. Wasli- 
 ington; and in the wars of 1812 and 1845, and 
 our parents in the war of 18G1. If the reader 
 desires to know more of the writer's history I 
 refer him to our book, *♦ Pioneer Life in the 
 West, or The Boy from a Buckeye Town," being 
 a description of the West from the seventies up 
 to now — range life, cowboy, herder, teamster, 
 mill life, office work, secret service, teacher, 
 athlete, hunter, guide, mechanic, merchant, 
 politician, manufacturer and traveler — showing 
 how a bright intelligent young man can adaj)t 
 himself to all things in all places, telling wliat 
 the West really is and what a person must be 
 to succeed well. We can supply you with copies 
 
or they can be procured from agents. The 
 book gives several love scenes in which the 
 author took part — as to how I first met the girl 
 that became my wife ; Avhere, when and how I 
 wooed and won her; Avhen. where, how and by 
 whom we Avere married I leave for the other 
 book ; suffice it to say that Ave were married and 
 some two years afterAvard our oldest child was 
 born. I noAV introduce to you 
 
 Miss Viola E. I., born to us on New Year's 
 day, 1884, in the city of Greeley, Hon. Horace 
 Greeley's temperance colony on Cache-a-la Pou- 
 dre River in Colorado. Viola is noted for her 
 excellent location, never has been in a city so 
 large as to be any way befogged. She says 
 blindfold her and place her in any part of Buf- 
 falo, Cincinatti, Chicago, St. Louis or San Fran- 
 cisco she could easily find her Avay back to our 
 house on Avheels. Wher only two years and 
 tAvo months old on several occasions she went 
 alone from home down to my shop, distance 
 nine squares (one mile), making turns around 
 three corners. Her education has not been 
 neglected. She does all our marketing and 
 purchasing as a business training. History, bi- 
 ography and travels is her choice reading. Her 
 language is fine. We give both our girls lessons 
 
 23 
 
at home. This trip is an educator that cairt be 
 excelled. I now introduce to you 
 
 Leona Arabelle. — Born to us Oct. 27th, 1888, in 
 Pocatello, Idaho. On a lonely desert sandy 
 plain the town was situated on U. S. land, but 
 the Indians declared it to be on their reser- 
 vation, and placed the town under Indian police, 
 contrary to the desire of the whites. Many 
 were maltreated, and finally an uprising took 
 place; troops called out; a battle followed; 
 several killed; a new survey was made wdiich 
 demonstrated that the whites were off their re- 
 serve. For a description of Idaho reserves, etc., 
 see chapter on Idaho. I now introduce to you 
 our only boy 
 
 Robert Mauck. — He was born to us on Feb. 
 loth, 1893, at Port Angeles, Wash. He was 
 born with a veil. He is a finder of articles lost. 
 Sailors say no vessel will go down with a i)er- 
 son on board born with a veil. 
 
 During President Lincoln's administration he 
 thought best to prepare a defence for the Puget 
 Sound country, so sent out a commission ; sur- 
 veyed a town; sold off the lots of the present 
 city of Port Angeles, being the first safe harbor 
 on the Straits of Fuca, and the only harbor that 
 sailing vessels can enter in all kinds of weather, 
 
 24: 
 
and drop anchor without the assistance of a tug. 
 Around this city he left a strip of land wedge- 
 shape, half a mile wide at south end, six miles 
 long and two miles wide at north end and called 
 this Port Angeles town site reserve. Time 
 l)assed till the summer of 1890, when the resi- 
 dents thought best to get Congress to open this 
 reserve for settlement, so people began to have 
 it surveyed into lots and blocks to correspond to 
 the town, to choose two lots 50 x 140 feet, clear 
 off the lots, of trees, and brush, build houses on 
 their choice and move into them. School-house 
 sites, church sites, society hall sites, grave yards, 
 etc., were chosen and used for purposes de- 
 signed. Nice residences sprang up as by magic. 
 Where a dense grov/th of timber grew in a few 
 short months a city of 4,000 inhabitants stood, 
 commanding a fine view of the beautiful harbor 
 (3 X 5 miles, large enough for all our naval ves- 
 sels to anchor in, if necessary), also a view of 
 the deep green water [of the Straits of Fuca. 
 By extending the view the city of Victoria, B.C., 
 is in sight, its electric lights being plainly seen 
 at night. It was upon Port Angeles reserve that 
 our boy Robert was born, on U. S. ground, cor- 
 ner of Fifth and Lincoln Streets. Afterwards 
 titles to these lots were granted us by paying 
 
 26 
 
enormous prices to the U. S. for them. On the 
 lot where Robert was born was where we built 
 our Traveling Palace. 
 
 Having given you a short acquaintance with 
 our family — they were born under circumstances 
 and in places widely apart — a brief review 
 of us from the time our oldest was born for the 
 next eight years will be interesting. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 True Western Life. 
 
 We were running a general mattress and fur- 
 niture repair shop at the time our oldest was 
 born, and doing financially well. Afterwards 
 we bought a house and lot, were progressing 
 well toward paying for it. A second child was 
 born to us, lived fifteen months, then took 
 sick, got worse, had doctor after doctor for three 
 months, up day and night, no rest; finally the 
 wife took sick, our child died, wife grew worse, 
 my mother assisted me to care for my wife and 
 she got better. Following my wife's improve- 
 ment mother sickened, grew worse, and at my 
 iiouse, after linging three months on her sick 
 bed, passed away at the advanced age of 75 
 years. Nursing mother ctud doing for her my 
 wife, not being strong, got worse, I tended 
 
 2Q 
 
both wife and mother, not knowing which 
 would live longest. After mother died, our phy- 
 sician, with tears in his eyes, said: ''Brother 
 Lasley, I feel sorry for 3^ou, God knows I do ; 
 but brother, to be plain with you, I have lost 
 hope for your wife; poor woman,- she is going to 
 die unless — " " Unless what, doctor? You raise 
 hope in my mind by that unless; pray tell me 
 unless what?" ^'Unless you go out camping 
 with her. I have doctored her for ten months 
 now, and medicine will do her no more good. 
 But there is your business; j^ou will lose that^" 
 " Business be hanged ! " said I, '' If I can save 
 my wife and regain her health I will go to any 
 place or do anything for her." He assuring me 
 health would follow, I made preparations for 
 
 Our First Camping Out. — Sold my business, 
 made a tent 7x7 feet, bought a pony, harness 
 ana light wagon, made a wool mattress with 
 waterproof extension cover so that no damp- 
 ness could reach us from the ground, and when 
 rolled up, folded and tied, covering prevented 
 dust getting into our bed. Got a. small camp 
 stove and cooking utensils, provision box and 
 small trunk for clothing; arranged everything 
 to fit into its proper place; put a good cover over 
 our wagon, and with a few dollars in our pocket 
 
 27 
 
we startgl on May 8th, 1888, from Fort Collins, 
 Col., hunting for my wife's health. 
 
 The first day she was not able to go far, three 
 miles being all; the next day eight miles, she 
 showing signs of improvement immediately. 
 We put our camp stove on the ground and 
 cooked (I did the work at the start); at evening 
 time we put up our little tent and slept in it. 
 We traveled through the mountains (wife im- 
 proving rapidly) visiting Salt Lake City and 
 places of interest, fishing, hunting, swimming, 
 etc., till finally on August 28th we landed at 
 Pocatello, Idaho, the place where Leona was 
 born, distance 1,100 miles. When the Indians 
 made war upon us we sold out everything, took 
 the cars and went to Washington (wife in excel- 
 lent health) it offering inducements to new 
 comers. There I engaged in manufacturing 
 mattresses and repair work. I skip the details 
 of our trip intentionally, for it is one of the inter- 
 esting chapters of our book, ♦♦ Pioneer Life in the 
 West, or The Boy from a Buckeye Town," showing 
 how we fared, the scenery passed through, the 
 people met with, how we overcame difficulties 
 in the way, animals that attacked us, fishing, 
 etc., being exciting, pleasing and full of life. 
 
 After being in Port Angeles some three years 
 
 28 
 
we concluded to return to Colorado via !Rational 
 Park, riold off personal property, took cars and 
 came east as far Walla Walla, Wash. 
 
 CHAPTER VH. 
 Our Second Camp Life. 
 
 Worked on a ranclio (all of us walked 30 
 miles to secure the work) during spring, pur- 
 chased team, harness and wagon, fitted it up as 
 described in chapter on first camp life, only no 
 tent, slept in wagon instead. Built wagon bed 
 5 feet wide on hind wheels, 3 feet in front, sheet- 
 iron stove, etc., as before told. On July 5th, 
 1892, we started eastward. It came on not 
 weather, wife sweltered under the heat (one of 
 ihe hottest places on a hot day is Eastern Wash- 
 ington), came to a fork in the road, one branch 
 running south east, the other south west; wife 
 called a halt. '* I can't stand this heat; let's go 
 back to the Sound country." ''O.K., said I, 
 and we turned westward arriving soon in the 
 Cascade Mountain wilds, inhabited by wild ani- 
 mals, toughs, road agents, and bandits. (The 
 detailed account can also be found in our book, 
 «* Pioneer Life in the West.**) Over the roughest 
 road in America we reached Seattle, and then 
 to Port Angeles, Wash., arriving Sept. 3rd, 
 
 29 
 
1892. 1 again opened a mattress factory. In 
 the winter I was sick several times with fever 
 and general debility. Persons becoming used to 
 the climate there will neve-r leave it and be con- 
 tented elsewhere. Even now I feel myself long- 
 ing to return w^here they have no winter nor 
 summer — same clothing vill do the year round. 
 
 CHAPTER Vin. 
 A New Start. 
 
 From Seattle with our only house on wheels. 
 Being again on terra firma, we prepared to go 
 forward expecting better roads; but we were 
 disappointed after leaving the plank road of Se- 
 attle. First the house would lunge down into 
 one chuck hole, then into another. Towards 
 evening it began raining; a high hay shed hove 
 in sight; we got permission to drive under it, 
 ixnd stop for the night; feed was procured by 
 asking; comforts of camp soon formed; even- 
 ing spent with visitors. who came to see us, and 
 they let it rain. 
 
 Clever Farmers. — Next morning being clear we 
 pushed forw^ard, over Avorse roads if possible. 
 At evening, by invitation, w^e drove under the 
 shed of a hop house, again entertained visitors, 
 and -e let it rain. 
 
 Beautiful day dawn again. Roads somevrhat 
 
 30 
 
better. We had been going up White River Vul- 
 \cy. Dinner was over. We were approaching 
 the small town of Auburn in high spirits, hop- 
 ing we might find work to do, our money being 
 low— $3.00. We tried to get work hut failed. 
 This place though only 28 miles from Seattle, 
 had taken us three days to cover that distance. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 Clouds O're Cast. 
 
 Entering Auburn, a man approached and 
 hailed us. Said he: ''I am an officer; your 
 team is attached; you will find them at the 
 livery if you want them." He unhitched them 
 and led them away. 
 
 A Trying Hour.— The action of the officer had 
 attracted the attention of the town loafers, bums, 
 idlers, etc., who laughed at our misfortunes — 
 "odd house, team," etc, This was too much 
 for my poor wife. She, in agony of despair, 
 broke down, and wept as only a woman can 
 weep when she sees all her hopes crushed. The 
 children, seeing their mother weep, commenced 
 crying also. All this was trying to the husband, 
 he turned, hid his face and wept silent tears, 
 but only for a moment. He turned upon the 
 crowd; "You will please leave; your presenc/^ 
 
 31 
 
disturbs us." There was sometliiDg mag-i(^al 
 ill the request; in a moment they were gone. 
 Turning to his wife he said, "Come dear, 
 cheer up; all will be well." Slie laid her hand 
 confidingly upon his arm, saying, ''Right you 
 are, love; I will try for your sake; but Oh, how 
 dark it looks ! " 
 
 The Cyclone Burst. — Toward evening a burly 
 looking man approached us. ''Well Lasley," 
 said he, " I have you in my clutches. You do 
 as I say, and I'll release your team; refuse, and 
 you can return to Seattle 20 days hence and hear 
 my complaint against you. My advice is this ; 
 I'll count the interest on the $50.00, add costs, 
 the total I find to be $72.00. You give me your 
 joint note and a mortgage on your Port Angeles 
 house and you may go." (To the devil thought 
 he to himself, as far as I care.) We accepted 
 his kind offer, gave the mortgage and left the 
 town. 
 
 Facts Stated. — Leading up to the foregoing. 
 We filed on IGO acres U. S. land as apreemptiou 
 in Dec. '89 and commenced building a log cabin. 
 The claim was Z^ miles back of Angeles. During 
 January the snow fell deej). On Feb. 1 G I took 
 a man (Ed. Armbrust) with me, packed over the 
 snow our tools, grub, blankets, etc., and com- 
 
 32 
 
tnenced felling timber, and in a few days had up 
 a cabin 20x16 feet, roofed with clapboards, 
 built upon the snow. A fire was built inside 
 this cabin and the process of thawing out this 
 block of snow and ice commenced, and the cabin 
 began to sink. Strange to say, this cabin in- 
 closed the one constructed before the snow fell. 
 
 An Interesting Chapter might be written de- 
 scribing how Ambrust and I set fire to a big 
 tree, 8 feet across, burned it down and camped 
 in the trench made by the tree burning; how we 
 endured exposure ; how I fared after Ambrust 
 returned to his home, staying alone accompan- 
 ied by the lonely howl of hungry wild animals, 
 depending upon God and my revolver for pro- 
 jection; how I completed the house for the re- 
 ception of my family, which I brought out on 
 April 20, 1890, the snow having melted enough 
 to allow a pack horse to be used. 
 
 Funny Sketches. — Several times the horse got 
 off the trail and I had to dig him out of the 
 snow. It makes us laugh now to remember the 
 grotesque figures we cut. Our pack horse 
 waded in the snow above his knees, except 
 when he made a misstep, and then, oh, such 
 scrambling, reaching here and there to find the 
 hard path; or the husband, who carried the 
 
 33 
 
youngest child upon his hack. Indian fashion, 
 would go down with one leg, then see him 
 scr nble ! Or the patient, loving wife would 
 have the same experience ; sometimes all of us 
 down at one time. Oh, 'tis funny now to think 
 of, but excuse us from further experiences of 
 like character. In Nov. '90, we found a contest 
 filed against us by one Fowler. 
 
 Blackmailing: Scheme. — The purpose being to 
 compel us to give him 40 acres to withdraw, sup- 
 posing we had no money to contest with. 
 March 1st, 1891, set for hearing. Not much 
 money in mattresses ; by March we were out of 
 cash, but a friend (John Murphy) gave me the 
 money to meet the contest. The office decided 
 I must have a lawyer and recommended one. 
 (He had practised at Washington, D. C, now of 
 Seattle.) He agreed to defend me for $25.00, 
 thinking to get it dismissed, but if it continued 
 then to carry it through all the courts for $50.00^ 
 to receive his pay ivhen I got my title to the 
 land. The Seattle Land Office decided that my 
 proof should be allowed. 
 
 Fowler Appealed to the General Land Office. 
 After two years it was decided in our favor. 
 He-then appealed to the Secretary of the Interior. 
 Jn ^i^c. 1894 ^uf claim was affirmed. On 
 
 34 
 
August 8th, 1805, I received word at Cor- 
 inth, Utah, that I had until August r2th, 
 '95, to furnish Seattle Office with $200 to pay for 
 the land; after that date my claim would be 
 cancelled. I asked for an extension of time. 
 Seattle Land Office refused me; I appealed to 
 General Land Commissioner, he refused to ex- 
 tend ; I finally appealed to the Secretary of the 
 Interior; he refused to review, so I lost our claim. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 New Openings. 
 
 Having given an account of how we lost our 
 home and our ranch, will again refer to our 
 trip and pass hurriedly along. Through Pual- 
 lup Valley; hop fields ready for twiners but 
 ground too soft to walk upon; beautiful rich 
 valley, but no work for us. Tried Tacoma; pro- 
 prietor mattress factory said he *'had laid off 15 
 hands ; no work for few left." We were at 
 Tacoma on April 1st. Oh, the storm we en- 
 countered — rain and blow. Then southtvard 
 again, coming to Mt. Ranier, a station on S. P. 
 R. R. ; stopped at store to buy feed ; remarked 
 *^ could buy only small amount as money was 
 short." ''Why not go to work?'' "Work;" 
 echoed I; *'What at?" "Teaming, hauling 
 
 35 
 
shingles', more work than can get teams to do; 
 big' job^all summer." ''O.K.; but have no 
 wagon." " I'll loan you wagon. You go over 
 to my ranch for it, only six miles west; can buy 
 hay three miles further west from there." I 
 stopped. Next morning went for wagon and 
 hay ; returned, fixed wagon up with rack. Next 
 morning went to the mill, four miles. ** Yes, will 
 give you 9c. per 1000 to haul to town and put 
 on cars." Found 9 teams hauling — nothing else 
 for teams to do. The roads ! (well, no roads at 
 at all) mud hub deep. Eight thousand shingles 
 made a big load over such roads. Teams in 
 each others way. Some days two loads, some 
 days one, other days none. Finally pay day 
 came; in fact, they were preparing to close 
 down and were shipping all they could before 
 pay day. I got a tip to demand my pay before 
 shingles left the depot. They seemed surprised; 
 I insisted. They parlied; I threatened to at- 
 tach — they paid me. The next day the manager 
 and foreman took the trainload of shingles to 
 JPortland, Or; and failed to return. The mill 
 hands, teamsters and storekeepers attached the 
 timber, shingles (2d class), bolts, etc. The mill 
 was only rented. They ran the mill till bolts 
 were used up; sold the shingles and paid them- 
 
 30 
 
selves. 1 counted up my profits ; I put in 10 
 (lays and cleared $0.40 all told. I then had 
 gained experience and was ready for more. , 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 First Fording. 
 
 Six miles southwest from Ranier we came to 
 an obstacle — a river with no bridge, no ferry. 
 We unhitched a horse, mounted to his back and 
 plunged into the turbulent water, swift and 
 muddy, bottom full of holes, some very deep. 
 Finally, after plunging round up and down, de- 
 cided to try, so quartered house up stream, the 
 water came into the house, but steadily we 
 neared the opposite bank. Other teams ap- 
 proached but turned back, not willing to brave 
 it. We were all thankful when we reached the 
 top of the opposite bank, preparatory to climb- 
 ing broken hills underlaid with coal and build- 
 ing stone — the best in the West. 
 
 We rested over Sunday and enjoyed the hos- 
 pitality of Western people, (unknown in the 
 East,) being entertained with strains of sweet 
 music, both vocal and instrumental; listened to 
 declamations, etc., ate at their table and had a 
 general fine time. The following- days brought 
 no changes, roads in timber bad ; on prairie, fine. 
 
 37 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 Classified Experience No. I. 
 
 Plank road 18 miles. For the last 10 hours we 
 had been in mud knee deep, team tired out, 
 crossed a set of divide hills approaching Cow- 
 litz River, in woods, growing dark, road slump- 
 ing, all of us tired and weary, when a crash 
 came, a scream of a child, and all was still, ex- 
 cept for the sobbing of a woman. The wheel 
 on lower side had broken. The house lay over 
 on its side. With superhuman strength the 
 father liberated the mother and children, un- 
 hitched the team, placed bedding and children 
 upon tliem, went forward three miles and found 
 a barn, fed team hay, and we slept in the mow. 
 The farmer, Wm. Boon (aged 72 years), next 
 morning was surprised to see us, but after ex- 
 plaining the situation to him he treated us very 
 kindly taking the family into his house and fed 
 them. I went back and brought forward the 
 house on skids ; he kindly gave me repairs, 
 showed me now to refill the wheel and set the 
 tire, making my first of the kind. I did some 
 mattress work for him, taking flour, bacon, po- 
 tatoes, lard, beans, onions, dried fruit, coffee 
 and tea for my pay. Resting over Sunday, we 
 were again ready to start forward. With tears 
 
 38 
 
in his eyes he bade us good by, and hoped to 
 meet us in heaven. Approaching Cowlitz Riv- 
 er the roads improved. At evening we camped 
 upon the grassy bank of that beautiful river. 
 The flat-bottomed boats came up from Portland 
 to several miles above where we were encamped, 
 bringing in merchantable goods, machinery, 
 etc., returning with shingles, hay, hops, corn, 
 potatoes, beef, stock, horses, hogs, sheep, game, 
 lumber, coal, plaster, gypsum, charcoal, pottery 
 clay, molasses, wheat, oats, dried and green 
 fruits, poultry, eggs, butter and oheese. Whila 
 we were camped there that eve a beautiful 
 steamer hove in sight and soon then a line 
 ashore ; stopped and took on a load of hay, 
 wheat and oats for Portland. We asked the 
 captain how much would take us down to Port- 
 land. '' $20," said he. Not liaving the $20 con- 
 cluded not to ship. 
 
 Experience No. 2. 
 
 Hopes Brightened. — In the morning a farmer (an 
 Irishman) called. Said he: '*! can get you 
 work." '^ O.K.," said I. *' Come,*' said he. So 
 back on the road we went to his ranch, three 
 miles on foot through fields and over hills, took 
 took his boat and crossed the river, then three 
 miles further. The farmer was plowing at a 
 
 39 
 
place a mile still further. " Well, Charles, IVe 
 brought you a hand, as you told me to." ''Am 
 sorry," replied he, ''wife's away on a visit, 
 mother's down sick, siste.r's getting ready to be 
 married, the boys gone fishing. I can't do the 
 cooking so can't take hand now. I need one, 
 sure. Plowing not done, got lots of wood to 
 chop, crops to put in, fences to build, lots of 
 cows to milk, butter to make, etc. Am sorry, 
 Mike, but can't make room just now. In a 
 month or so — shall Vv^ant one then, sure. Good 
 day." We returned to Mike's ranch at noon. 
 His man Friday had dinner ready. " Let's eat," 
 said he. Dinner over. "Here, take these," — 
 canned preserves, 5 pounds butter, 2 loaves of 
 bread, raddishes, onions, lettuce, dried fruit 
 and dried corn. " There, your trip shall not be 
 for nothing; if I had more you should have it ; 
 success on your journey. Good by." It was 
 growing late in the day when tired I reached 
 our House on Wheels. The farmer where we 
 camped said, " 'Tis grown late in the day; stay 
 now till morning." We did. 
 
 The Tug of War. — Ready early and forward. 
 Road less used and unworked, the cuts narrow 
 and the holes deep. Arriving in a cosy nook in 
 an open bottom, we came to a fine farm well 
 
 40 
 
Cultivated, beautiful house, well kept lawn^ 
 flowers, etc. Counted 22 hands. Now I'll get 
 work. Found the owner ; asked for work. He 
 said : *' U: • I have more hands than I can use to 
 to advantage. But come here ; put this sack of 
 flour on your shoulder, and this side of meat 
 may come handy." ''Yes, 'tis a nice place. I 
 have 72 acres of hops, largest single hop farm in 
 the State." Companies own larger, but no one 
 man. This farmer's name was Mr. Paterson. 
 
 Three miles below we came to C. P. R. R. sta- 
 tion and post office. Old stage station before 
 R. R. came, now wagon road was abandoned 
 over the mountain, not been a team over it in 
 7 years, washed out, bridges gone, trees down 
 across roads, etc. 
 
 Experience No. 3. — A Perilous Ride. 
 
 Said ranchman : ' ' You can't go over that wa}' ; 
 will have to ship by cars or by boat." " Can't, 
 no money. I'll try the mountain." " You may 
 die trying, but you can't go with that rig. 
 Team balky, a'nt they ! " '' Yes. " '' Never can 
 get over. I've lived here 40 years. I know " 
 '• Can't never did anything; I'll try it." '• Well 
 go, you fool; you will soon come back." 
 
 Two wood-choppers seeing us determined to 
 
 41 
 
go, said they would go along for company rather 
 than walk the R. R. They carried about 30 
 pounds of grub J I said, ^'Put your pack in- 
 side, I can haul it." *' Thanks." Up, down, 
 up, up, down; over, across^ up, up, up, down; 
 up, down, up; cut trees out of way, filled up 
 washes, rolled stones out of way, made tempor- 
 ary trestles, etc., and finally started down Mt. 
 Pomfry. The further the steeper. A wash in 
 the road, shallow and narrow at first grew 
 wider and deeper. One man took the children 
 and walked ahead down the mountain. He said 
 he *^ dared not look at the house, expected to 
 hear it go tearing down the mountain." The 
 other man walked behind and said he, " I held 
 my breath for fear; at places the washout was 
 8 feet deep under your house." I rode, held the 
 brake with ni}^ foot and talked encouragingly 
 to my team. One misstep or blunder and ovei 
 we would have gone. Finally we appoached 
 the bottom of the grade, and oh, horrors! the 
 road had slipped doivn into the river! The 
 wash had opened wider. Timber on both sides ; 
 nothing to do but make a square turn on the 
 very brink, and it a sidling one. One slide, 
 slip or fall and house, team and self go over the 
 brink 80 feet below ! 
 
 42 
 
My voice trembled, the man behind hid to 
 keep from seeing me go over ; the man ahead 
 cried, "Stop, don't try!*' I held firm to my 
 team, "Steady! s-t-e-a-d-y ! s-t-e^-a-d-y !". 
 My little loving wife looking around with a 
 cheery voice, cried out, "Oh, you'll make it! 
 Come on ! Come on ! " and she came back a few 
 steps. The horses seeing her surged and set 
 the house back upon it wheels, it toppled, she 
 ran and threw her weight upon the upper 
 wheels and saved it going over; the point pass- 
 ed, we stopped around the curve. I procured 
 n\y rope and tied the house to a tree, the wife 
 holding it while I steadied it a few feet further, 
 then ^danger was passed. A few rods ahead 
 a tree 5 feet across had blown down, leaving 
 trunk hanging on top of stump. The old road 
 went under. I measured the height and found 
 I had a foot more house than room, stone ledge 
 under tree, only way to pass was between tree 
 and bluff, had a foot more bank than width of 
 wheels; fastened wheels to stump and slid 
 house around it, then down again. Finally the 
 bank was too steep ; my nerves too tried, so tied 
 rope to back axle of the house and around stump 
 and lowered it; wife steered the front. (See 
 illustration.) One man was down the mountain 
 
 43 
 
with children, the other had gone only to appear 
 when the bottom was reached. The plucky wife, 
 Viola and I got the house down as best we could. 
 
 Experience No. 4. — A New Enemy. 
 
 Reaching the bottom, a stream was to be 
 forded, w^ater 2 feet deep and full of large boul- 
 ders, but we got cross all right. On trying to 
 ascend the bank our Dungeness horse refused to 
 pull. After trying several times in vain, the 
 banks being so steep, the horse came off his 
 feet and slid backwards into the stream. While 
 trying to get out a runner came down the creek 
 crying, '"Look out for the water; the dam is 
 cut ! " New energy was put into us ; new ideas. 
 The men said, '* You're gone! " Again my rope 
 came into play. Tying the rope around the big 
 horse's neck, then up the bank and around a 
 stump, I gave the word, ^'Try again!" The 
 big horse lunged, I took up the slack, we blocked 
 the wheels. Again a Innge, slack taken, pro- 
 gress slow but sure, continuing till top was 
 reached. We were up and out of the way when 
 the rush of water, logs, brush, stone, and trees 
 came dashing down where we were but a few 
 short minutes before ! We were very thankful 
 we escaped, 
 
 U 
 
The Men Left Us. — They had accompanied us 
 to where they were making shingle bolts anc^ 
 cord wood. In our excitement we forgot to 
 learn their names ; an exchange of courtesies 
 and we parted. Very tired indeed we were that 
 night. We felt discouraged and down-hearted, 
 knowing what we had gone over, and still being 
 in the mountains did not know what was before 
 us. The next morning opened fine, our courage 
 was renewed and we were ready for 
 
 The Battle of the Day. — We encountered a 
 windfall, big timber lay every way, and finally 
 a tree 8 feet thick lay across our road, and lying 
 across others it hemmed us in. Examining it, 
 we found that by cutting criss-cross, round 
 through the timber, here a small log, there a 
 small tree, we could get through. This monster 
 lay across our path, but its size had diminished. 
 We were 200 feet from the road, and the tree 
 was only 22 inches through. Taking my ax and 
 saw we cut our way through, and some 3 hours 
 afterward were again on the old road, tired and 
 sore. In the evening we arrived at Sandy Bend, 
 on the Cowlitz River — horses played out, har- 
 ness broken, grub getting low. money gone. 
 
 Work Procured on a hay baler — it was hard 
 and dusty, wages $1.25 and board, took part 
 
 45 
 
pay in hay for our team; worked till hay baling 
 was through then looked for other employ- 
 ment. Cash received for baling $8.10. 
 
 Young Ferry Woman. — The Cowlitz River is 
 narrow but deep, few regular ferries and far 
 apart, but one place a traveler is sure of getting 
 across day or night, that is at Nelsons across 
 from Sandy Bend. The family is large in num- 
 ber but small in size, the oldest being girls, one 
 a Miss Nelson, is the boatman, she can handle a 
 row boat to perfection, she is of fine form, beau- 
 tiful to look upon, a fine conversationalist Says 
 she "can swim like a duck, and has saved sev- 
 eral persons from drowning." Is an excellent 
 shot with a gun ; can drive a team or play an 
 organ ; play croquet or be a coquet — is truly a 
 Western girl. 
 
 The Columbia was on a bender, and higher 
 and higher it came, cutting off all chance of 
 going forward by flooding the bottoms. 
 
 A shingle mill offered me a job at bolt haul- 
 ing. Having some experience (see Chapter X, 
 page 36) I looked with suspicion upon it, but 
 being the only chance I fitted up and began. 
 
 The Old Song.— From May 18 till the 2Gth, 
 Down the roughest hills, 15 bolts making a cord. 
 I hauled 28 to 30 at load at 75c per cord 2 loads 
 
 46 
 
per day, in a week I made $21.25, and demanded 
 my cash. He was surprised. Said he ''I have 
 no cash to pay you, provisions only" (at high 
 prices). Being trapped we waited, using horse 
 feed and our grub on the bill. On June 14 de- 
 cided not to wait longer, demanded a due bill 
 and received it, got the captain of a river 
 steamer to accept it and give us passage, with 
 our outfit, to Portland, Or., and allow us $1.40 
 extra cash. 
 
 Experience No. 5. — A Cyclone. 
 
 While killing time waiting, I Avas reading to 
 my wife, in the shade of a beautiful tree, when 
 suddenly the sky became overcast, darkness 
 came on rapidly, a mighty roar in the distance, 
 then all was still as death. Chickens ran to 
 cover, hogs began to squeel, dogs commenced to 
 howl — a mighty storm was coming down upon 
 us. My wife cried, "Our children!" Said I, 
 *' 'Tis too late ! They're at a neighbor's, half a 
 a mile away. We must seek shelter ! " Grab- 
 bing up our boy, Robert, wife and I sought shei- 
 ter in a low log shed against a high bank. The 
 storm broke, blackness prevailed, leaves, dirt, 
 sand, boards and debris flew everywhere; the 
 noise was deafening, the roar of falling timber 
 and crashing houses was terrible to listen to. 
 
 47 
 
When it passed the sight ^as terrorising to 
 look upon — trees 3 feet across broken like pipe 
 steins and barns destroyed. We were in a pro- 
 tected place.; where the storm spent its fury 
 was about 200 feet from us. 'No one happened 
 to be killed. Our tv^o girls were safe ; we were 
 thankful. 
 
 High Water and Our Boat Ride. — June is the 
 
 time the snow causes the Columbia to rise. 1894 
 
 saw the highest water ever known there, both 
 
 river bottoms w re covered deep with water and 
 
 mud. One })Uxce on the Columbia the water 
 
 was over 20 miles across i:. Looked queer to us 
 
 to see barns 60 to 100 feet square fastened with 
 
 stout hawsers (rope) to great trees to keep them 
 
 floating away; large brick and stone build- 
 
 • o^ you could see only the windows of the 
 
 stories; frame houses were roped like the 
 
 barns to keep from straying. We saw one large 
 
 barn being towed up the Columbia by two big 
 
 tug boats; it had gone astray about 60 miles. 
 
 Arriving in Portland, Or., we were landed on 
 2d Street — a temporary landing place. 
 
 Experience No. 6. — A Sorrowful Sight. 
 
 The ridiculous things sometimes amuse; we 
 laugh at the commotion we created upon the 
 
 48 
 
streets of Portland. Driving along one of their 
 u venues to pass a team it caused us to get on 
 sideling part, and down went one corner of 
 our house. Quickly dismounting, discovered 
 same wheel broken down as before described at 
 Boone's. A curious crowd gathered to see ; my 
 brave little wife could not refrain from tears; 
 broken wheel, among strangers, not cash enough 
 to get wheel repaired, crowds poking fun, etc. 
 Finally she became her composed self again, 
 and we turned to with a will and removed our 
 house to a by -street, began fixing the wheel up, 
 when a fine looking man appeared. Said he 
 "Don't bother yourself about your break-down 
 this evening. I'll call on you at 7 in the morning 
 and we'll see what is the best to do." Also spoke 
 a few kind words to my family. 
 
 Saturday June i6, 7 A. M. — We rose early, the 
 stranger came. Said he, "Follow me." I did, 
 telling family "I would be back when I re- 
 turned. " Down streets, round corners, over tres- 
 tles, arrived at a wheelwright's. Said he, 
 "William; here is a man who has a broken 
 wheel; give him an old one, can't you ? Go in," 
 said he, "look over those in that room; if you 
 find one bring it out." I found a good one, 
 brought it, and asked the price. Said he, "My 
 
 49 
 
friend tells me your situation. You can have 
 the wheel freely. No thanks at all, you are 
 welcome to it." After showing me how to re- 
 turn, my benefactor departed; both refused to 
 tell me their names. The wheelwright's name 
 I could not get; the other one I learned was a 
 Populist, a Christian, a member of the Metho- 
 dist Church, and his name W. F. Miller. By 
 noon we were again ready to go forward. Just 
 as we were starting we had 
 
 A New Encounter. — An expressman hailed us. 
 Said he, "I am directed to deliver these gro- 
 ceries to you." I said there was a mistake. 
 *'No, no!" said he, ''Order said 'House on 
 Wheels.' I'm right, they're for you." I said I 
 had not ordered any. "Never mind, they're 
 paid for." We took them thankfully, from 
 whom we never knew, but surmise that this 
 Mr. W. F. Miller knew who paid for them. 
 Flour, bacon, sugar, beans, coffee, tea, cheese, 
 crackers, dried fruits, etc. 
 
 Experience No. 7. — fliraculous Escape. 
 
 Tuesday, June 19. — From Portland we 
 learned there were two roads south — the hill 
 and the valley. We were misdirected and took 
 the hill road to our sorrow. While traveling 
 
 50 
 
the lulls, over stoiies, etc., the children were 
 playing, romping in our house on wheels — a 
 scream! I heard a thud; I suddenly tightened 
 the reins, checked the horses, sprang from my 
 seat. Oh, horrors! My child, Leona, had fallen 
 backwards out of tlie door (wliich was then on 
 the left side of the house). There she lay, right 
 before the hind wheel ! Taking in the situation 
 at a glance I leaped to her rescue in time to 
 grasp the wheel with one hand and my child 
 with the other, stopping the wheel and drawing 
 my own from sure death! ''Thank God!" 
 came involuntarily from our lips. I lifted her 
 in my arms and again mounted my seat. The 
 wheel only bruised the flesh, turning it black. 
 By rubbing her back I removed all the soreness 
 and she was soon lierself again. 
 
 Experience No. 8. — Our First Audience. 
 
 There is one thing that impresses our memory 
 that can't be erased On Wednesday, June 20th, 
 following the main traveled road, we came di- 
 rectly upon the main street of Oregon's capital 
 (Salem). I leaned out and asked for the road to 
 Eugene. I stopped to hear the answer, and ere 
 we could start were captured by people curious 
 to know our history, etc. I bore up under the 
 
 51 
 
gaze and questions well; my wife and family 
 closed the door and blinded the windows, refus- 
 ing to be inter vieAved. It looked queer to us to 
 see bankers, merchants, brokers and clerks hat- 
 Jess around us, a motley set, indeed. Next day 
 the papers told of our Traveling Palace. 
 
 For the Sunny South. — Considerable excitement 
 was caused last week by the appearance on Commercial 
 Street of a house on wheels. The conveyance belonged 
 to Mr. Lasle}^ who is moving his wife and three chil- 
 dren from Port Angeles to Southern California. 
 
 The house is j^erfect, fitted with doors and windows. 
 That it is the most convenient mode of traveling can- 
 not be doubted after a glance inside — stove always up, 
 house plants entwined about, beds and table folded 
 up, as a palace sleeping and dining car. While the 
 husband drives the team, the wife prepares the food 
 within, so that when the halt is made nothing is to be 
 done but raise the table and take the dinner from the 
 stove. It is original with Mrs. Lasley, and is a good 
 pattern for others to copy after. — -Salem Independent^ 
 June 21st, 1884. 
 
 Experience No. 9. — A Funeral Averted. — 
 Saturday, June 23d. — My wife asked to ride 
 along side of me, on the drivers seat. '"Tis 
 narrow, but I would like to try while the roads 
 are level.'* I said, " Yes." Said she, " Let me 
 drive; you hold our boy." When crossing one 
 of those small culverts placed diagonally across 
 
 53 
 
the road (a blessing Oregon liar; lots of) the 
 house lurched sidewise; throwing my wife off 
 against the nigh horse, and. under the fore wheel. 
 In falling she had carried the lines with her, so 
 I had no way of stopping the team. I gave them 
 them the word to stop, the wheel had rolled 
 upon her skirts, pinning her down, passing be- 
 tween her limbs and striking her body. Horses 
 stopped suddenly, but the impetus of the house 
 carried them forward. Their stopping kept my 
 wife from being crushed by the wheel had it 
 run lengthwise over her. (The weight of our 
 outfit was 2,106 pounds.) Seeing the dilemma 
 of my wife I leaped over her prostrate forni, 
 forgetting that I had Qur baby boy upon m.y 
 lap, and grabbed the fore wheel and lifted it off 
 her. I then lifted her into the house. I had 
 dropped our baby and he lay on the double-tree 
 and cross-bars, not even crying; he was un- 
 hurt. Examination showed that wife's shoul- 
 der was dislocated and body bruised. The wife 
 in arranging her dislieveled hair got her arm in 
 such a position that the shoulder went back into 
 its place and has been all O.K. ever since. 
 Experience No, lo. — Viola's Close Call. 
 We had camped upon a grassy spot. Viola 
 in arranging things passed near the horse I had 
 
 53 
 
purckased at Dungeness ; lie lunged at her hvi 
 his halter tightened in time to save her. 11 " 
 caught her clothing on top of her shoulder and 
 threw her from him, scaring all of us, but doing 
 no harm. I tied him to a tree and thrashed him 
 soundly; never again did he try biting any one. 
 
 My First Horse Trade. 
 
 Approaching Eugene, at the head of Willam- 
 ette Valley, a farmer asked me to " trade my 
 1,600 pound horse for a nine year old 1,000 
 horse, sound and true?" I said, "Yes, even, by 
 giving me a bag of oats." Next morning he 
 said '• I would not trade back for $25." I said, 
 
 '' Glad of it; I also would ask you $35." 
 
 • 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 Mountain Fastness. 
 
 After leaving Eugene the mountains ap- 
 proach on the east and west. Passing Cottage 
 Grove the valley is only about half mile wide. 
 A sharp turn in the creek brings you suddenly 
 to the foot of a very long and steep mountain. 
 The general trend of the mountains has been 
 north and south. We have been following the 
 valleys, but now a change in them. Spurs from 
 the Cascade Eange extend westward, connecting 
 them with coast range. Across these we must 
 
 54 
 
make our way. Our introduction is a surprise 
 to us; we expected to go up then down then 
 up again, etc., higher and higlier, but this time 
 no down came, but up, up, higher and higher. 
 These mountains arc covered with timber and 
 underbrush, and the settlements are sparse and 
 far apart from the Willamette Valley in Oregon 
 to Sacramento Valley in California). Five hours 
 we climbed; a level cleared spot appeared, also 
 a ranch house, we decided to get our dinner. 
 After feeding our team, hitching up again, the 
 ranchman came out. Said he, "You will need 
 help to get the rest of the way (3 miles), no 
 teams go up alone; you can't, I know." " How 
 much cost?" asked I. "$3.00," said he, "to 
 help to pull you through the mud and up to the 
 top of the mountain with my team." "No 
 thanks," said I, "we will play it alone." 
 "You'll never get up alone; if you comeback 
 for me 1*11 charge you $5.00!" " Adiose!" said 
 I. As we started a large team passed having 
 200 feet of lumber on a running gear. "This," 
 said the driver, " is a heavy load. (Allowing 
 4 pounds to the foot makes 800 pounds.) " You 
 can't get up the mountain " He led the way. 
 We followed, family all walked, some places 
 my team could only draw our outfit 10 feet, 
 
 55 
 
but they kept trying and going up! Finally, 
 aftcir hard work we arrived at the top. Said he, 
 '' I never saw as good pulling team in all my 
 life. I have lived on this mountain for years 
 and never saw as small a team as yours draw 
 as large a load up that mountain. You can go 
 any place on earth you please with that team; 
 this is the worst hill between Seattle and San 
 Francisco!" (Where there is any road at all.) 
 The going down was dry but extra steep and 
 stony. 
 
 Experience ii. — Haying. 
 June 28. — Arriving at Wilber, Or., got a job 
 liaying at Mr. Short's, for 75c. per day and 
 board. Half day hauling on 29th. Saturday, 
 said he, '"Rest today, I am going a fox hunt- 
 ing." I used the day looking for another job; 
 none found. Sunday to church. Monday, July 
 2, work hauling hay. July 3, again hauling 
 hay. In the evening I asked for cash to buy 
 some provisions. Said he, ''I have no cash; 
 will give you an order on the store." "O.K.," 
 said I. He counted up my time. Amount $1.90 
 for 4 days used and lost. Order presented, 
 shopman said, '* I will lionor this, but no more. 
 I can't carry him longer."' The next day being 
 4th July the Short family went nort4i to a cele- 
 
 50 
 
bration, 18 miles, leaving hay open in field. 
 We decided that we could not fool around there 
 at that rate so went southward 12 miles. Cele- 
 brated by going salmon fishing at Winchester. 
 
 Sights of a Life=time. — At the mill dam, around 
 the end of which was left a run for the salmon. 
 Fishermen stood there with their spears, and 
 when a salmon dared to try to run the gauntlet 
 each fisherman tried to catch it. Sometimes a 
 fish succeeded in getting through. The larger 
 fish, not daring to try the run-way, tried the 
 dam. The dam measured ten feet, the water 
 pouring over it about a foot deep. The fish 
 would leave the water below the dam, leap into 
 air. Some few would clear the dam into the 
 water above it; many of them fell into the 
 water and sink out of sight, to renew the leap 
 again, may be to fail, may be to scale it. Sal- 
 mon never go down stream after once starting 
 up to spawn, until their season is over. 
 
 A Money Change. — On arriving at Roseburgh 
 we had 90 cents ; bought material, made com- 
 position solder, also soap to remove tan, freckles, 
 etc. My wife said she would sell these articles to 
 ranchmen for something to live upon, rather 
 than have me looking for work where none was 
 to be found. 
 
 67 
 
The Oregon ranchmen (farmers) told me but 
 few of them had made enough to pay their 
 taxes for the last 3 or 4 years ; could not hire 
 their work done; nothing to pay with. One 
 offered me beans at oc. per pound in exchange 
 for work at 75c. per day (Found beans not ex- 
 changeable at store for more than 2c. per pound.) 
 ' " No thanks ; I want pay for my work. " 
 
 My wife, (at her self-imposed task,) found first 
 few ranches no good, but soon potatoes, apples, 
 cherries, turnips, bread, hay and cash appeared 
 in exchange for solder and soap. Our day's travel 
 shortened, but our provisions increased. So did 
 the heat! My wife, sold only to the ranches, 
 skipping all the villages; I canvassed the hotels 
 for upholstering — none found. 
 
 Glad Surprise. — One ranch deserves more than 
 a passing notice. On Myrtle Creek my wife ap- 
 proached one, and a middle-aged woman asked, 
 ''What do you desire? Are you selling some- 
 thing?" This was spoken in a rather rough 
 voice, not encouraging; but the wife, fearing 
 nothing, commenced her song by apologizing 
 for offering things for sale, mentioned her chil- 
 dren also, and said her husband was unable to 
 procure work, etc. Said she, **Yes, I will ex- 
 ekange some fruit, potatoes and a hen for your 
 
 58 
 
solder, etc. I also have a couple of lounges I de- 
 sire repaired; your husband can do the work 
 for me." (This was Friday evening, July 6th.) 
 She ordered our team put up and fed hay and 
 grain. Saturday, worked on lounge. Sunday, 
 neighbors called to see us. By Tuesday even- 
 ing I had overhauled two lounges — received po- 
 tatoes, cherries, plums, butter, cheese, feed for 
 our team four days, and $2.00 in cash. This 
 family proved to be a Christian family, the old 
 grandma and all. The worst side first shown 
 improved on acquaintance. On Saturday her 
 son was thrown froin a horse and broke hi > 
 arm. I took pleasure in setting and splintering 
 it. Name, Mrs. Adams, P. O., Myrtle Crtek, Or. 
 
 Experience No. 12. — Morality vs. Hunger. 
 
 Camped at head of Cow Creek Canyon. No 
 feed, no ranch, and dark. Next morning early 
 forward for hay. At foot of hill, three miles, 
 came to ranch and lots of hay; asked to buy 
 some. But he refused to sell. Turning a bend 
 I took advantage of the position and ''borrowed" 
 a cock of hay (not repaid it yet); the horses had 
 a good meal. 
 
 After breakfast we went forward four miles; 
 met an old man. Said he, ^'Sir, you are off 
 your road; this goes to R. R. station down the 
 
 09 
 
creek; you must cross that range; go back five 
 miles and take left-hand road," so returned to 
 the ranch where I had borrowed the hay; got 
 there just as they were going to dinner. In- 
 quired for tlie proper road to Grant's Pass. Said 
 the}', *• You must return the way just come; G 
 miles below the road turns to the left across 
 mountain." Again asked to buy hay for our 
 team for noon. Said, **NoI I told you this 
 morning I would not sell you any." Again I 
 ''borrowed" hay for team's dinner, and fed at 
 the same place we breakfasted. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 Experience No. 13. — Robert's Tussle with Death. 
 
 Arriving in Ashland, Or., July 14th. Fine 
 offers for business were held out to induce us 
 to stop. Believing advice good we did. On 
 18th July rented shop and tried for work — poor 
 success. A few days later our boy took summer 
 complaint, and for three months we carried him 
 on a pillow, expecting death every hour, but de- 
 termined to save him if nursing would do it. Fi- 
 nally, a change; he commenced to get stronger; 
 as soon as the little one was able to ride we de- 
 cided to start south again en route to Southern 
 California. 
 
 During our stay I decided to remodel the 
 
 00 
 
House on Wheels. 1 took it to pieces, shortened 
 it 2-J- feet, phiced door in rear instead of the 
 side, opened the front so as to sit inside. Cur- 
 tains closed it when not in use. 
 
 On Nov. 10 we again hitched up. Cleared in 
 cash $5.00 in four months in Ashland. All of 
 us were in high glee to be on the road again, 
 away from sickly Ashland. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 Experience 14. — Hard Road to Travel. 
 
 Twelve miles from Ashland, up Sisque Mount- 
 ains, arrived at a toll gate over a road that a 
 person should be paid to travel over instead of 
 paying. We parlied over the price of gate fee 
 (a dollar). Finally, he looked into our house. 
 Said he, "I'll take that fine high chair, allow 
 you $1.50." (For the $2.50 chair.) So he got 
 our boy's chair for toll ! Then up to the summit 
 then down into a river valley. High and cold. 
 
 Mount Shasta. — That famous mountain is in 
 sight for miles, towering thousands of feet above 
 any of its neighbors. The crater of the old vol- 
 cano is grand to look upon. It stands second in 
 height on the Pacific (in the U. S). Mt. Ranier, 
 near Tacoma, Wash., is the highest. Either of 
 these are majestic to look upon, and grand to 
 go upon. Came to, Sacramento Canyon at Dens- 
 
 61 
 
more. We tried to buy hay and grain ; none in 
 town. Said they, *' 3 miles below you can buy 
 both hay and grain." Forward, but no ranch. 
 We had a few pounds of grain left, so tied up 
 our stock to trees (sheep had cleaned up the 
 country of grass). Day's travel 25 miles. The 
 scenery grand and beautiful. Sometimes our 
 road was down upon the roaring, foaming, surg- 
 ing Sacramento River; other times, 2,000 feet 
 above the river. The mountains still above us. 
 The mighty river could be plainly seen foaming 
 and lashing, but not a sound reached our ears. 
 The roadway, blasted out of the side of the 
 mountain, is just wide enough for one team, 
 except in places, wiiere it is widened to let 
 teams pass. After passing one of these wide 
 places teamsters have to "hello" to let ap- 
 proaching teams know^ their location. The first 
 giving the alarm is entitled to the right of way. 
 Approaching Shasta we overtook a team. We 
 camped together at the head of this canyon. 
 I said, "Bacon, you go ahead; if you break 
 down then I can help you repair. I can keep 
 up with you easier than you with us. " He had 
 to do the liallooing. and by allowing him to 
 be about half a mile ahead he stopped any team 
 from meeting us.'' 
 
 62 
 
Once in this canyon, ho outlet till you get 
 through, 80 miles in length. It is the longest 
 passable canyon in the U. S. Road crooked, in 
 some places stony and rough, in other places 
 good. The canyon must be seen to be under- 
 stood. Back on the higher mountains I was 
 told hunting was good, deer abounded. Second 
 day, distance 25 miles; third day, 30 miles; good 
 roads, plenty grass at night in a field. 
 
 Uncle Sam's Salmon. 
 
 We will now inspect a salmon hatchery at 
 Pitt River, Cal. A long row of buildings; a 
 dam and gates kept large salmon from going 
 up further. Officers caught them in large nets, 
 sorted them according to size, shape, color and 
 sex ; put them in water boxes, and millions of 
 eggs were taken from the females. After milk- 
 ing the males, all the salmon were then thrown 
 back into the river. Down the stream they 
 went, the season's journey up was over. After 
 the eggs are hatched, the small salmon are sent 
 to different streams and rivers to restock them, 
 thereby keeping up the supply that would soon 
 become exhausted if not for tlie part taken by 
 our Government. 
 
 Salmon is a salt water fish, but propagates in 
 fresh water, m lakes, and lieads of streams and 
 
 63 
 
rivers. Salmon return yearly to the place where 
 they were propogated, causing wliat are called 
 salmon runs. There are many kinds of salmon, 
 good, better, best. The best, ''silver sides;" 
 the largest, ''Chenook." The best are used at 
 home in local markets ; the second grade is 
 shipped east (cold storage and packed); the 
 poorest — hump backed, dog faced and common — 
 are canned for the world's markets. 
 
 Needed Help. — Passing Redlands vre heard 
 that at Old Nine Mile Ranch the grass on hill 
 was good. Arriving, found sheep and a herder 
 there. ''Yes," said he, "up on the hill the 
 grass is good.'' We took our stock up and hob- 
 bled them. The herder going early found his 
 horse had got fouled with the lariat and was 
 down. He cut it and the horse rolled down the 
 hill and was unable to get up. He came into 
 camp, told his trouble, asked us (Bacon and I) 
 to go up and help him. Bacon said, '"rm 
 going ahead. No time. Good by." Said I, "'ril 
 go and see what we can do." We lifted the 
 horse up, it lunged and fell down the mountain. 
 Examination showed that its back was broken, 
 so we ended its existence with a revolver. Said 
 the herder, "I'm at a loss; can't go forward 
 with the sheep; no way to take camp things. 
 
 64 
 
I'll give you my revolver and $2.50 cash to haul 
 my outfit to Red Bluff." I did so. We never 
 heard of Bacon afterward. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 Down the Sacramento Valley. 
 Late Gov. Stanford's Big Farm. — When passing 
 through the town of Red Bluff it was suggested 
 that we visit late Gov. Stanford's noted farm and 
 winery. Crossing the Sacramento to the east we 
 first saw oranges growing out doors. A few 
 miles drive, on good roads, brought us to the 
 Vina R. R. station. We introduced ourselves to 
 the manager (Mrs. Stanford lives at College 
 Farm, a place near San Jose) he kindly showed 
 us around. The horse farm, 150 fine bred 
 young horses, barns, stables, race track, etc. 
 Then down to the Holstein dairy of 100 cows. 
 They have their own creamery, got samples of 
 their cream, butter, milk ; saw them separating " 
 cream 30 minutes after it was milked. Latest 
 improved machinery for everything except milk- 
 ing; that was done in the good old way. Then 
 through their grapery of 3,000 acres. Then 
 through their winery, the largest private bonded 
 warehouse in the U. S. They said they ''used 
 300 horses on the ranch." ''The ranch is 6 
 
 Go 
 
miles long and 2 miles wide." They raise also 
 wheat, alfalfa, timothy and clover. They have 
 3,000 hogs to which they feed the offal of the 
 winery and the skimmed milk. They raise 
 hundreds of ducks, geese, chickens, turkeys, 
 etc. All persons living in Vina are directly or 
 indirectly connected with or about the Stanford 
 Farm, one of the cream spots of our earth ; sur- 
 rounding it the country is barren and useless. 
 This was on Thursday, November 22, 1894. 
 
 Experience 15. — Grape and Green Walnut Diet. 
 
 In the Sacramento Valley agents and peddlers 
 are not admitted to the large ranch houses. The 
 tenants have no cash and but little to eat. Rev- 
 enue being cut off, our money soon gone, hun- 
 ger came over us ; the grapes were left ungath- 
 ered — too cheap. We asked for a few but were 
 refused. I simply stepped over the fence, with 
 burlap sack in hand, and filled it with grapes. 
 Ranchman raged and threatened to arrest me; 
 I retorted that my family was hungry. We 
 gathered walnuts from trees alongside the road, 
 lived 6 days on grapes and green walnuts, and 
 traveled 150 miles on them. Grapes and green 
 walnuts are good; but having to exist on them, 
 alone for days together a person's stomach sick- 
 ens j so did ours. 
 
 66 
 
Experience No. i6. — The Battle. • 
 
 Sacramento is a valley of big- ranches, houses 
 far apart, small dead towns often, but N. G. for 
 work. We approached a large castle (a house) 
 in center of a ranch of 30,000 (thirty thousand) 
 acres. I hunted up the foreman and asked for 
 work. He refused to give me any. Told him 
 of our embarrassment — no rnoney, no food, no 
 horse feed, in need of nutriment for my family ! 
 Said he " did not care; we do not feed wagon 
 tramps, so move on! " I refused and said. '^ I'll 
 take grain from your bins, and hay from your 
 rick, if you won't give me work to pay for it ! 
 Feed I'll have! Team can't travel without it." 
 He, seeing my determination, said, " Carry out 
 a little hay to your crow-baits!" I said, ''I 
 must have some barley also!" ^'Well, take 
 your own sack, go out to the stable and tell the 
 boss there to let you have a feed of grain." I 
 did so. The grain boss said, "How much?" 
 I said, ''Put it in; 111 tell you when to stop." 
 "When the sack was full I said, '' Stop, quick! " 
 Then I went to the foreman again, and asked 
 for food for my family. He said, ''No; I've 
 given you enough!" I said, "We will have a 
 good breakfast tomorrow morning, and don't 
 you fear!" Before daylight I was up and 
 
 67 
 
dressed, going to get a breakfast for my starv- 
 ing family. I could see chickens roosting up in 
 a tree, so I up with a club and let drive at them. 
 Presently I heard the clicking of a gun being- 
 cocked, and a voice in thunder tones call out, 
 " You go nearer those chickens, I'll fill you with 
 shot!" I turned and started for the speaker, 
 club in hand. He disappeared around the grain 
 elevator. To head him off I went around the 
 opposite way, in time to see him again disap- 
 pearing around his big house. Climbing the op- 
 posite fence a race for the rear commenced. I 
 had become interested in the flying Dutchman. 
 I met him ; he dodged into the blacksmith shop, 
 I after him. We came together ; he dropped his 
 shot gun and begged, saying ''he did not intend 
 to shoot me." In earnest tones I portrayed the 
 situation — my starving family, I not being able 
 to get work. Said he, ''I now understand your 
 dilemma, and can't blame you. " Said I, "This 
 is Thursday, Nov. 29 — Thanksgiving, and we 
 have nothing to be thankful for, except health.''' 
 Said he, ''You come into the house; I will give 
 you some food." " ISTo," said I, "' but I will send 
 in my little girl ; don't you detain her a minute. " 
 (Had I gone into his house he might have turned 
 a key and telephoned for an officer, and having 
 
 68 
 
money I would not now be in New York.) Our 
 girl soon returned with ai; armful ; again re- 
 turned by invitation and made four trips. Re- 
 sult — roast turkey, roast beef, roast pork, stuffed 
 lamb, chicken pot pie, baked potatoes, mashed 
 potatoes, bread, butter, fruit, corn bread, plum 
 pudding, pie, cake, cheese, potatoes, flour, beets, 
 sugar, beans, syrup, onions, carrots, etc. We 
 say, reader, we were loaded for a seige. We 
 were thankful, and soon after our feast started 
 forward, canvassing the towns for work, but 
 found none. 
 
 The Roads. — The bottoms are low and level; 
 the rivers all diked to hold back the water. 
 At Mariesville the city is 10 feet below the bot- 
 tom of the river; high dikes protect the city. 
 The highways are on the dikes to make travel 
 possible. These bottoms are overflowed yearly. 
 
 Sacramento, Cal. — Dec. 3d. — Not caring to have 
 Salem experience repeated we only went round 
 the fine capitol building, with its beautiful 
 grounds, the finest we ever saw. In crossing- 
 America we have passed through 9 capitols — 
 Salem, Sacramento, Carson City, Salt Lake City, 
 Denver, Springfield, Indianopolis, Columbus 
 and Albany. 
 
 Arriving at Stockton we were welcomed by a 
 
 69 
 
terrific wind and heavy rain storm, flooding tli5 
 streets and making the roads muddy, in the clay 
 bottoms almost impassable. Passing Mountain 
 House the hills were slippery and bad. At 
 Livermore the roads were better; 'tis a nice val- 
 ley there. At Haywards we got our first view 
 of salt water. We arrived in Oakland, Dec. 
 17. Crossed the Creek Route Ferry. Cost us 
 85c. to cross the Bay, leaving us with 85c. cash. 
 Reporters got interviews and sketches, and 
 advised us to go to the livery stable corner of New 
 Montgomery and Mission Streets and await re- 
 sults. This we did. 
 
 In a House on Wheels. — A Journey of 1,200 Miles 
 Made by M. Lasley, an Upholsterer, and His Family, — 
 Culm courage of a true wife who would rather share 
 her husband's fortunes than to stay at home and wait. 
 When Lasley's house appeared on our streets busi- 
 n?ss of all kinds stopped. Every person was awe 
 stricken 1 "* What is it ? When first seen they had 
 Market Street blocked solid. The children say " they 
 enjoyed the trip," Their house is wonderfully ar- 
 r.inged for comfort ; fitted like a traveling palace car. 
 They expect to continue their trip south, soon as the 
 weather clears. The house is 12 feet long, 6 high, and 
 5 wide, with doors and windows. Camp stove, folding 
 table and bed, lockers, commmode, chairs, etc. They 
 have endured extreme hardships on their trip. — Sail 
 Francisco Examiner, Dec. 18, 1894. 
 
 70 
 
CHAPTER XVII. 
 Winter in San Francisco. — Rain! Rain! It 
 commenced about Dec. 10th, and the time was 
 well used. Our clothing became wet, our bed- 
 ding damp. I had looked for work, but none 
 found. Cheerless the outlook when I wrote. 
 
 Sonnet to My Last Penny. 
 
 The fates decree that I must say farewell 
 
 To thee, my cherished one, whom I would fain 
 
 Within the precincts of my purse retain 
 
 A little longer. Fancy dare not dwell 
 
 Upon the blank which thy departure makes 
 
 In my poor pocket, which, when thou hast left, 
 
 Of money will be utterly bereft. 
 
 Ah ! even hope my fainting heart forsakes, 
 
 And vanishes with thee ; for where to turn 
 
 To find another such I've yet to learn ! 
 
 Yet, after all, it really is a wonder 
 
 That thou hast been so long my constant mate 
 
 When all my friends have fled. Oh, cruel fate, 
 
 That drives us two so far asunder ! 
 
 Experience No. 17. — Hopes Deferred. 
 
 I went to the mayor (Sutro), told his clerk of 
 my starving family. ^Tve no work, can't get 
 any." Said he, ''I am sorry; thousands just in 
 same condition ; good day. No cash to spare. " 
 I went to the relief societies, their reply "God 
 bless you brother, our ability is limited, our 
 
 71 
 
treasury empty, go in peace ; may heaven bless 
 you." Applied to Salvation Army relief head- 
 quarters. Said, *' Can't help any more poor; 
 you're no better than others; thousands worse 
 off than you; God bless you; Good by." Then 
 applied to Salvation Army Capt. Wm. Day, 
 Assistant Editor War Cry, a person I knew 
 when I had money and he doing carpenter work 
 in Port Angeles, Wash., before he married a 
 Salvation Army Captain and was promoted from 
 private in rear rank to be Assistant Editor of 
 The War Cry. He received me kindly; but 
 when I told of our sufferings, and asked him to 
 assist me a little, he said, "I am busted; not 
 got a cent!" I applied to Street Cleaning De- 
 partment for employment as sweeper. In reply- 
 ing to questions which all applicants must an- 
 swer all went well till "How long have you 
 been in 'Frisco ? " was asked. I replied, ' ' Four 
 days." The clerk's jaw dropped; he tore up the 
 application, saying, "We never give work ^to 
 new comers, but I'll tell you ; you go down and 
 see the Merchants' S. C. D. Here is their ad- 
 dress. It's a long way, take street car, 'tis rain- 
 ing. Good by." No money, so I walked. Saw 
 ths clerk; same reply: "Not here long enough. 
 Say, just you call on Mrs. , President of the 
 
 72 
 
Ladies* Christian Aid Society; tliey can put yotl 
 on." I called; beautiful talking lady; asked me 
 all the questions she could think of about my 
 trip and family and said ''Quite interesting!" 
 When I told her of my starving family she 
 changed tune and said, ''Too bad! I'm sorry. 
 Good by. 'Tis my busy day ! " I returned to the 
 M. S. C. Dept., reported how I was received. 
 Said the clerk: "I will help you; take this." 
 He wrote: "Order ISTo. — Put bearer on half 
 time, three days a week, for two weeks." To 
 S. C. Dept.; they booked me. Said I, "When 
 can I commence ?" " Well, there are 600 ahead 
 of you, and we put on about 100 a month; you 
 can call again about next June." I became 
 v/iser, but weaker (nothing to eat for two days), 
 I returned to stable. 
 
 A Change Took Place.— " Mary," raid I, "we 
 are going to change (to jail, may be), I am going 
 to open these doors, push our house out upon the 
 street, build a fire in our stove, dry our house 
 ('tis musty), and cook a little grub. You have 
 some raw material." "Yes, potatoes, coffee, 
 onions." Out it went; the fire soon dried and 
 warmed us. ('Frisco has no wood or coal heat- 
 ing stoves.) A crowd soon gathered about us; 
 the questions put to us were many ; they heard 
 
 73 
 
of our starving condition. 1 stood near the front 
 of our house, curious persons interviewed my 
 family. * The crowd was immense. Making my 
 way through to the door, a gleam of hope was 
 upon my sweet wife's face. Said she: *'Look 
 here ! " The table was loaded with provisions, 
 and more were upon the floor. Not being able 
 to contain myself I dropped upon my knees and 
 thanked God for our deliverance from starva- 
 tion. I suggested that we return into the sta- 
 ble. The stable door closing upon the crowd, 
 we invoiced our provisions — 10 pounds cooked 
 beef, potatoes, cooked ham, turkey, pies, cakes, 
 cookies, bread, butter, coffee, sugar, plum pud- 
 ding, pyramid cake, a layer cake, etc. Where 
 it all came from we never found out, but we 
 ate it with thankful hearts. Money also was 
 given to the children, amounting to |8. 30. 
 
 Our First Sketch Book.— '' Mary, let's get a 
 book printed to answer these questions and not 
 be talked to death." She consented, providing 
 I sold them. As soon as the printers found I 
 had no money they said, "No." Hunted for 
 three days receiving many rebuffs, but upon go- 
 ing into a small job office, proprietor said, " It 
 isn't business, but I'll print you 1,000 copies; 
 you pay as you sell them. '' I left my copy and 
 
 74 
 
returned happy. A gentleman suggested that I 
 drive up to Kearney St. I did so, and stopped 
 at a clothing house for an ad. (We had put 
 upon our house, " Busted! No grub ! No work! ") 
 Returning:, I Saw a Jam. — Street cars blocked, 
 express wagons, trucks, carriages and cabs had 
 stopped, people had climbed up to be able to see 
 our house and family ! I worked through the 
 the crowd, and found people upon the wheels, 
 between the horse, on the tongue, and behind 
 them. I took the lines, shouted, "Look out!" 
 we moved. Arriving at the stable, wife said, 
 " See what was thrown in here while you were 
 in that store ! " Counting we found $38. 90 ! 
 Rich — suddenly from starvation to plenty ! Yes, 
 we were indeed very thankful. 
 
 Street Work. — Into the street we went again. 
 I had had photos of our outfit taken, and now 
 being ready, we opened fire upon the crowd. 
 Our books, 15c. each; photos, 25c. We sold 
 115.00 worth the first evening. January 5, 1895. 
 
 Winter Quarters. — Found P. O. lot corner of 
 Seventh and Mission Streets; got permission to 
 put my outfit in it; worked the streets (free 
 street license) ; did well. 
 
 New Start Southward. — Rair subsiding again 
 we started south. Jan. 28th at San Jose ; Feb. 
 
 75 
 
' ^li We arrived at Oakland, worked the streets. 
 Wife and I decided I had better go by steam- 
 ship (on cut rates, $2. 50 steerage) up to Seattle 
 to see about our claim. Did so, and was gone 
 four weeks before I got back on same rates. 
 Found the attorney had lied, trip n. g. My brave 
 wife and children worked the streets selling our 
 book and photos to live, protected at night by our 
 dog Nig. I returned March 28 poorer in pocket 
 but richer in experience. Encountered two 
 storms at sea. April 1st we recrossed bay to 
 enclosed sand lot. Not on street with outfit 
 after April 12tlr. Our Viola sold the books out- 
 side — amount received 50c. to $2.00. She visit- 
 ed alone Golden Gate Park, Cliff House and 
 Sutro Heights. I got a few jobs at upholstering. 
 [During our seclusion I helped to organize and 
 became secretary of the World's Christian Co- 
 operative Society.] 
 
 Experience No. i8. — A Crowning EvenL 
 
 We procured a fine doctor and a good nurse, 
 also clothing and other accessories. A child 
 was born to us in our only house on wheels — a 
 healthy, bright-eyed girl baby. The papers got 
 wind of the event, and Lo ! presents, delicacies, 
 and money poured in upon us. The child has 
 grown till now, Feb. 9, 1898, she is a beautiful, 
 
 76 
 
rosy cheeked, healthy child, has hut few equals. 
 We named her for her hirthplace, Francisco. 
 
 New Departure — "Now, hushand, in 2 weeks 
 I desire to start forward." [Business men ad- 
 vised us to take our house on wheels, go and see 
 the eastern country, travel and enjoy your- 
 selves ; you will make good money selling your 
 hooks; hy and hy come hack to 'Frisco and 
 enjoy life.] 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 Our Western Coast States. 
 
 All the best land has long since been gobbled 
 by railroads and speculators, and none but the 
 poorest left. Only a very small portion of the 
 coast States lands are tillable. The lands of 
 California, Oregon and Washington generally 
 are motgaged. The only valley in Oregon" of 
 much value is the Willamette, formerly an in- 
 land sea, and is generally very level; soil, good 
 or poor — black soil, sand or gravel ; crops vari • 
 able according to soil ; farmers mostly poor and 
 stingy. No cash. Rogue River Valley is mostly 
 fruit raising ; the railroads take all profits. On 
 the coast north of 'Frisco it is wet and foggy in 
 the fall, winter and spring — rubber clothing 
 used. In the summer it is very dry. NO PLACE 
 IN CALIFORNIA FOR A POOR MAN. For hunt- 
 
ing, no country like the Western coast. Fishing 
 for sport is fine-, profits, none. If you have a 
 good job, hold it; no opening, sure, out West. 
 
 Reliable information about mining in the 
 West, Alaska and other places free for 4 cents 
 in stamps; address us. 
 
 *« To Cross America. — Arrangements have been 
 made, and the Lasley's, with their Travehng Palace, 
 will try the perilous trip of taking it aross the conti- 
 nent to New York City." — Condensed clipping from 
 The /Sa?i Francisco Examiner, June 5, 1895, 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 Eastward Ho I 
 
 June 6th, 1895. — Our larder was full, we had 
 400 books, $1. 25 in cash and lots of grit. We 
 started eastward via Haywards and Stockton. 
 The roads were almost impassable owing to 
 high water. In some places the bed of the road 
 was covered with water; we were guiding our 
 team by the willows that were on either side, 
 keeping as near the middle as possible. 
 
 Broken Dikes. — For miles the valleys were 
 covered deep with water, the overflow of the 
 San Juan and Sacramento Rivers. The road we 
 traveled was in the midst of an inland sea. 
 Were glad when we reached high ground on 
 the east side of the Sacramento Yalley. Grass 
 
 78 
 
for our team was much better than when we 
 went through in December. We passed through 
 Stanford's land grant of 100 square miles. 
 
 Change in Camp.— ''I say, Mr. House on 
 Wheels, we'll camp with you tonight ! " So say- 
 ing, three roughly dressed men' alighted from as 
 many wagons while the fourth one of the party 
 was a woman about 35 years old and non compus 
 nientus. We laid the fence down and staked our 
 horses in the pasture, little caring who owned it 
 or where they lived. We had retired and were 
 just dropping to sleep when a voice said, ^* Get 
 up ; take your horses and get out of here quick, 
 or I'll blow your head off ! " We heard the 
 clicking of guns; I drew my revolvers, got up, 
 opened the door slightly and looked out. 
 
 I saw two men in white about twenty feet away. I 
 heard "Get your team, and git, or we'll fire on you ;" 
 "Don't shoot, don't; I'll leave." Presently a third man 
 appeared, rifle in hand. He threw the harness on his 
 horses (which he had left tied to his wagon, showing 
 a plot. I had said to my wife, "We will watch that fel- 
 low ; why did he not put his horses out on grass, as we 
 did?") and back on the road he drove fast; bang, bang, 
 bang, his horses' feet sounded on the still air. On in- 
 quiry we found that the son and brother had foiled the 
 plan of this brute. Next morning they (father, son and 
 
 79 
 
daughter) asked permission to travel with us. We told 
 them "the road was free." They kept with us till we 
 got to Carson sinks ; they got ranch work and stopped ; 
 we went on slowly. 
 
 THE SIERRA NEVADA MTS. 
 
 From Placerville to the American River, then up the 
 rough, snow-capped mountain, being the first team 
 over this season ; cutting the snow and ice to be able 
 to cross at all, we were told "we could not get over 
 too early ;'' but we tried, and won at Summit, 8,000 
 feet, June 19, 1895. Down, down, quick down, till 
 shortly we arrived down in Strawberry valley, crossed 
 the line of California into Nevada, around noted Lake 
 Tahoe, a magnificent body of water. The walls perpen- 
 dicular in places. In one place the road is hung over 
 the face of the ledge. Signs read ''Don't ride over 
 trestle, danger, etc." All of us rode ; we were used to 
 danger. 
 
 While on the top of the range the children picked 
 flowers with one hand and put the other one in the 
 snow banks. 
 
 From the lake we traveled uphill three miles. While 
 coming up Mary cooked supper — fried meat, made bis- 
 cuits, coffee and fried potatoes, etc., when camped at 
 Hilltop, 900 feet above Tahoe, supper was ready to eat. 
 
 If space would allow would like to describe the flume, 
 80 
 
eleven miles lono^, from hilltop down to Carson City, 
 which carries clown liimher, cordwood, railroad tics 
 and poles, hauled from the mill on the lake or from ad- 
 jacent hills. Some places the flume is nearly level, other 
 places about 30 degrees pitch; at places the road goes 
 under the flume, at other places over it, always near. 
 
 Arriving at Nevada's Capital City, Friday, June 21, 
 1895, we camped upon the public square, opposite the 
 State Capitol — distance from 'Frisco by road, 248 
 miles. 
 
 A NIGHT ATTACK.— EX. NO. 19. 
 
 No, reader, not Indians this time ; although at times 
 along our road we slept upon our arms. Not wolves, 
 either, although they often made it sound doleful with 
 their howling ; but mosquitoes. We had camped upon 
 a beautiful grassy spot near the Carson river ; the day 
 had been rather warm ; no flies, no bugs. So at this 
 spot some eight or ten teams had camped for the night 
 upon the grass. At early supper time the ranchmen 
 came in from haying, wearing netting over their faces 
 outside their broad-brim hats. Said one: "Boys^ you 
 are welcome to stay, but mosquitoes will eat you up." 
 About half an hour before sundown the horses quit eat- 
 ing grass, commenced stamping, then rolling and rub- 
 bing. Going to the ranchman, we found he charged 
 $1.00 to put teams in his stable over night. Several, glad 
 
 81 
 
to protect their teams, paid this $i.oo. Removing the 
 horses soon brought the mosquitoes into camp. ( Some 
 were cooking supper, others eating, some making their 
 beds, some washing dishes, etc.) Oh, the change ! The 
 air was black with them; everybody stopped to fight 
 them. Smudges did no good, tents no protection ; horses 
 came running into camp for protection ; dogs howled, 
 cows lowed and oxen dug up the ground. Women and 
 children cried from the bites; men cursed and swore; 
 some started for the hills (a mile away) and camped 
 out there over night; others smothered themselves in 
 bedclothes, etc. Cousins took shelter and worked to 
 pay for it. We hitched up, pulled out into the hills, 
 placed eight miles behind us, then stopped. We had 
 escaped. Next day one of the campers overtook us. 
 He said he was the last to leave. They stood it till after 
 midnight, and so he pulled out; that all but us had 
 taken the wrong road, and their party became divided, 
 never to meet again. 
 
 WHITE PLAINS. 
 Dear reader, you must know something of geography 
 to appreciate the country about to be described. We are 
 now in the lowest place in the State of Nevada, the 
 ground raising in all directions into mountains, the land 
 for miles around dead level. The Carson River flowing 
 from the Sierra Nevadas east and sinking in the sands 
 forms the sink of the Carson (in the southern part of 
 
 82 
 
the basin). ,The Humboldt River forms the Humboldt 
 Lake (in fact, a series of small pools). This river rises 
 in the Humboldt mountain, flows southwest ; very, 
 very crooked ; its valley from 200 feet to ten miles 
 wide ; sandy. Occasionally you encounter knolls of 
 loose, dry sands, always shifting, making traveling 
 hard — direction hard to follow. Suddenly, too, 
 the ground changes ; you cross an old lava bed, 
 sand ceases, ground flat and smooth; hard as a stone; 
 white crust, fine going, after the hot, dry, loose sand 
 (a compound of salt and alkali). The light hurts our 
 eyes. We exclaim "white plains." 
 
 WATER FAMINE.— EX. NO. 20. 
 We have gone hungry, been cold, wet and worn out, 
 but none of these compare with going thirsty. 'Tis now 
 the 29th of June. The thermometer no degrees in the 
 shade. No habitation ; no trees ; no springs. (The Cen- 
 tral Pacific Railroad alongside wagon road.) Not hav- 
 ing learned at Wadsworth the condition of the barren 
 country, we were unprepared for THE WATER 
 FAMINE. We had brought only a gallon of water. 
 Day hot, travel slow, sand heavy, we walked a good 
 part of the forenoon and our water was soon gone. 
 Saw section men on the road ; went and asked the fore- 
 said: "No, we don't give water away" (the section 
 man, an American, for a little water for my family. He 
 men were Chinamen). I asked if I could get some 
 
 83 
 
Waicr at the section houbc V\ hen we came to it. He said 
 "Xo." We drove on. Soon a curve m the road showed 
 us the section house, five miles away. Hopes bright- 
 ened, only to be dulled by slow travel hour after an 
 hour passed. Children cried for water ; our lips were 
 parched, our tongues swollen, suffering agony. Finally 
 at 3 p. m. we reached the section house. Everything 
 locked and chained up ; the water tank down in the 
 ground covered heavily and door chained shut. Pro- 
 curing a crowbar, I soon had the door off its hinges. 
 Cautiously we sipped the w'ater by spoonfuls until all 
 of us were revived. Then our horses and faithful dog 
 had the same treatment. Reader, did you say ''w^ere we 
 not afraid of the boss coming?" Well, no; necessity 
 knows no law — "self-preservation first law of nature" 
 under conditions like these. Even cowards would tight. 
 We fed the team, cooked dinner and started forward ; 
 slow travel ; darkness came on, wolves howled about 
 us ; then again our water gave out and the pangs of 
 thirst came on, but not so bad ; it was a little cooler. At 
 10 o'clock a building hove in sight. Approaching it, w^e 
 found it to be an abandoned salt w^orks. W'e found 
 barrels w'ith fluid in them. Know'ing animal sagacity, 
 we tried it. 
 
 TESTIXG WATER BY USE OF DOG AND 
 HORSES. 
 
 I took my dog In my arms, went to a barrel contain- 
 84 
 
ing fluid, showed it to him ; he scrambled, fearing I 
 was going tc put him in it. To next and next -same way. 
 Finally he did not care. As we approached one (my 
 heart beat high) he put his paws upon the rim and 
 commenced to drink. This one was the only one he 
 would touch. I then took one of our horses and led it 
 alongside of the barrels. He refused till he came to the 
 same one chosen by our dog. With a bucket soon 
 watered our team and our dog. Our own thirst was 
 also quenched. (We took no supper, but, tired, we went 
 to bed.) My home made register told us only fifteen 
 miles to-day ; 3.30 a. m., at break of day, was up ; ex- 
 amination showed this barrel contained water con- 
 densed from steam and very stagnant. 
 
 A TURNCOAT (FRIEND).— EX. NO. 21. 
 After seeing the w^ater w^e could not drink it ; so 
 pushed forward seven miles to Hot Springs ; water fine 
 to drink after it cools ; but so hot in the spring that 
 flesh will cook in it. Next to a station house, five miles. 
 They refused us water, so I took it by force. Water, 
 teed anc. dmner. then forward, going down a steep 
 pitch bluff for fifty feet, a hard level bottom was struck. 
 A station soon in sight. We stopped. Going into the 
 place I found the telegraph operator. Said I : ''Sir, can 
 I get some water, please, for our team and family over 
 night?" "No." saic'. he, "we don't water wagon tramps ; 
 'tis only a mile over to the lake ; the water is not very 
 85 
 
rank ; you can go over there. Good night." An Irish 
 section boss came in as I was going out. I asked him 
 also for water. ''Well, \ve are rather short, but we 
 might spare a little for your family to drink." ''I say 
 no ; go over to the lake ; our water is low ; good day," 
 cried the operator. Passing the back door of the sec- 
 tion house, ho the commotion. Two little girls saw our 
 HOUSE ON WHEELS and called out : "Oh, papa, 
 here is the HOUSE ON WHEELS we have been ex- 
 pecting." Presto, change. 'T say, mister. Stop ; drive 
 your horses alongside the shed for protection from the 
 wmd ; put your horses in the stable ; get water out of 
 the tank (when it is gone we can get lots more). Here 
 is all the wood you want." His family coming out to see 
 us, insisted upon us staying over night and over next 
 day (Sunday) and taking dinner with them, which 
 we did. All four of them w^ere musicians and enter- 
 tamed us well. W^e spent a Sunday long to be remem- 
 bered. Name, Mr. W^m. Wrich, White Plains, Nevada. 
 Our route now was up Humboldt River Valley. Varied 
 was our experience, fording the river in dangerous 
 places, three times experiencing encounters with horse 
 thieves, being surrounded by coyotes, being lost in the 
 sand hills over night, being lost on the river among the 
 marshes and swamped in the mud flats ; attacked again 
 by mosquitoes and marsh flies ; also attacked in the hills 
 by sand flies. Qh, horrors! Few ranches and fewer 
 
towns; little water and hard to get. 
 RABBIT HUNT AT SLOAN'S RANCH, NEAR 
 WINNEMUCCA, NEV., JULY 8, 1895. 
 ('Tis a Paradise for Rabbits.) 
 
 Desiring some fine sport, I took the gun and started 
 down the grade toward the river. The ranchman, see- 
 ing me, came running out of the house. ''Stop !" cried 
 he ; "no use of a gun in here." "Only going to kill a 
 few rabbits," said L "Hold !" said he ; "no use wast- 
 ing powder. I'll show you how I kill rabbits." At 
 that we had approached the bottom, rabbits sporting 
 everywhere. The sight was too tempting. I let drive 
 with one load and killed two young rabbits. He pro- 
 tested. "Don't waste powder. Call your dog. Go 
 over the bridge. I'll stay on the bridge and kill them." 
 My dog Nig and I crossed the bridge on to an island. 
 Oh, the rabbits ! The dog in his glory, started a drove 
 of rabbits for the bridge, where the ranchman was in 
 hiding behind a gate. They had to pass ; he laid upon 
 them, striking right and left. The dog, seeing the man 
 clubbing, stopped to look. I called the dog back and 
 soon had another drove crossing the bridge. Again 
 he plied his club. We repeated this several times, with 
 the result that I gathered up eighteen. They were all 
 young, half-grown jack rabbits, fine eating, 
 PRICE OF HORSES IN NEVADA. 
 
 Approaching Lockwood, parties desired to sell us 
 
 87 
 
horses. Inquiry developed that horses were very cheap. 
 Indians offered to go on to the range and bring us 
 horses for $2 per head. Becoming interested I hunted 
 up some of the horse raisers to get a few facts, and 
 found that the demand for horses had ceased, and the 
 ranges in Nevada, Oregon and Idaho had become over- 
 stocked, and that there was a united effort ot the raisers 
 to reduce the number to save the range. So lots of 
 hogs were bought, turned loose upon the range and 
 hunters w^ere hired to kill range horses to be de- 
 voured by the hogs for food Range horses only $1.50 
 to $5 each, and no demand at that The first horse 
 buyers we saw w^as in central Illinois. From the Mis- 
 sissippi River w^est horse flesh is cheap, and further 
 west the lower it is. 
 
 Atter untold hardships we arrived at Battle Moun- 
 tain station, July 12; sold $2.25 books and pictures: 
 canvassed town for work ; found some upholstering at 
 hotel, Mrs. Huntsman, prop. 
 
 TEAM STRAYED, LOST OR STOLEN. 
 
 I worked over a mattress in the afternoon. Team 
 stayed around w^ell. At midnight looked for them, and 
 they were gone. At daylight I hired a pony and rode 
 back twelve miles, then among the hills, and at dark 
 found them cached away. I took them home and 
 watched them close. Riding in the hot sun overcame 
 me and for two days T tossed with fever, then rallied 
 
 88 
 
and commenced to work again. Earned $8.50 cash d.nd 
 a supper for all of us. Reaction set in. 
 
 DOWN WITH MOUNTAIN FEVER. 
 For the next four weeks I suffered with mountain 
 fever, not being able to sit up. My wife suggested I 
 lie down and she w^ould drive the team, and so up and 
 down the mountains and over the plains she drove. 
 What happened I know but little and cared less. Five 
 weeks passed before I regained health. The journal 
 shows she drove 211 miles with me sick in bed. In bad 
 places Viola assisted in getting the team along. Viola 
 and wife cared for team also. Finally the promontory 
 appears. The salt air of Salt Lake was fine. 
 
 BUENA VISTA. 
 Of all the charming things that impressed our minds 
 was the beautiful Salt Lake Valley, Utah. As first 
 viewed from the barren hills above Corrin it is beyond 
 description, coming from those desolate, barren plains 
 of Nevada into that magnificent garden spot, the oasis 
 in the American desert. The Mormon-made paradise, 
 Salt Lake Valley, is a sight long to be remembered. 
 We feasted upon their fruits, melons, corn, garden 
 truck, honey, creamery butter, cheese, milk, eggs and 
 poultry. After entering the valley at Brigham we 
 feasted in it, rested and enjoyed ourselves with the 
 people until the 23d of August, 1895, 
 
 a0 
 
VARIED EXPERIENCES. 
 At Salt Lake City we visited the Tabernacle, Temple, 
 Beehive, Eagle Gate, Sealing House, old city wall, hot 
 springs, &c. At Springville we attended a campfire of 
 Indian War veterans. Leaving the Jordan valley, we 
 headed for Grand Junction, Colo., across 125 miles of 
 desert, having more hardships of hunger and thirst, 
 crossing the dangerous Green River ford, letting our 
 house down steep sand washes by aid of ropes, and go- 
 ing down steep, dangerous canyons over rocks and 
 down deep gorges for water. On September 18 we ar- 
 rived at Grand Junction, another oasis in the desert. 
 We rested a couple of days up Grand River. Cross- 
 ing a high mountain on September 21 we were caught 
 in a snowstorm. Oh, how it snowed ! Being on the 
 very top the next day we easily came down out of it. 
 Down on the river it had rained. At Glenwood Springs, 
 September 27, a summer resort ; up Roaring Fork, then 
 across to Eagle River, over Sheephorn Range, on to 
 the Blue Cross Divide to Grand River, up to Hot 
 Springs, near the foot of Continental Divide, Septem- 
 
 bei 28, 1895. 
 
 HARD CLIMB. 
 
 Up the mountain side high, higher, higher; no 
 
 level plape, road fairly good, some spots of snow, 
 
 all day up, up. At dark we camped, put our horses 
 
 into an old cabin, in which we found hay and used for 
 
 feed. We were then at the perpetual snow line, and 
 90 
 
It was very cold. Early next morning was up and 
 ready for more climbing over the ice until finally by 
 using ropes we gained the summit of the range, two 
 and a quarter miles above sea level. Cold, and the 
 wind, how it howled on the summit ! Then immediate- 
 ly down on the east side it descends very quickly 3,000 
 feet down, down, down, it being harder on us to go 
 down than up and more dangerous. Down — up, up- 
 down, across until the wide plains east of the moun- 
 tains are in view. We felt relieved when our eyes be- 
 l.eld Denver City, our Mecca, and we drove into it on 
 Saturday evening, October 12, 1895. 
 
 Total distance traveled, 2,775 miles. We had crossed 
 eighteen mountain ranges and thirteen divides. 
 OUR FINANCES OF 1895. 
 
 Four hundred of our books, $1.25 and $8.50, at Bat- 
 tle Mountain, aided us to reach Salt Lake City ; books 
 and pictures gone, 90c. yet in cash. Bought material 
 and made Indian eye salve ; also material for marking 
 silver and steel and a camp solder. These we traded 
 for provisions or sold for cash. Arriving at Denver, 
 ' Colo., we had 75c. in cash. 
 
 A HARD STRUGGLE. 
 
 Our team dies. Our horses had got alkalied, and on 
 
 the second day after reaching Denver one of them died. 
 
 We were thankful it was not one of our children, and 
 
 a few weeks after this the other horse died. So we 
 
 91 
 
lecided to winter near Denver, and we thought it best 
 to vacate our house on wheels and try gold prospecting 
 in the new gold camp in the foothills west of Denver. 
 A friend gave me a broncho, and in breaking him he 
 threw me and broke my collar bone. Not daunted, 
 with shoulder bound up, I went up into the new camp, 
 and with pick I prospected ; but upon the icy mountain 
 I slipped, fell and broke a rib ; but still I stayed. Joy ! 
 Two weeks after this who should I see getting off the 
 train near our camp but my wife and children. My 
 wife said: "I just could not stand it any longer, so bor- 
 rowed the cash and here we are." She had written she 
 w^as coming, and I had prepared in part a cabin, but did 
 not expect them so soon. I was delighted to see them. 
 Soon, with the aid of my family, I, with one arm, had a 
 fine, comfortable stone cabin for us, dug out of the 
 mountain, covered with lumber, then cloth and dirt, size 
 25x14 feet. My wife began baking on her stove, and 
 soon was supplying the miners with bread, pies, cakes, 
 crullers, &c. Viola carried them to their cabins. I 
 took a job digging a prospect hole for $25. I hired a 
 man to do the job, and cleared $14. I sent to Denver 
 and got a few things to sell to the miners, such as 
 tobacco, flour, bacon, sugar, salt, matches, candles, &c., 
 at good profit. Each day I closed out, and each day I 
 procured a new supply. Soon I added fresh beef, but- 
 ter, eggs, lard, cigars and meats, pickles, fruit, &c. I 
 
 93 
 
staked more claims, did siirvcyhig- claims, formed mill- 
 ing companies, and was one of the mainstays in camp. 
 Time passed and May came. I was aware the camp 
 was no good for a poor man, as the pay ore was too 
 deep. So we hunted up a speculator, sold my six holes 
 in the ground for $50, closed out personal effects, went 
 to Denver, bought a good 2,500-pound team and had 
 $75 to get ready for the road again. My broken bones 
 had united. We repaired our house, bought a camera, 
 had 500 books printed, put in $20 worth of notions to 
 sell upon the road, and on May 28, 1896, started again 
 for New York, via Texas. 
 
 HOPES BRIGHTEN. 
 
 Roads good, team fresh, spirits high, weather de- 
 lightful. We visited the Garden of the Gods, near 
 Colorado Springs; also visited Manitou Springs, the 
 famous watering-place at the foot of Pike's Peak. Ar- 
 rived at Pueblo June 8. Papered and refitted our 
 house on wheels. 
 
 At Trinidad, Colo., on June 15. Over divide, down 
 Cimerona Creek, at White's ranch, I traded a mule I 
 had bought in Denver for a wild young horse, which I 
 soon broke to work. Most of the settlements we 
 passed through were Mexican. I learned my wife and 
 daughter, Viola, to speak their language, and they took 
 pleasure in selling our notions to them at good prices. 
 Towns few and far apart, country being settled spar- 
 93 
 
ingly. Country stores 40 to 60 miles apart. 
 BIG RANCHES. 
 
 On June 26 we came to Texline, a small town and 
 railroad station in northwest corner Panhandle, Texas. 
 It was located on XIT ranch, called the State Capital 
 Syndicate ranch. Capitalist built the Texas State 
 Capitol Building for State lands located on northwest 
 side of State. Size of ranch, 40 miles wide by 200 
 miles long, divided into seven divisions. It has thirty- 
 nine windmills, employs a fence rider, two oilers and 
 cowboys to each division. Each fence rider sees to and 
 repairs 135 miles of wire fence. The fence cost $106 
 per mile. The divisions are all well stocked with dif- 
 ferent kinds of horned cattle. The old road runs 
 diagonal through this ranch. There are also three towns 
 located within its bounds, and several small ranches 
 inclosed by their own fences (ranches of a few miles 
 square they fenced in and went on). Very few springs 
 on the northern part, and most of the water is brought 
 to the surface by windmills. 
 
 DANGEROUS CROSSINGS. 
 
 We arrived at Tascosa, Tex., on Canadian River, 
 Saturday, July 4. Canvassed town, sold notions. We 
 were advised to cross the river (rainy season had com- 
 menced). We did so in evening; sure next morning 
 crossing cut off, river up, no crossing again for six 
 weeks ; we safely on south side, so forward we went. 
 
 94 
 
At Goodnights we saw the largest herd of Buffalo in 
 United States. At Memphis, Tex., July 15. Creeks 
 and Red River not fordable (rivers not very deep, but 
 dangerous quick sands), so waited. Got few jobs to 
 do. Put our horses on grass. On 21st arrived at 
 Newlin, half a mile from Foard, on Red River. No 
 crossing. On 23d river lowered. Nine teams waiting-, 
 five on one side, four on other. 
 
 QUICKSANDS. 
 
 "I am going across," said I. "If you do, so do we," 
 said they. All the men stripped off outer clothing, 
 waded in, and tried the crossing. We sank to 
 our knees, then to our hips, then to our waists in the 
 sand. We finally settled the sand, and the bottom be- 
 came firm. We crossed with horses first to try the bot- 
 tom. Some of them reared and plunged; others laid 
 down. Our large, tall horses did nicely. I helped 
 draw five outfits across. Then came our house on 
 wheels. The water was breast deep to me. My team 
 snorted and pawed. I grabbed the harness, and away 
 we went. Our house floated — not six inches of water 
 on floor. We crossed the best of all, with many cheers. 
 All being across safe, we were thankful. My wife and 
 children said they enjoyed the excitement, but excuse 
 me. We arrived at Sherman (Cyclone) City Aug. 15. 
 (Headlines of papers) 
 
 "HOUSE ON WHEELS in Town from Washing- 
 96 
 
ton. Three Summers en Route. Distance Travele;!, 
 3,700 miles." "Sherman Post," Aug. 16, 1896. 
 
 "HOUSE ON WHEELS. A PecuHar Journey 
 Across the Continent." 
 
 "Sherman (Tex.) Democrat," Aug. 15, 1896. 
 
 We enjoyed two three-day picnics at Sherman. Heat, 
 
 117 degrees in the shade. At Greenville, Aug. 26. 
 
 CHANGED EXPERIENCE. EX. NO. 24. 
 
 It causes us to smile to see the pomposity of some 
 city officials. At Greenville, wishing to rest our team 
 for a few days, I decided to effect a change in the ex- 
 perience, as variety is the spice of our lives. We 
 camped on the public square four days, and during the 
 time I took in dimes as a mind reader. We were 
 leaving the square when the collector demanded an oc- 
 cupation tax, stating I was fortune telling. I denied 
 it, and refused to be taxed as such. He reported me 
 to his brother officers, and a warrant was issued for 
 my arrest. I gave bond, and was on hand for trial. 
 After lots of bullragging the prosecuting attorneys 
 rested ; so did I. The Mayor declared the city failed to 
 make a case, and I was at liberty. All the parties I 
 gave a reading to were well satisfied aiid pleased. 
 
 On Sunday we drove out to a grove to attend a camp 
 meeting. A committee from the camp waited upon us 
 to investigate report of mind reading. I read for 
 them ; they failed in their mission, and returned. 
 
 AN INJUNCTION. 
 
 Be not too quick to judge, my brother, 
 For a kindred povv^er you may feel ; 
 
 96 
 
Heavy burdens may be lifted. 
 
 Two minds working at your wheel. 
 
 Let him know that you take an interest ; 
 
 It will not take him long- to see 
 Whether you are a true well wisher 
 
 Or a shamming Pharisee. 
 
 Do not turn your back upon him, 
 
 Do not coldly walk away, 
 Just because you think you're made of 
 
 Some superior kind of clay. 
 
 When you come to think about it, 
 
 As sometimes we mortals must, 
 There is nothing very striking 
 
 In the finest kind of dust. 
 
 NORTHWARD. 
 
 ''Something unique in Paris." 
 
 "HOUSE ON WHEELS— A Family of Six." 
 
 ''Travels 3,832 miles." 
 
 "Paris Tribune," Sept. 2, 1896. 
 
 We had 1,000 of our books printed. We visited cot- 
 ton compress bailers, cotton oil mills and factories, saw 
 where they burned the negro. Sept. 14, started for St. 
 Louis, via Indian Territory. 
 
 TEXAS PEOPLE. 
 
 They are the most religious people we ever met with. 
 We did not hear a dozen oaths in the State. The 
 masses are very poor, especially in the farming dis- 
 tricts. The colored people own a large proportion of 
 the farm lands. Many of the colo?-ed people have 
 white tenants on their lands. Large syndicates own 
 the grazing lands. 
 
 EYE CLOSER— VIOLA'S EXPERIENCE. 
 97 
 
"Be careful, don't touch any of those green vines; 
 they are poisonous," said I to the children. On Sept. 
 i8, at Caddo, I. T., Viola complained of stinging. I 
 knew it was poison. We gave antidotes and used lo- 
 tions ; could relieve, but not cure. Called in doctors, 
 but they failed. At Coalgate, Sept. 21, Dr. Haskins 
 volunteered to cure our child free, also free feed for 
 our team. He used the strongest medicines known. 
 The case stubbornly held out; her face was swollen, 
 eyes closed and inflamed. Finally the color changed, 
 case gave way, and gradually improved, leaving her 
 eyes weak for a time. They were more careful 
 
 BABY FRANCES RUN OVER. EX. NO. 25. 
 
 We camped on the main street In Coalgate, I. T. 
 Children played all round us. At dusk on Sept. 2^ we 
 heard the rattle of a team passing, clatter of hoofs, 
 scream of a child. Jumping out we beheld our sixteen- 
 month-old babe between the hind feet of a span of 
 mules. The driver had not seen the child until he 
 knocked her down with the wagon tongue, too late to 
 save her. He stopped, I dove between his team, 
 crowded the mules off the clothing of our child, handed 
 the unhurt, but scared, babe to its mother, gave driver 
 a talking to about carelessness. He offered to procure 
 a doctor and pay bill. We examined babe, accepted his 
 apology, and liberated him. Our child not even 
 bruised. 
 
 CROSSING THE NATIONS, I. T. 
 
 Nothing special occurred (barring night attack of 
 wolves and mosquitoes, camping out among bandits, 
 crossing dangerous rivers, surrounded by deadly rep- 
 
 A 98 
 
tiles, breaking of the wagon tongue in dangerous place, 
 the wheels breaking down, being misguided, etc.), until 
 we arrived at Wagoner, I. T., Oct. 3. 
 
 SECOND TEAM DIES. EX. NO. 26. 
 a week past. Examination showed he was alkalied ; 
 might recover, but doubtful. Going out to hitch up the 
 horses at Wagoner I found one dying and soon dead ; 
 other one sick. On the 7th he died. We were penni- 
 less, only little grub, no cash, no work to be gotten. 
 Horses low priced, but no money to buy with. Upon 
 our house we put notice: "Team wanted to draw our 
 house on wheels to Venita." 
 
 NEW TEAMSTERS. EX. NO. 27. 
 One of our horses had not been feeling very well for 
 Lots idle horses and men. They demanded pay in 
 advance. I say, 'T'll pay when job's done." On 
 Oct 13th got man to haul our house to Venita, 40 miles, 
 for $5. Arriving, I gave lecture on mind reading, and 
 on our trip took up collection, sold few books, and paid 
 our driver ; dismissed him. Got another to haul us to 
 Chetopa, Kas., 32 miles, for $1.75. Oct. 15, on street 
 of Chetopa gave a silver lecture to large body of gold 
 men ; took up collection and sold books . 
 
 A NEW SET OF BONES CALLED A TEAM. 
 
 A gold man called next morn. Said he: "You are a 
 silver advocate. I am for gold, but I am a man for all 
 that. I heard your lecture ; it suited me. FU give you 
 a pair of ponies." His son and I went out and got 
 them. Oh, so poor, had to be helped up when laid 
 down. We commenced to grain and care for them, 
 
 99 
 
and in a week were on the road again, from one town to 
 next. At Joplin, Mo., we gave lectures on mind read- 
 mg, politics, travel. Under pressure, my wife gave 
 readings ; did extra well. On Monday, Nov. 2, we ar- 
 rived at Webb City, Mo. I gave silver lecture to big 
 silver crowd, then sold the names of next President for 
 IOC. each. On opening found McKinley's. They 
 were disappointed. Stayed there till after election, 
 then forward. Arrive at Springfield, Mo., Nov. 13, 
 
 OUR OLD HORSE BARNEY. 
 
 We were on the farmers' square lecturing, selling 
 books, giving readings. I gave thirty-seven readings 
 at IOC. Saturday afternoon I heard an auctioneer of- 
 fering a horse for sale at a dollar. I offered $1.05, and 
 got our old blind Barney. Now, 1899, he is 28 years 
 old. At Springfield, Mo., we had traveled 4,337 miles. 
 Now, March i, 1899, our total is 8,065 miles. We 
 have driven him 3,728 miles. A wonderful horse he is ; 
 used to be a race horse. 
 
 CHANGED MATES ON THE ROAD. 
 
 We traded our two ponies for one horse. Wore it 
 out. Traded it for another, gave $2 to boot. He 
 proved balky. You would laugh to see some resorts 
 to make him pull; used him half a day, then traded. 
 Then traded again. Then traded again — four times in 
 twenty-four hours. Gave a revolver to boot. This 
 one developed ringbone, so traded again. Then traded 
 for a pair of mules, gave $2 to boot. Then the mules 
 I traded for a nice fat mare, proved balky. I used her 
 for 500 miles. At Little Washington, Pa., traded 
 
 100 
 
again, and gave a watch and 75c. cash to boot. This 
 horse I now have. You can see old blind Barney has 
 had twelve mates on this trip. 
 
 PROBLEM. 
 
 I am driving my eleventh horse on left side, my 
 twentieth on the right. How many horses have I had 
 on this trip ? A prize for correct solution. 
 
 Springfield, Mo., is on the very top of the Ozark 
 Mountains. The road follows the summit sawtooth 
 fashion. Road in timber muddy; on prairie sandy 
 and dry ; on creek bottoms sticky loam. Hills very 
 rocky and bad. Our travel was slow and hard. Towns 
 few. At three school houses we gave entertainments ; 
 receipts $4 to $5 each. Passed through Union City, 
 Mo., December 7. Roads improved. On December 
 9 we drove into St. Louis; stopped 1400 Broadway, 
 corner Second Street. Camped over night. On 
 the loth down into the city. Got free permit to sell our 
 books on the street. Sold $5 worth. Located on lot 
 on Market Street, between 13th and 14th Streets. 
 
 HEADLINES OF PRESS. 
 
 "Over a Continent." "This Family Is Traveling in 
 a House Wagon." "Their Appearance in St. Louis 
 Attracted Much Attention." 
 
 "St. Louis Star," Dec. 13, 1896. 
 
 "A Prairie Schooner." "A Regular '49er on the 
 Streets of St. Louis." "With a family Making a 
 Transcontinental Trip." 
 
 "St. Louis RepubUcan," Dec. 13, 1896. 
 
 101 
 
''House on Wheels Looted by Thugs." "Latest 
 Freaks of Crime." ''Entire Family Lined Up and 
 Robbed of $2.70 at Corner 17th and Chestnut Streets." 
 "St. Louis Post-Dispatch," Dec. 12, 1896. 
 
 This last is a "Post-Dispatch" lie out of whole cloth. 
 The reporter made fiftv-seven statements and told fifty 
 lies, making ONE BIG LIE. 
 
 Got 1,000 books printed. We sold books on the 
 streets and did advertising for three firms, Harris, 
 Dietz and Hilts, until January 5. We thought best to 
 go up to Chicago, 111. ; crossed the Mississippi River on 
 bridge. At Springfield, 111., January 16, 1897, by spe- 
 cial invitation, visited Lincoln's home on Sunday; his 
 monument. State Capitol, &c., on Monday. Sold lots 
 of books on street. We especially remember Mr. and 
 Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. D. B. Ayers and Dr. Diller and 
 father for kindnesses tendered us and favors shown. 
 
 A BLIZZARD. 
 
 On January 22 at Lincoln a northerner set in. It 
 got cold, zero; 23d, 8 deg. below zero; 24th, 12 deg. 
 below ; 25th, 16 deg. below ; 26th, 18 deg. below zero. 
 Then it moderated. We traveled only in the middle of 
 the day. February i at Pontiac. February 7 at Joliet. 
 On Thursday, February 12, arrived at Chicago. Capt. 
 White, of the London Museum, engaged us on sight 
 for two weeks. Got 1,000 books and pictures printed. 
 Distance from St. Louis by road, 340 miles. 
 
 On IMarch 4 we started for Cincinnati, O. Through 
 northern Indiana the mud was bad ; took us three days 
 to travel ten miles around Kankakee Swamp. Through 
 Kokomo, Ind., March 24, 1897. March 27 at Indianap- 
 olis. Roads now pike. April 5 into Cincinnati. Dis- 
 
 102 
 
tance from Chicago by road, 377 miles. Free street 
 permit. Sold books. C. H. and-D. R. R. gave us $1 
 an hour to carry an "ad." for them. We took a short 
 trip over in Kentucky. ' 
 
 • On April 16 forward for my old home in Cheshire, 
 via Columbus. Roads built by the United States Govern- 
 ment fine. On the 226. at Columbus; distance from 
 Cincinnati, 133 miles. On May 8 arrived at my old 
 home. Met relatives and friends. I had not been 
 there in twenty-one years. We were well received. 
 More invitations to dine than had time. On the 17th, 
 by special request, I gave a lecture on our trip to a large 
 audience in the Opera House. Said farewell to friends. 
 On i8th at Athens; visited relatives; gave lecture in 
 City Hall on 24th ; attendance large. Now for Pitts- 
 burg, Pa. Road hilly. Sold our books every place. June 
 5 at Wheeling, W. Va. At Pittsburg June 14. Had 
 1,000 books printed. Total distance, 5,857 miles. From 
 Cincinnati our route, 557 miles. Sold lots of books on 
 the street ; free permit. 
 
 ROBERT'S EXPERIMENT. 
 
 "Papa, let me hing (sing), please," said our little boy 
 (after I had lectured one evening). I did so. "Now," 
 said he, "I want penny." He collected 90c. He has 
 sung in every city since then, with more or less success, 
 till now he owns a United States Government $20 bond 
 in his own name. ' He is proud of it, indeed. Says he's 
 going to have another one. Every day he sings for a 
 few pennies. He is a sure keeper; never spends his 
 money ; gets his spending money from papa or mamma. 
 
 We worked Pittsburg till June 25 ; then forward. On 
 
 103 
 
June 30 at Erie, Pa.; distance, 150 miles. Streets free 
 to us. Had 1,000 books and pictures printed. On 
 July 7 at Buffalo, N. Y. Streets free. Saturday, July 
 30, city sweltered in heat ; 98 deg. in shade. Sold books 
 on streets till July 28 ; then drove up to Niagara Falls ; 
 enjoy open hospitality to everything. Sold lots of books 
 and pictures. Had 2,000 books and pictures printed. 
 On August 3 drove back to Buffalo; sold more books 
 and did waiting. Became acquainted with Prof. Tay- 
 lor and family, with whom we had many a pleasant 
 evening. 
 
 A MEMORABLE DAY. 
 Tuesday, August 31, 1897, a babe was born to us, the 
 second one in our HOUSE ON WHEELS. 
 
 HEADLINES OF NEWSPAPERS. 
 
 "Baby Born in the House on Wheels." ''Addition 
 to the Lasley Family." "Nice Nine-Pound Girl." 
 "Will Have a Name Identifying Her with Buffalo." 
 "Wagon Will Soon Move on Toward New York." 
 "Buffalo Courier Record," Sept. 5, 1897. 
 
 We had the best physician and nurse in the city. We 
 named our babe Bonita Buffalo Lasley. 
 
 On September 9 my wife said : "Come, now for New 
 York City." Roads good ; team well rested. We at- 
 tended Rochester, N. Y., fair on September 15. At 
 Palmyra fair on September 21. (Fairs "N. G." for us.) 
 
 104 
 
MY WIFE'S FIRST LECTURE. 
 At Syracuse Wednesday, September 29, 1897. We 
 had got free street permit. I was selling books to a 
 crowd around the front of our house by the team. Some 
 well dressed women came to the door, looked in and 
 made fun of the construction. It fired my wife. Go- 
 ing to the door she replied to the women. Then, hav- 
 ing broken the ice and seeing about 500 people before 
 her, she commenced to tell of our trip and to sell books. 
 She did not stop for an hour and a half. I then insisted 
 upon her stopping, and she consented reluctantly. The 
 next day she could hardly make a sound, but she soon 
 recovered. Since then she has addressed more than 
 100,000 people. She is a fine, enthusiastic speaker. 
 
 PRESS CLIPPINGS. 
 "A Palace on Wheels." "Curious Vehicle Visited 
 Utica." "Long Trip Overland." 
 
 "Utica Observer," Oct. 5, 1897. 
 
 "HOUSE ON WHEELS." "Family Traveling 
 Across the Continent Stops at Little Falls." 
 
 "The Evening Times," Oct. 7, 1897. 
 
 October 9 at Amsterdam. Had 2,000 books printed ; 
 also pictures. October 14 at Albany, N. Y. ; on market 
 square. Visited Troy City over Sunday, October 17. 
 At Hudson on 20th. At Wappinger Falls on October 
 
 105 
 
28. By invitation from Superintendent Goering we vis- 
 ited Sweet, Orr & Co.'s factory ; fine one. On 30th at 
 Newburgh. Had 1,000 books printed ; also plates made 
 of books. By invitation we visited the home factory 
 of Sweet, Orr & Co. ; very, very kind ; only factories 
 in the East that we have been invited to inspect. We 
 carried an "ad." free as a compliment for them. No- 
 vember 5 at Tarrytown ; they donated us flags to deco- 
 rate our house with. Also bought lots of books. At 
 Yonkers on November 6. We got 3,000 more books 
 printed. 
 
 A CLOSE CALL BY FIRE. 
 On November 8 we had worked the streets at 
 Yonkers and retired. At 2 A. M. we were routed by 
 a rap. A voice said : "A big fire near you. Better get 
 up. The stable is on fire !" Into part of my clothes I 
 got, and asked assistance to move our house on to the 
 street. That done, family safe ; then for the horses and 
 harness. The fire roared and blazed high. The fire 
 department responded quickly, and the fire was con- 
 fined to a saloon adjoining the stable. No damage to 
 stable ; only close call. We were frightened. 
 
 CHRISTENING. 
 Our Bonita Buffalo was baptized Sunday, Novem- 
 ber 14, 1897, in the First M. E. Church of Yonkers, 
 
 106 
 
On November 15 wife and I visited New York 
 City to get location, do some shopping and see the 
 sights. Grand sights to us. 
 
 On November 17th we drove into New York City. 
 Located at 150th street and Convent avenue. At city 
 Hne, the poHce waved their hats and said, "Welcome, 
 House on Wheels, into Greater New York." 
 
 A RED LETTER DAY 
 
 it was to us. We had accomplished something never be- 
 fore done — crossed America- in a HOUSE ON 
 WHEELS. Making our own way, having only $1.25 
 when leaving San Francisco. We felt relieved. We 
 knew our history would be in demand. We felt, with 
 proper attention, we could LIVE. 
 
 Thousands had told us we could not make the trip, 
 and only six (up to St. Louis) had said of course we 
 can; those six helped us more than a person can 
 imagine. Thanks to them. 
 
 RECAPITULATION. 
 
 Distance, as we traveled, from Port Angeles, Wash., 
 to San Francisco, 1,200 miles; days traveled, 65; daily 
 average, 18J miles. Mountainous and rough country. 
 San Francisco to Denver, Colo., 1,575 miles; days trav- 
 eled 87; average, 18J miles; mountainous; deserts and 
 sand. Denver to St. Louis, Mo. (via Texas), 1,810 
 
 107 
 
miles; clays traveled, 92J ; average, 19J miles; country 
 generally level. St. Louis to New York, 2,081 miles; 
 days traveled, loi ; average, 20^ miles; roads generally 
 good. Total distance, 6,666 miles ; total days traveled, 
 346; average travel, about igl miles. 
 
 In gathering items of interest for our complete book 
 we left our line sometimes 100 miles to see and gather 
 facts. 
 
 We have crossed 20 mountain ranges, 18 divides and 
 13 hills, some of them 8,500 feet high; forded 11 large 
 rivers and ferried 12; have crossed 35 large bridges 
 across rivers; have passed through three heavy wind 
 storms, had the top blown off our house in less than a 
 minute. 
 
 I have driven 285 miles with a broken tire, wired to- 
 gether. Have broken out four tongues and four dou- 
 ble-trees, all the single trees ; the neck-yoke is the one 
 we started with. 
 
 OUR CYCLOMETER. 
 
 You would smile to hear many of the remarks we 
 hear. Watch that crowd of nicely dressed men. They 
 look around. Hear them. ''Just see those fat, healthy 
 children." "See that nice, blue-eyed w^oman." "Oh, say, 
 Pete, just see that clock on the wheel, ha, ha, ha !" Rea- 
 sonably, you expect well dressed, well groomed, well 
 fed, polished-looking, smooth-shaven individuals to 
 
 108 
 
show that they were educated, instead of showing their 
 ignorance by calHng a mile register a clock, when rea- 
 son would inform a thinking person that registers (not 
 clocks) were attached to wheels; but as it is made out 
 of a clock I excuse them. I used an old alarm clock; 
 reconstructed it into a register. For a mile the hands 
 register one hour. We note the time by the register 
 when starting, again when stopped ; difference in hours 
 is the miles traveled. Each day I note in our journal 
 the distance traveled, so 'tis no guesswork. Anything of 
 importance is noted down — weather, cash receipts, kind 
 of people and how we are treated by them ; how officers 
 act toward us; the business conditions of the people; 
 accidents, etc. (This book is written with my journal 
 before me.) 
 
 We did hope to print an illustrated book, but the cost 
 is too great now for us ; but it is our ambition. We have 
 hundreds of pictures to select from. 
 
 NEWSPAPER HEADLINES CLIPPINGS. 
 
 "6,666 MILES IN A HOUSE ON WHEELS." 
 The Lasleys Came to This City From Port Angeles, 
 Wash., in a Prairie Schooner. Crowds 
 See the Strange House. 
 —New York Herald, Nov. 22^ 1897. 
 
 109 
 
FAMILY FINDS FORTUNE IN ITS HOME ON 
 
 WHEELS. 
 Evicted From His Farm on Puget Sound, Lasley Takes 
 His Wife and Children all Over the Con- 
 tinent in a Van Drawn by Horses. 
 Now at 150th St. and Convent Ave, 
 
 New York Journal, Nov. 24, 1897. 
 
 LIFE IN A HOUSE ON WHEELS. 
 Home of the Lasley s Since 226. March, 1894. 
 
 New York World, Nov. 24, 1897. 
 
 Other New York papers had writeups, but the above 
 suffice to show notice taken of our arrival in New York. 
 
 OUR NEW YORK EXPERIENCE. 
 We expected when arriving in New York to go into 
 a museum for a few weeks, then sell our outfit as a 
 curio to somebody and return West. So we called upon 
 Huber. Said he : "I would like to engage you, but I see 
 your children are all less than 15, so I can't; the law 
 prohibits." We called upon Mr. Gerry. "No, not in any 
 museum or playhouse here," said he. ''You may rent 
 a place, run it yourself, so you don't have music. Yes, 
 you can sell your books upon the street, have your chil- 
 dren along; no objection." We called upon the city of- 
 
 110 
 
ficlals. "No, you can't get upon our streets. No room. 
 Cause too much attraction. No free permits to our 
 streets. If you have the money to pay we will have a 
 special act for you passed in the Council." ''State your 
 price," said I. "Call to-morrow. Good day." I called. 
 The Councilman (of the ward I was in) was hunted 
 up; application signed and paid for (more red tape) ; 
 finally badge, tags and license given and $25.00 paid for 
 it. Returned (to stable on 150th street). Ready; on 
 to New York streets with our house, books and pic- 
 tures; (Monopoly style), we raised the price to pay for 
 the license. After selling enough half tone pictures to 
 repay us for license and a few dollars extra we reduced 
 the price of book and half tone to regular price — loc. 
 
 The police generally treated us nicely. Once in a 
 while some new one (on the force) would try his 
 powers. Once we were taken into Headquarters for 
 investigation, only to be liberated, and the patrdman 
 censured. While off the street we stayed from one to 
 three weeks at a place, renting a stable for our horses 
 and having a lot for our house. We worked the streets 
 in our neighborhood, then changed to another location. 
 We took part in the procession of Greater New York 
 on January 1st, 1898. Our locations: 150th street and 
 
 111 
 
Convent avenue; I32d street, near Third avenue; 
 Forty-second street and Tenth avenue ; Tenth avenue 
 on Fourteenth street ; Fifty-fifth street off Broad- 
 way; Peck's sHp stables and No. 60 Cherry street, 
 Carie's place. 
 
 WE BUILT ANOTHER HOUSE. 
 
 At Tenth avenue and Forty-second street one even- 
 ing a rap we heard. Opening the door, a finely dressed 
 man and woman were seen. "Good evening. We 
 bought and read your book. I used to be out in Wash- 
 ington. We called to show our friendship ; I find you 
 speak the Chenook dialect," said the man. In conver- 
 sation we learned he desired a job as a salesman; that 
 his wife was in poor health, and to travel as we do 
 would be desirable to both of them. We gave him a job 
 helping us sell our books. After moving down to Tenth 
 avenue off Fourteenth street we constructed another 
 house upon the running gear of a wagon for this man 
 and his wife (to travel with us, as we had decided by 
 this time to see more of our world and to have com- 
 pany rather than to be alone) . We agreed to own it to- 
 gether ; he to buy the material, I to make it. Finally we 
 got it inclosed, windows in, door hung and canvas-cov- 
 
 112 
 
ered top. We changed to Fifty-fifth street off 
 Broadway. We learned by this time that continuous 
 company would not be agreeable to us ; so decided to 
 dissolve partnership. We offered tO' buy their half in- 
 terest in the new house, but "they had become attached 
 and their ambition was to travel ;" so I offered to sell 
 my half interest to them for $33.00 cash. They had no 
 money. ''Give us thirty days' time, please ; here are our 
 gold watches for security." So saying, he handed me a 
 lady's gold watch, and taking his own off its chain, 
 handed it to me. I examined them. Upon the face of 
 his was his name — Edwin L. Bascom. A year and four 
 months passed, and we hold the watches as mementoes. 
 He may some day be able to redeem their watches. 
 They had desired I make theirs a house on wheels. I 
 said : *'No. No opposition ; we have the only house on 
 wheels in the world, and it shall continue to be." 
 
 OUR COMPLETE BOOK. 
 
 On January 15th, 1898, the weather was so severe we 
 decided not to work the streets till winter gave way, so 
 rented stalls, got lot room at No. 60 Cherry street ; de- 
 cided to thoroughly overhaul our house and refit it for 
 renewed travel, so rented rooms and commenced to en- 
 
 113 
 
joy a rest from visitors. We were not Idle. I wrote a 
 portion of our complete history of our trip. We had 
 persons offer to criticise and correct our copy. I 
 said : "No ; this is not a literary work, but a plain state- 
 ment of facts of our trip across America in our only 
 house on v/heels. We claim originality of expression, 
 copying after no one." 
 
 After writing and correcting our own copy I went 
 to the different publishing houses, and soon discovered 
 New York publishers' prices high, so decided to do our 
 own work. Publishers tried to dissuade me, saying 
 "not being experienced, it would cost me more." I had 
 been accustomed to opposition, so tried it; placed the 
 copy in a printer's hands, read my proof; got an elec- 
 trotyper to make the plates ; bought my own paper from 
 a paper house ; got a press house to print them, a bind- 
 ery to bind and trim them, and had 2,000 copies made 
 as a trial. On counting the cost we had saved $115.00 
 on the lowest offer we had received from any of the 
 publishers in the city. 
 
 Finding the cost to be so much, even doing as we 
 did, we decided to publish our book in serial form ; so 
 eighty pages was the amount decided upon, and during 
 1898 thousands of copies sold. 
 114 
 
OUR TRA^^ELS OF 1898. 
 Having rested ourselves and team for ten weeks; 
 had had eighty pages of this book pubHshed. Our house 
 refitted, March nearly gone, decided to go south and 
 meet spring. On the 26th of March drove over to New- 
 ark, N. J. ; bought a street permit, to learn after getting 
 it we could sell upon the streets, but was not permitted 
 to stop or attract a crowd; so the money was thrown 
 away. We procured a lot in City center, and there in 
 rear of the City Hall sold lots of our books. Imagine 
 our surprise when selling our books to a crowd at 
 IOC to hear a voice say "I paid 15c. for my book and 
 picture, and I would not take a dollar for them.'' That 
 being the case, let me have one here, and here, and here 
 one, and so on. After supplying the demands I turned 
 to find who caused the commotion and saw Mr. Bas- 
 com. We learned they desired to travd in our company. 
 We agreed; said we would leave on the 12th of April. 
 Saying they would be on hand, he returned to New 
 York. We waited till the 14th of April ; then started 
 at Elizabeth, free permit; 15th, Rahway, free permit; 
 i6th. New Brunswick, free permit. Sunday evening, 
 17th, Bascom's drove into the yard. We were warned 
 not to go to Princeton (college town). The students 
 
 115 
 
would destroy our house. ** Tis natural to do that told 
 not to do." On i8th arrived in Princeton. The college 
 boys by hundreds surrounded us ; they cheered, hooted 
 and yelled. We had been surrounded by wolves, and, 
 accustomed to Indians, so wife and I were calm, but 
 determined to defend our house against marauders and 
 relic-getters. Between waves of wild yells I told them 
 we demanded civil treatment and would allow no bar- 
 barism, and if they intruded upon our rights I would 
 shoot the intruder ; but if treated civilly we were agree- 
 able and easy to get along with. They settled ; the 
 worst ones retired ; the young gentlemen bought books ; 
 we conversed with the professors ; all treated us kindly 
 after the first attack. The people in town said they 
 never saw the students act so well with any traveler as 
 with us. We expect to visit them again. 
 
 Mrs. Lasley " Tells Her Experience." 
 
 Thinking it would be interesting to the reader, I (the 
 wife of the author of this book and the proprietor of 
 the HOUSE ON WHEELS) have concluded to ex- 
 press my ideas of traveling. When I was quite a little 
 girl I used to think and say, "Some day I will travel, if 
 I am fortunate enough to have a husband." 
 116 
 
I used to stand in front of the mirror and say, "Oh, 
 dear, nobody will ever marry me, for I am so homely," 
 but I learned that looks do not always count, and that 
 dress does not make the man or the woman, for I was 
 married before I was yet sixteen and have not re- 
 gretted it. After marrying I commenced to think and 
 plan how we could travel. I said, "Some day we will." 
 We first did farming near Greeley, Colo. I helped my 
 husband in the field. I learned to drive a team, to ride 
 and plow, to cultivate the crops, &c., while my husband 
 did the irrigating and ditching. We bought a team, 
 plows, wagon, seed and harvesters on time, and got 
 them all paid for except the harvester. In the Fail a 
 note came due. The agent closed upon us, and our 
 season's labor was swept away to pay and settle. My 
 husband then got a Winter school at good price. In 
 the Spring we located in Ft. Collins, Colo., and opened 
 a shop. We did well, got us a house lot and com- 
 menced to make us a home. 
 
 In 1887 my health gave way. Our doctor said I 
 could not live thirty days longer unless I was taken 
 out into the open air. My husband disposed of his 
 business and got an outfit (see pages 2y and 28 of this 
 book). 
 
 How delighted I was ; now I would see some of the 
 world at least. Having started, we kept on and on 
 until we reached Washington Territory (as it was 
 
 117 
 
then). By the way, my folks were all there, and they 
 acted as a magnet for me at least. After having many 
 hardships, my health was perfectly restored ; my desire 
 for travel had started into a flame ; I believe I am a 
 born traveler. I contented myself in Port Angeles for 
 nearly five years, only taking one trip over east of the 
 mountains during that time. One day my husband 
 said he was going to California alone. Think of it! 
 Leave his family to shift for themselves. I said : 
 ''Never will I consent for you to go alone. You gave 
 up your business for my benefit ; now I will go along, 
 and together we will face the world as it comes." My 
 husband had poor health ; we had no money ; our out- 
 look was blue, so blue it was turning black. My hus- 
 band asked for my idea of how we could all go along. 
 I laid the plan of the Lasley Traveling Palace (known 
 as the HOUSE ON WHEELS). You, reader, know 
 how hard it was for my husband to be convinced that 
 my idea of travel could be carried out. Finally all ob- 
 jections being met, we (my husband and I) went into 
 the forest with axes, saws, sledge, wedges and frowe. 
 He selected a fine large white cedar tree, and we 
 chopped and sawed, it seemed to me, for about three 
 hours until finally, crack ! and there it goes, and the 
 once giant of the forest lay at our feet as a conquered 
 foe. That was only the beginning, for the tree had to 
 be converted into shakes and lumber for our HOUSE 
 
 1 18 
 
ON WHEELS. 
 
 We sawed out a chunk, split it into bolts; then rived 
 it into material for our house, carried it to our lot, and 
 there my husband made our house on wheels. I 
 helped some in its construction. It finally being ready 
 to move into, my heart almost failed me. When we 
 commenced to move into it, so many things I thought 
 I must have and no room to put them, but I sorted 
 them, then sorted again and again, until finally I 
 adapted my wants to the room. I must admit I felt 
 rather cramped for room for a week or two until I got 
 used to things. How little we realized what we had 
 made or what we had undertaken. I did not then 
 know we had made something that the people would 
 care to look at and run after to see. My folks told us 
 we were foolish ; friends said we would soon be back. 
 Others said we could never get far with ''that thing." 
 We said we did not know as we could, but we could 
 try. Many an eye was moist when we bid our friends 
 a last farewell and started on a long trip. The roads 
 in Washington are almost impassable in the Spring and 
 hard to travel over. I was lighthearted because I was 
 realizing my long hope — traveling. We ran out of 
 money, could get no work ; we suffered for food ; in 
 places we could not get even water to drink. We met 
 with people that snubbed us ; still I did not despair. I 
 
 said to myself, "I must brace up, for it was I that had 
 
 119 
 
planned this way to travel." I tried to brace up, but 
 pen can never half express what we endured. You 
 may say, "Why did you not stop in some nice town?" 
 We could not ; nothing to stop for ; people living in the 
 towns were, if anything, worse off than we were. We 
 went forward, guided by an unseen Hand, whither we 
 knew not. 
 
 Traped in my own CAGE: .... 
 
 In every town people came running to see the curious 
 
 looking wagon, as they called it. Imagine how I felt — 
 
 never had I been used to face any number of people 
 
 to talk to them, try to entertain them or to answer their 
 
 questions. I thought them impudent. Our business? 
 
 Where going ? Where from ? How far ? How long ? 
 
 How many of us ? Why ? When going to stop ? When 
 
 going away ? Do you tell fortunes ? Are you gypsies ? 
 
 Who are you ? Have you any money ? How do you 
 
 make a living? are a few of the many questions asked 
 
 us by all the callers, both old and young, great and 
 small. At first I closed the door in their faces; that 
 
 only excited their curiosity, and they went for the win- 
 dows. I finally submitted to be looked at and be ques- 
 tioned until now I can cook our meals or attend to my 
 home duties with a thousand looking at me and not 
 worry me a bit. 
 
 The largest audience we had was In San Francisco. 
 
 120 
 
The people came by thousands. We got newspaper 
 notoriety owing to our mode of travel. We had trav- 
 eled 1,200 miles. My desire to travel more was 
 greater than ever ; I desired to travel East. My hus- 
 band had many fears as to us getting far upon the road. 
 I said : "We have come 1,200 miles ; we can go further." 
 In June, 1895, we started again. Every day a few 
 miles, slow but sure ; but what of that ; we were trav- 
 eling, seeing the world ; that was my fond desire. We 
 again had many hardships. Sometimes for days we 
 saw no one but foreigners, and they were looking 
 after the railroad track. They refused us water ; miles 
 and miles of nothing to see but sage and rabbit brush, 
 soap weed and cacti. Our eyes became tired of the 
 monotony. "Look yonder !" we exclaim. "See !" the 
 beautiful forest and shining lake of sparkling water. 
 How we longed for the refreshing shade and a boat 
 ride on the lake. Impatient to reach the place, we 
 hurry up our horses, when, lo ! we are doomed to dis- 
 appointment. Looking again in a few minutes the 
 forest and lake had disappeared, and only sage and al- 
 kali bottoms were in sight. Mountains, forests, cities, 
 lakes and rivers have appeared to our views as plain 
 as ever the real ones ever did, only to dissolve again, 
 to our disgust. 
 
 This mirage is deceiving. It has lured many poor 
 traveler beyond his ability to return, and their bones 
 
 121 
 
were found where, exhausted, they had died. We press 
 forward, for go we must; to stop meant certain death. 
 On and on, ten, twenty, thirty or more miles per day — 
 same to see (just nothing). But look! Are we sure of 
 our sight ? Yes, yes. Away in the distance we could see 
 the Rocky Mountains, their snow-capped peaks loom- 
 ing up. As we came nearer, how grand those lofty 
 peaks, standing as silent judges over those lesser ones 
 around them. But when we began to ascend them, to 
 us they had lost their beauty, though still grand in 
 size. We had crossed many mountains, before the 
 Rockies, but these were most difficult. Our team and 
 ourselves were all tired out. The mountains in places 
 are twelve miles up the sides of them ; they are about 
 the same down. Up, down, then repeat again and 
 again, until from the top of one of the foothills we saw 
 the fine city of Denver, Col. 
 
 I fancy I hear you, reader, say: "Oh, the beautiful 
 scenery you have enjoyed!" Yes, we have seen some 
 of the grandest scenery the mind could conceive of. If 
 we could get wealth from scenery we would be very 
 rich indeed ; but we become tired of looking at even 
 grand things. Just to think ! We have been up in the 
 air two and one-fourth miles high, the clouds way be- 
 low us in the valleys. We have gathered flowers with 
 one hand and put the other hand in banks of snow ; 
 snowballed each other in July. I was heartily sorry 
 
 122 
 
many a time I had ever started, but I wisely kept it to 
 myself. 
 
 You see how determined we were to succeed. Near- 
 ly everybody said ''You can't get to New York with 
 that thing ; it will fall to pieces before you go ten miles 
 further." 
 
 t^" SOME NERVE TESTERS. 
 
 It took more than ordinary perseverance, with con- 
 stant care, keeping in good humor and being full of 
 hope. We did succeed beyond measure. You may say 
 you would have thought that we would have found 
 some place that would have suited our fancy, and we 
 would have said this is good enough for us, and would 
 have stopped, but I was determined to visit the City 
 of New York, besides the intervening ones. Although 
 it took us over two years to travel from San Fran- 
 cisco to New York, I am heartily glad I made the trip. 
 It is rich in experience. From Denver to New York 
 is a long, hard, lonely road to travel ; but it is fine and 
 pleasant as compared with some of the first of the 
 road. At times we suffered from the heat and for the 
 want of water. Some of the water in Texas was so 
 foul our horses and dog refused to drink it. We had 
 to strain it to use it at all. We learned to drink any 
 kind of water that we could swallow. We were slowly 
 traveling over one of the mesas, our team as well as 
 
 123 
 
ourselves nearly famished for water. Water, water, 
 was all we desired. Suddenly we saw a man coming 
 toward us (upon the road). We thought surely we 
 would soon come to a ranch and get water. When we 
 met we asked if he could tell us where we could find 
 water. He asked us the same question. We answered 
 him. He said : ''About fifteen miles ahead you will 
 come to an old sheep ranch. There is an old well there., 
 If you have a rope you can draw enough out for a 
 drink around." We thanked him, but our hearts al- 
 most failed us. It was now high noon. We renewed 
 our courage and pushed forward. We passed through 
 a field of ripe unharvested wheat. We let our horses 
 eat it, also rubbed some in our hand's and ate it. It al- 
 leviated our thirst a little. Still we craved water. To- 
 ward evening we came to the place; gathered all the 
 rope we had (the well was seventy-five feet deep) ; 
 with a small bucket we could get about a pint at a time. 
 We all drank, and drank, a little at a time. We gave 
 some to our team and dog; until, when all thirst was 
 satisfied, we took a look at the water. It was rather 
 muddy-like. When, horrors ! it was literally filled with 
 water lice and remains of dead mice. Say, reader, were 
 you ever real thirsty in your life ? That was but one of 
 many experiences we have had to undergo. The chil- 
 dren and myself have stayed alone until near midnight, 
 while my husband, with the team and our dog, went 
 
 124 
 
down into some canyon in search of water. They, start- 
 ing before dark, always succeeded. But, oh my ! under 
 what risk. The children would go to sleep ; then I was 
 alone; no, not alone either, for, listen, hear those 
 sounds — 'tis the howling of approaching wolves. Hear 
 them all around ; there must be a dozen or more. They 
 make the cold chills run over me for the safety of my- 
 self and children. I have no fear for my husband ; he 
 has the dog ; and wolves, unless they are very hungry, 
 will not bother where there is a dog. I plucked up 
 courage, went to the brink of the mountain and hal- 
 loed as loud as I could, and listened for an answer. 
 There was not a sound but the howling of those wolves. 
 I returned and waited ; then tried again. Finally, away 
 in the distance I heard a faint far-away answer. It 
 was a welcome sound, and ere long my careworn hue- 
 band is again with his loving family. He has a couple 
 of gallons of water he has carried about six miles. 
 
 But our journey has not been all unpleasant by any 
 means. Many pleasant memories we retain of friends 
 we have made and beautiful and pleasing things we 
 have seen. We recall the visit of my husband's sister 
 and her family to see us when in 'Frisco. We enjoyed 
 their good company so much. We persuaded them to 
 remain in 'Frisco, and she writes us they are pleased 
 with their choice. My husband's brother visited us 
 when near Denver. This we greatly appreciated ; but 
 
 125 
 
my husband's moneyed sister (land poor) did not fa- 
 vor our mode of travel, and a chill we felt while in 
 her company. In every state we have met very fine 
 people indeed, and some just the reverse. Many times 
 we have been invited into strangers' houses and been 
 elegantly entertained, some few times for two or three 
 days at a time. We felt more than thankful for their 
 kindnesses. 
 
 OUR EXPERIENCE WITH A STRANGE 
 WOMAN. 
 
 We were in northern Indiana in the month of March. 
 The towns are few and far apart and the roads had 
 been muddy, now frozen ; travel slow. My husband had 
 tried to get accommodation of the farmers for shelter 
 for our team, but as usual the farmers all said ''No 
 room ; am sorry ; go to next neighbor." The sun was 
 getting low, when I said : ''Let Viola try ; maybe they 
 won't refuse a child." We came to a large, finely fitted 
 place. "Go in, Viola, and try for shelter for our faith- 
 ful horses." Rap, rap. "Who's there? What do you 
 want?" we heard. "Are any of you sick? Are you in 
 distress? Are you lousy? Are you honest? Can you all 
 read?" These questions being answered to her satis- 
 faction, she said : "I'll see." She slipped on her wraps 
 and she and her husband came out to look us over. 
 They counselled. Said he : "Take your horses and put 
 
 126 
 
them under the shed. There is hay hi the mow and 
 corn in the barn. Help yourself." So saying, they both 
 returned to the house. "Viola, please go ask the woman 
 to sell us a loaf of bread for supper." Said she : "No, 
 I won't sell you any bread." I was preparing to make 
 some hot cakes or biscuits and arranging for our meal. 
 Looking out we saw the woman approaching (to give 
 us a lecture, we supposed). Said she, in a rough voice : 
 "You can't have any bread, milk nor anything else." 
 I said : "Thank you." "I want you all to come into my 
 house to supper." I protested. She insisted. "Just as 
 you are, come ajong, right now." Fearing to refuse, 
 we went. Oh, the style. On entering her house her 
 tone changed. She was an angel in disguise. Her 
 table was loaded with ham, eggs, potatoes, rice, onions, 
 tea, coffee, bread, butter, pie, cake, fruits. The house 
 was nicely carpeted and thoroughly warmed — a per- 
 fect home. Said she: "Make yourselves at home. 
 Children, romp all you please and enjoy yourselves." 
 They had two of their own. I helped her wash up the 
 supper dishes. My husband chatted with her man. 
 Nearing bedtime, we said we would go out to our 
 house. "No," said she, "I have night suits, etc. You 
 are all going to stay in here over night." She said that 
 was her religion. We submitted. Oh, such nice beds ! 
 Their hands looked after the horses, and another day 
 and night she detained us within her walls and insisted 
 127 
 
upon us stopping longer. We learned to love her for 
 her kindness. Her memory we cherish. Their name is 
 Webster. Treatment like that is Christian. 
 
 When we drove into the City of Greater New York 
 how our hearts leaped for joy. We had succeeded in 
 doing something nobody had ever accomplished — 
 crossed America in a House on Wheels. 
 
 After arriving we were like a cat in a strange house. 
 We were all over the city in no time, dodging here, 
 there and everywhere, seeing the sights, like a pano- 
 rama. I desire to state here that New York people 
 are fine to sell books to. In fact, every city we visited 
 (where the people are intelligent) we sold our books 
 in great numbers ; more so in the East than out West. 
 We find the Eastern people very clever. The officers In 
 most of the places are very obliging, allowing us to 
 stop wath our house on wheels upon the streets and 
 stay as long as we desired and sell all the books we 
 could. Especially kind in Washington, D. C. ; Chester, 
 Philadelphia, New York, Bridgeport, Providence, New- 
 port, Taunton, Beverly, Portsmouth, Albany, Buffalo, 
 Little Washington, Wheeling, Columbus, Cincinnati, 
 St. Louis and San Francisco. We have had some novel 
 experiences with the wearers of blue coats with brass 
 buttons. Some of them delight to show their authority, 
 but we were generally equal to the occasion. 
 
 128 
 
AN IMPUDENT OFFICER. 
 
 In the beautiful city of Bridgeport we had stopped on 
 one of the streets. My husband had gone in search of 
 a stable with a yard attached, when suddenly I heard a 
 gruff voice say: ''Where is the owner of this outfit?" 
 I said : "Gone out on business." Said he : ''When did 
 you water this team last?" I answered: "Just as we 
 drove into this city." "I don't believe it," said he. I 
 said : "You don't have to believe it." Said he : "I don't 
 believe you have watered or fed this team for a week." 
 I told him he was a fool for want of sense. The idea of 
 us not caring for our team. "If you are so much in- 
 terested in other people's business you can go buy a 
 sack of oats and feed the team, if you wish to," I said. 
 As to the team being thirsty, he was judging them by 
 himself. He was partially angry and partially amused 
 at my talk back to him. A bystander suggested I ask 
 him how about that old, blind, stringhalted, spavined, 
 half-starved horse he used to drive before he was elect- 
 ed inspector. I did so, but he made no answer. I asked 
 him to show his badge. He said he had forgotten to 
 put it on. When my husband came he tried his bark 
 upon him, but my husband laughed at him and told him 
 he would take care of our team without any of his help. 
 He finally took his leave, having met his equal for once. 
 He returned and bought a book of me, saying he 
 
 129 
 
bought it because I had defended our cause so nobly. I 
 expect we will meet him again this Summer. If so I 
 will sell him the book that this is in. 
 
 We have had several like experiences ; but it takes 
 all kinds of things and people to make up our experi- 
 ence. After having rough, hard times, to succeed in 
 some places, we know how to appreciate the better and 
 finer things of life. Kind reader, I will leave you to 
 judge for yourself whether I enjoy traveling. I an- 
 swer you, 'tis my choice to see the world. 
 
 We will travel another season in America. Then, if 
 all is well, go over to Europe, and to Paris in time for 
 the exposition. Home again, w^e expect to settle some 
 place in the West. Now, dear reader, if you have not 
 seen our little House on Wheels it will more than pay 
 you to come and see a genuine curiosity, thoroughly 
 original with us. We lead, others may follow. Finan- 
 cially we were at the foot of the ladder. Now we are 
 steadily climbing upward. Some day we will have a 
 stationary home ; but we will see the world first. Who 
 is it but says : „" When I get money I am going to see 
 the world." We are enjoying the sights of the world 
 and making a good living at the same time. Please 
 don't misjudge us — come and see for yourself. We are 
 known as the happy family. If you are skeptical as to 
 us having made this trip, come, examine our creden- 
 tials and your doubts will fly away. i 
 
 130 ■ __ ' 
 
MY HUSBAND. 
 
 Most wives will end their story with : 
 "Ah, well, men are but human." 
 
 I long to tell the secret of 
 A truly happy woman. 
 
 Through all the sunshine-lighted years, 
 
 Lived now in retrospection. 
 My husband's word brought never tears, 
 
 Nor caused a sad reflection. 
 
 Whate'er the burdens of the day, 
 
 Unflinching, calm and steady, 
 To bear his part — the larger half — 
 
 I always find him ready. 
 
 House-cleaning season brings no frown, 
 
 No sarcasm, pointed keenly; 
 Through carpets up, and tacks head down 
 
 He makes his way serenely. 
 
 Our evenings pass in converse sweet, 
 
 Or quiet contemplation. 
 We never disagree, except 
 
 To "keep up conversation."' 
 
 And dewy morn of radiant June, 
 
 Fair moonlight of September, 
 April with bird and brook atune. 
 
 Stern, pitiless December — 
 
 Each seems to my adoring eyes 
 
 Some new grace to discover. 
 For he, unchanging through the years, 
 
 Is still my tender lover. 
 
 131 
 
Adieu, dear reader. 
 
 MRS. MARY L. LASLEY. 
 Queen of the Traveling Palace. 
 
 (Our Card.) 
 
 M. E. A. Lasley. Mary L. Lasley. 
 
 KING AND QUEEN 
 
 OF 
 
 THE ONLY HOUSE ON WHEELS, 
 
 OR 
 
 I LASLEY' S TRAVELING PALACE. 
 
 I 
 
 I JOURNEY AROUND THE WORLD. 
 
 (1^^ THE KING NOW TALKS AGAIN :) 
 A BARBAROUS RECEPTION. 
 
 April 20th B's and us drove on to the streets of Tren- 
 ton, at the Monument. We learned the business center 
 was seven or eight blocks away, so he and I went down 
 to get a central stable and yard ; some trouble to find ; 
 got location in \]. S. Hotel yard. Returning, we found 
 his house, but mine gone, no one knew where. Inquired 
 of patrolman. He said he had driven an outfit off the 
 street. I asked ''why he had not moved the other one, 
 
 132 
 
too." Said "there was no crowd around the other one.'* 
 I asked if any of my family was selling books. Said 
 "No." "Why did you move them ?" " 'Cause I wanted 
 to." "Where are they?" Said he: "Don't know and 
 don't care." I respect an officer, but not such a thing 
 as that. Some boys came running up ; said they could 
 find my house on wheels for me. Gladly I followed 
 down the avenue, turned into a street, then into an 
 alley, finally into a lot in the rear of a saloon. I greeted 
 my family and asked how they came to be there. Wife 
 said a policeman had moved them three times. ^ 
 saying "if she did not leave the highways he would 
 pull the outfit." Finally this woman ofifered this en- 
 closed lot free. My wife gave two books and pictures 
 to the woman for her kindness. On going out of the 
 lot a man demanded 50 cents rent. I told him to get it, 
 and drove out. After arriving at the hotel yard I went 
 for a street permit. Failed. Reported the police action 
 to tbe chief. Said he: "I presume the officer did just 
 right." I told him New York people spoke of them as 
 foreigners, and they impressed it upon us. We had 
 never been treated as rudely over 6,000 miles of travel. 
 Trenton's police are the most rude of any met with. At 
 
 133 
 
Bristol free permit; sold 120 books; fine people; fine 
 officers. 
 
 (Newspaper Clippings, Headlines.) 
 
 "A House Wagon." 
 
 "Built for Travel Across the Continent." "From 
 Pt. Angles, Washington." 
 "Large Crowds Gather to See Lasley's 'House on 
 
 Wheels' at U. S. Hotel." 
 — Daily True American, 
 Trenton, N. J., April 23, i! 
 
 April 22: Philadelphia. Police extra kind. They got 
 us good location, corner Frankford and Hart lane. We 
 saw City Clerk, Mayor and Chief of Police. They 
 seemed surprised at me asking for a permit. "Why, 
 brother, thee dost not need a permit at all to sell litera- 
 ture upon our streets ; go ahead, sell all you can ; don't 
 stay too long in. one place to cause a jam. Good day. 
 Success." Central lot location ; hard to get ; so from 
 Snider avenue and Seventeenth street we worked the 
 south side of the city. We visited Navy Yard ; Govern- 
 ment officers showed kindness. We got relics and sou- 
 venirs from battleships ; visited the Mint, City Hall, 
 etc. Fine city ; clever people. We sold our books in 
 the city until May 9th, then south again. Free permit 
 at Wilmington ; lot of books sold ; officers clever. 
 
 134 
 
CLOSE CALL. 
 
 On going over one of the hills of Delaware we en- 
 countered a storm. Oh, how the lightning flashed ! It 
 blinded us. We could hear it swizz as it cut the air ; the 
 heavens burned with the heat ; the horses stopped and 
 reeled, our brains seemed to be on fire. Three, times the 
 lightning struck within less than fifty feet of us. Fol- 
 lowing the electric display the rain descended in tor- 
 rents, flooding the road and washing great gullies on 
 the hillside. After passing from around us the storm 
 abated. 
 
 Our house does not leak, so we care but little about a 
 rainstorm. After crossing the (seemingly deserted) 
 hills of western Delaware we arrived in Baltimore on 
 May 1 6th. 
 
 MY DARING ACT BRINGS REWARD. 
 Stopped our house at a corner. I went to look for a 
 stable. I found one, but it was a high-toned coach 
 stable, fine office, etc. They had no room, did not know 
 of any and did not care to be bothered. I thanked them. 
 Turning to leave the office I saw there was a storm on 
 hand, so remained indoors ; it thundered and lightened ; 
 the rain poured down, the gutters soon filled with wild, 
 
 135 
 
rushing water, carrying debris of all kinds. It changed 
 to hail ; it pelted everything ; some of the stones were 
 an inch in diameter. Just then some one cried : "J^^st 
 see! Yonder comes old Dave's team." With others I 
 looked out. Sure enough, yonder came dashing up the 
 street a runaway, the large horses dragging a wagon. 
 Ahead of them stood a row of carriages, the occupants 
 inside not knowing the danger coming. I looked to see 
 who would risk their life to save the people. No one 
 stirred. I knew my ability and courage. I quickly 
 gauged the speed, out I flew, leaped as far as I could 
 over the raging water (getting wet only to my thighs). 
 Soon was elongslde of the runaway ; grasped the bridle 
 and swinging to them I sheered them away from the 
 carriages and by voice and pulling soon had them 
 stopped. The proprietor and men at the stable were 
 so much interested they ran out upon the walk into the 
 storm to get a better view of my action. Soon the 
 owner appeared, breathless. He thanked me kindly. I 
 returned to the stable to await the storm's abatement. 
 The proprietor was the first to speak. "J. say, stranger, 
 where is your House on Wheels ? Go bring it around 
 here. I'll find you a good place to stop ; am sorry we 
 have no place here for you ; such a fine, daring act as 
 
 136 
 
that of yours deserves to be rewarded." Storm over, I 
 found my house. They had been sheltered by a large 
 building. I returned to the stable. "I say, Sam, saddle 
 up that bay horse ; go show this man the best way to the 
 Hand hotel stable yard. I say ! \ ou make sure he gets 
 there O. K. Keep him around on those smooth, best 
 streets." "All right, sah," and a finely dressed colored 
 man with a large umbrella proceeded to carry out his 
 order. "I say, madame, we ought to have some of those 
 books I see you have for sale ; give us out here about 
 a dozen. Only $1.25 ; that is good. Good by. Sam, go 
 slow, be sure." The best streets in places were worse 
 than in any city we ever traveled through. After about 
 two miles of twisting about we were told by our guide 
 we had arrived safely at the oldest hostelry in Balti- 
 more ; they knew of our coming, arrangements having 
 been made by telephone. It was a good location, very 
 central. We would probably never have found it but 
 for the above recorded incident. 
 
 The city officials were dilatory in granting us a street 
 permit ; so after four days headed for Washington, D. 
 C, at which place we arrived on Monday, May 23. Dis- 
 tance from New York, 245 miles by the road we came. 
 137 
 
AT U. S. CAPITAL CITY. 
 
 Calling upon the district officers for permit, they 
 kindly assured us no permit was necessary. "Just go 
 any place ; sell all the books you please." We put up at 
 the Tyson hotel yard (another old hostelry of note). 
 We met often and had pleasant chats with the owner of 
 the place, Mr. Tyson. His family also called upon us. 
 We stopped in front of the patent office, visited it, took 
 views and sold books. We visited all the places of note, 
 took views and sold our books. We were at the White 
 House on a reception day; shook hands with our Pres- 
 ident, presented to him one of our books and photos ; 
 visited the Capitol, the Treasury by special permit (war 
 rules), the Library, Smithsonian, Agricultural building, 
 Washington's monument, the postoffice dead letter de- 
 partment, the Government cemetery and other places 
 of note. We took our house every place we visited, and 
 while part of us visited the places the balance of the 
 family sold books to those gathered to see our curious 
 house ; then the other portion of our family visited and 
 the first ones sold books. We never leave our house en- 
 tirely alone (relic hunters too many). We had to guard 
 It to keep it. If space would permit I would like to de- 
 
 138 
 
scribe the places we visited, the things we saw, the 
 beautiful large paintings at the Capitol, the beautiful 
 grounds around the buildings, the statuary in the dif- 
 ferent places in the city, the things we saw at the Na- 
 tional Museum, the description of the monument and 
 how constructed, the stairway going up (we walked 
 up) ; the views we got and the sensation of riding down 
 in the elevator. Suffice it, we enjoyed all the things to 
 be seen. We went to Mount Vernon, visited Washing- 
 ton's home, also his tomb, had a steamboat ride on the 
 Potomac, then returned to Washington. The weather 
 had become very hot and sultry ; so on June 9 we head- 
 ed northward, arriving again in Baltimore on Satur- 
 day, the nth. Crossing through the city, in front of 
 the Barnard Hotel, I broke down a wheel and the 
 coupling; paid $1.50 to a truck to haul our house three 
 or four squares. On Monday we had the repairs made ; 
 cost, $7.50. On Tuesday tried to cross the city again. 
 On Baltimore street we broke the other front wheel 
 tire; removed the wheel and took it to a shop to have 
 it repaired. A crowd soon gathered; explanations of 
 our position, and the family sold lots of books, till final- 
 ly a patrolman came. He ordered my wife to leave the 
 street. She said she was in her own home and was 
 
 139 
 
satisfied to stay where she was. He said : ''If you don't 
 move I'll pull you." ''Well, if you desire, and you think 
 you are able, you can pull me; but it may be a heavier 
 task than you are used to. Please, Mr. Officer, look 
 around," said my wife (with a twinkle in her eye). On 
 going to the front and seeing but three wheels he 
 thought, as the wife said, ''he was not able to pull her," 
 so decided to let it remain. He forbade her selling our 
 books, but every time he turned his back she sold lots 
 of them. Returning with the wheel, soon we were at 
 rest at Eagle hotel yard. 
 
 TWO STRANGE CHARACTERS. 
 
 Soon after locating in the Eagle yard among those 
 who came to see out outfit, buy our books, etc., were 
 two certain young men. Said one: "I desire a kodak 
 picture of your outfit, please, family and all." "Excuse 
 us ; we never sit for a picture ; that curio we never al- 
 io w^ We have photos of our complete outfit, well fin- 
 ished, including the house, the family, the horses, our 
 dog and our bird ; these we sell ; to give away kodak 
 pictures of the same, we can't consider it," replied my 
 wife. 
 
 "I'll pay you for your trouble," said he. "How 
 much?" 
 
 140 
 
"About 25 cents, I presume/' ''Yes." ''Well, sir, 
 your allowance is too small ; if you had offered $5.00 to 
 be permitted to take a picture of our outfit maybe then 
 you might have impressed my mind as being a liberal 
 kodak fiend, but, sir, you will never get a picture of our 
 outfit at all. If you desire one of our photos, here they 
 are, for only 10 cents," said the Queen of the Traveling 
 Palace, fitting action to her words. She exhibited sev- 
 eral photos of the outfit complete, also personal photos. 
 These did not suit him. He acted gruffly and left, to 
 look around the house. His companion looked very 
 much amused at the conversation. 
 
 Said he: "I bought one of your books, and would 
 like to more minutely examine your outfit. What, 
 please, is this on this wheel ?" "There comes my hus- 
 band. Say, dear, here are some people; if you show 
 them around the house perhaps they will buy some 
 books." I said to them, if they cared they might make 
 a tour around the house. The register ; the construction 
 of our house; the complication of the coupling; the 
 map of our route; a large canvas painting; showed 
 them we had our small wheels in the rear; showed a 
 photograph taken of us when we were in San Fran- 
 cisco. 
 
 141 
 
. The clippings from newspapers from Pt. Angeles, 
 Wash., to last ones in their city; I explained the con- 
 struction of the inside of our house; then introduced 
 our book and pictures. They having been entertained, 
 bought lots of books of me. The kodak man and his 
 chum seemed well pleased. "Please -give me one of 
 those photos your wife spoke of," said his chum. I 
 wrote our autograph with both my right and my left 
 hand on the photo, claiming to be the champion right 
 and left hand autograph writer. This interested him 
 more than ever. He handed me 25 cents for it, saying 
 "Keep the change." I thanked him. They departed. In 
 the course of an hour he called again. "Have you some 
 of those larger books? Please let me have three copies 
 (35 cents each). I wish you well. Good day." He re- 
 tired. Again he returned. "You have other photos, 
 have you not?" "Yes." "Please let me have one of 
 each. One, two, three, four ; here is a dollar. They are 
 worth it. The photos of noted travelers like you people 
 can't be gotten every day. I desire them to place in my 
 cabinet. Here is my card. Don't fail to write me. — Dr. 
 Gilbert Smith, No. — , Baltimore. If you desire a 
 physician while in the city I am at your service, free. 
 Good day." I showed his card to my wife. "I could 
 
 142 
 
have told you he was a physician," said my wife. ''The 
 business of the kodak fiend ?" "Why, he is a lawyer, of 
 course," said she. Physicians treat us with more con- 
 sideration than any other class of professional men. 
 With pleasant memories revived by Dr. Smith's action 
 we retired for the night, thankful our lot was as pleas- 
 ant as it is. Our day's sale was $13.70. Next morning, 
 the 15th, wife soon had breakfast over and I the team 
 fed. Visitors began to arrive early, among them Dr. 
 Smith. Said he: 'T came early for fear you might 
 have concluded to leave town. I desire to give you a 
 little present. Come with me ; won't take long." I fol- 
 lowed. Into a fine grocery store. "Please put me up 
 some staple groceries, such as a family can use ; we will 
 take them with us." Coffee, sugar, flour, bacon, prunes, 
 rice, tea, etc. I called a halt. "Please don't break my 
 outfit down; cost money for repairs." He smiled and 
 said : "You can use them ; they will come in handy." He 
 hailed a passing car, saying, "We will return this way." 
 We chatted about our country, of hunting, fishing, etc. 
 He said he would enjoy traveling as we are, etc. At the 
 car door he said : "Be good to yourself ; good by." My 
 wife was agreeably surprised upon opening the pack- 
 ages. 
 
 143 
 
On the 1 6th just as we were leaving the yard up 
 came our friend, Dr. Smith. "Here is a letter. You can 
 use it." It read : "I have thoroughly investigated and 
 have found that the Lasleys of the House on Wheels 
 are just as they represent themselves to be — from the 
 state of Washington — and I heartily recommend them 
 to all intelligent people. The family is one of interest. I 
 give them permission to use this recommendation as 
 they see fit."— (Signed) Gilbert Smith, M. D. "Be 
 sure and write me. Don't forget to send me new photos. 
 Good by. God bless you." With pleasant memories 
 again we started north. On Tuesday, June 21, we ar- 
 rived at Philadelphia. Having worked the city as we 
 went south concluded to drive on through. At noon 
 drove upon a vacant lot in Tioga to feed and get our 
 dinner. Before dinner was over a large crowd had gath- 
 ered and we had sold lots of books. One old lady, with 
 tears in her eyes, said : 'T have bought your books and 
 photos. I have been reading about you in the papers. 
 I have all your pictures and history I could get. I am 
 so glad to have found you ; seems like I have knawn 
 you before. Please stay till to-morr©w, so my family 
 can come and see you all." I went to a livery stable ailU 
 joining and found them white pe.ople. Hay and slablin^; 
 
 144 
 
over night for our two horses only 2i7 cents — lowest 
 price recorded east of Buffalo; average cost, $i.oo per 
 night for hay only. We stayed. We lectured, our books 
 sold well. Repeated day after day until the week wore 
 away. 
 
 FEW NEWSPAPER HEADLINES. 
 "Across a Continent in a Large Wagon." 
 "The Lasley Family's Long Journey in Their House 
 on Wheels. 
 
 "A Four Years' Ride; Two Children Have Been 
 Born in the Conveyance — How They All Live." 
 
 "Philadelphia Inquirer," April 27, 1898. 
 
 LASLEY'S PARLOR CAR. 
 "The Only House on Wheels That Has Crossed the 
 American Continent." 
 
 "The Republican," May 10, il 
 
 "From Over Western Hills and Mountains A 
 Unique Vehicle Came Into Baltimore Last Night, Its 
 Occupants Having Had Many Strange Experiences 
 En Route." 
 
 "The World," Baltimore, Md., May 17, 1898. 
 
 "LIFE IN HOME ON WHEELS. 
 "Lasley Family's Wonderful Experiences Within 
 Four Years. — Rode 6,700 Miles for Health. 
 
 "Forded Rivers, Crossed Mountains, Sweltered in 
 sun at 120, Froze in Snow at 18 Below Zero." 
 
 "Philadelphia Record," May 15, 1898. 
 
 145 
 
After leaving Philadelphia we were soon at Prince- 
 ton, June 28, town very quiet. 
 
 At Elizabeth the officers were kind, but not the 
 mosquitoes. 
 
 At Jersey City took ferry for Brooklyn. 
 
 At Coney Island we procured a location at $25.00 
 per week; we sold books, bathed and with compli- 
 mentary tickets enjoyed flying ponies, shoot the 
 rapids, shoot the chutes, Ferris wheel. City of Cairo, 
 the bikes, the ponies, scenic railroads, etc. 
 
 "There is but one Coney Island." After seeing 
 the sights and enjoying the delightful ocean baths 
 and cooling sea breezes we prepared for our sum- 
 mer northeast trip by repairing our house and re- 
 fitting the wheels and other necessary repairs. We had 
 again domiciled at Convent avenue and 150th street 
 (Washington Heights stables), where the proprietor 
 had said ''You are welcome to return whenever you 
 see fit," which we did, and as a business man he re- 
 ceived us cordially. We had made many friends there 
 and they were glad to see us return, shook our hands 
 and said: "We welcome you back again." 
 
 "ACROSS THE CONTINENT." 
 "The Lasley Family Traveled in Their Own House." 
 146 
 
''Evening Star," Washington, D. C, May 26, 1898. 
 "Home on Wheels Came 7,000 Miles, In It a Family 
 Has Lived for More Than Four Years. 
 "To Make Tour of Europe. 
 
 "Came Over Brooklyn Bridge Into Manhattan Yes- 
 terday and Drew Big Crowd." 
 
 "The World," New York, July 20, 1898. 
 
 The following is one of many recommends given 
 without being asked, showing we have been where we 
 say we have, also showing what people think of us: 
 
 "Office of Hugh Reilly, New York, Dec. 13, 1897. 
 
 "This is to certify that Mr. M. E. A. Lasley, proprie- 
 tor of the House on Wheels, has been my tenant from 
 Dec. 6 to date. He has been honest and fair and has 
 acted in a gentlemanly manner. Also his wife deserves 
 great credit for keeping herself and family so neat and 
 clean. 
 
 (Signed) "HUGH REILLY, 
 
 ''Proprietor Merchants' Stables, 510 to 524 W. 14th 
 
 street, New York." 
 
 On leaving Mr. Reilly said: "If you are in this part 
 of the city again you are welcome to stop here again." 
 All liverymen have said the same. 
 
 Being again in readiness, we bade our new friends 
 adieu. We drove over by Boston road to New Ro- 
 chelle. The officers procured us a central lot location 
 and were very clever. They gave us the privilege of 
 selling our books on Sunday to any who desired to 
 
 147 
 
buy, of which there were many, and they all seemed to 
 be church goers or comers. 
 
 July 25th, at Port Chester, we paid $1 for the privi- 
 lege of selling our books on a private lot. The resident 
 business men (when they heard me tell of it) insisted I 
 go and demand it paid back. I objected, because the 
 amount was so small. They insisted on me doing it, so 
 I did so, but the city clerk said he had turned the 
 money into the treasurer. So no pay for my trouble. 
 It became noised about us being there and a very at- 
 tentive audience gathered in the evening. We sold 
 lots of books. Robert sang, then he took up his usual 
 collection. He got $1.70, the largest collection he ever 
 received for singing. Fine, clever people. 
 
 QUEER TERMINUS TO AN ACCIDENT. 
 
 "Let me ride your wheel a little bit, young man," 
 said I to one of the visitors. "Will it hold me up?" 
 
 *'Oh, yes." I mounted and had not ridden it five rods 
 when down went the hind wheel. Examining it, I found 
 it had been broken and repaired before. I returned his 
 \vheel to him and said: "You go get the rim repaired 
 and I will help pay for it." He went to a shop, ordered 
 a new wheel complete and said to present the bill to the 
 
 148 
 
proprietor of the House on Wheels, which they did. I 
 refused to pay the bill ($3.60), but said I would pay 
 half. His father became indignant. He went to a law- 
 yer, then to a judge; had a case made out; had me 
 brought (by a constable) before the judge. He stated 
 his case. I stated my side. I offered again to pay half 
 on the new wheel. He said: ''I want all or none." The 
 judge again asked him if he rejected half. He said he 
 did. The judge said: "Lasley, you are dismissed. Mr. 
 
 , you must pay the costs." I went on about our 
 
 business (of selling our books). He bothered us no 
 more, preferring "no loaf to half a one," and that a new 
 one. 
 
 A CLEVER BUSINESS MAN! 
 At Stamford July 2J. Free street permit on square; 
 big crowds ; big sale of book. While my wife was lec- 
 turing I was selling books. A nicely dressed man ap- 
 proached. Said he: "Here is my card. After you close 
 business come to my place for supper." "Thanks," 
 said I, "we will, with pleasure." At 9.30 p. m. we drove 
 to his business place. Soon we were enjoying a repast 
 lit for a regal king and queen. 
 
 (Obiter dictum of John H, Lee by Lasley.) 
 149 
 
Oh, you noted people, whoever you may be, 
 Will surely be invited by this Silver Dollar Lee, 
 Be you sport or politician. 
 
 No difference you will see, 
 You will all be dined and wined, 
 
 By smart Silver Dollar Lee. 
 His place is one of beauty; 
 
 You will easy see the sign; 
 If you look upon the marble floor. 
 
 You'll think you've found a mine. 
 And don't you be misguided, 
 
 For this Silver Dollar Lee 
 lias used the artist's, sculptor's 
 
 And mechanic's skill, you'll see. .] 
 
 Of one thing this man prides to tell, ■ .•' 
 
 He always serves his patrons well. ■'' 
 
 With elegance and grace their orders fill 
 With best of everything on bill. 
 When once you've gone, your song will ever be, 
 I stopped, when in Port Stamford, with Silver Dol- 
 lar Lee. 
 
 MORE KINDNESS. 
 
 Norwalk, 28. — Free street permit. Said Mr. H. G. 
 Hamilton, "That is my hotel over there. Mr. Lee, of 
 Stamford, desires you to dine with us. Dinner is wait- 
 ing." 
 
 Their dinner and service was fine. Toward evening 
 a gentleman said to me: "My name is G. Fred Aus- 
 
 150 
 
tin. I desire your family to eat supper at my place. T 
 won't let neither Lee nor Hamilton be more cour- 
 teous than I." We accepted. Oh, the fine supper, 
 everything the market afforded. 
 
 I said to my wife, 'The Yankees lead In cleverness." 
 At Bridgeport, 29. — Free street permit, but poor lo- 
 cation. Wall and Water streets. 
 
 New Haven, 30. — No permit obtainable, although 
 citizens said, "others were allowed upon the streets." 
 
 '7,000 Miles on Wheels." 
 
 "Family of Seven Who Make Their Home in a 
 Wagon, 
 
 "Reached This City Yesterday. 
 
 "Journey for Health and Pleasure from Seattle; 
 Flave Been Everywhere." 
 
 "New Haven Register," July 31, 1898. 
 
 Meriden, Aug. 6. — Free permit, good location, clev- 
 er officers. 
 
 "Traveling Palace." 
 
 "House on Wheels Anchors in This City To-Day." 
 "Daily Journal," Meriden, Conn., Aug. 6, 1898. 
 
 HARSH TREATMENT. 
 
 At Hartford, 8. — No permit obtainable. 
 
 My wife and I had been down into the city and 
 l)ought her a new bicycle. When we returned there 
 was a crowd. We offered and sold few books. Soon 
 a policeman came into the lot of the livery. Said he: 
 
 151 
 
"All you people not belonging here will have to get 
 out;" then he stood at the gate permitting no one to 
 enter unless they had business with the livery. Being 
 handicapped, we concluded not to pay out any more 
 money there so pulled out to find more congenial peo- 
 ple. 
 
 Springfield, Mass. — The officers were very kind; 
 they treated us like we were human beings. The sour 
 makes the sweet taste sweeter. 
 
 "A Home on Wheels. 
 
 "Nomadic Life of a Family Which Arrived in Town 
 Yesterday." 
 
 "Springfield Republican," Aug. lo, i< 
 
 At Worcester, Aug. 13. — At Hildreth's livery The 
 Spy interviewed us, gave us fine, long, good, kind ar- 
 ticle. The Spy is a nice, clean paper. The people 
 are fine book buyers. 
 
 ''On Wheels — Strange House Appears." 
 
 "HAPPY FAMILY 
 'Ts Aboard and Has Traveled Four Years." 
 
 "The Worcester Spy," Aug. 14, 1898. 
 
 A CHANGED PROGRAMME. 
 
 At South Framingham, Aug. 16. 
 
 We had planned to store our outfit in Boston, then 
 riding bicycles to 'Frisco as a family, then return for 
 our European tour. My wife had bought her a wheel 
 
 152 
 
in Hartford and immediately learned to ride it. We 
 got Leona a wheel at South Framingham (she learned 
 to ride it in less than two hours). 
 
 Viola and I had ridden from Western New York. 
 A-fterward I persuaded my wife to give up the trip for 
 the present. She says she is going to ride a wheel yet 
 across America. I presume she will. 
 
 At Boston, Aug. 20. — Our experience in that city 
 is not pleasant to remember. The officers tried to be 
 clever, but there was so much red tape and so much 
 cross sword of cliques that henchmen and principals 
 were afraid of each other. There was more rudeness 
 of speech than any other city we ever traveled in, even 
 the motormen and conductors and nicely dressed 
 women were in the habit of hallooing at persons differ- 
 ing in looks from Boston people. We were glad when 
 we left the narrow, rough, crooked, crowded streets of 
 Boston, with its loud mouthed people, behind us. In 
 proportion to the people, we sold less books in Boston 
 and paid higher prices for things we bought, than in 
 any city we had been in. We have lost no love for 
 Boston. 
 
 Reception at Lynn, Aug. 26. — Got good central lot, 
 opposite depot. The papers gave us illustrated write- 
 ups. We had thousands of visitors and we sold lots 
 of books to them. Many kind words and good wishes 
 were spoken. Stayed in Lynn for a week. 
 
 1 53 - I 
 
At Beverly, Sept. 2. — Free location, side of city hall. 
 Sold lots of books. 
 
 At Salem Willows, Sept. 5. — (Labor Day). Was a 
 hit for us; heaviest book sale made in New England up 
 to this time. 
 
 Portsmouth, N. H., Sept. 8. — Free permit; large 
 sales. 
 
 At Rochester Fair, Sept. 12. — Paid $10 for location. 
 Fair no good for us. Weather frosty. 
 
 SOUTHWARD. 
 
 Through Exeter, Newton, At Haverhill, Sept. 19. — 
 No permit, poor location on lot; few books. 
 
 Lawrence, 22. — Free permit; good location. Sold 
 lots of books; clever people. 
 
 Lowelb Sept. 24. — No permit; officers snobbish. 
 Children very rude; few books 
 
 At Arlington, 28. — Fine people; clever officers. Sold 
 lots of books. 
 
 Cambridge no good. 
 
 Quincy, 30. — No permit; good lot free; clever peo- 
 ple; few books. 
 
 At Brockton Fair, Oct. 3. — Location, $15; rain, 
 rain. Wednesday and Thursday clear; immense 
 crowds. Red letter day for us, Thursday; sold double 
 number of books of Labor Day. Dinner with Big \\\- 
 fant, of Western fame. Fine people, but very skep- 
 
 154 
 
tical. 
 
 At Taunton. — Free street. Papers gave us big puff. 
 Lots of books; very clever people. 
 
 Fall River no good. 
 
 At New^port, Oct. 15. — Free permit; fine resort, 
 Nice people and officers. On i8th tried Fall River 
 again; paid $1 for street permit; no good. 
 
 At Providence, R. I. — Free permit; fine location. 
 Book, book, book their cry. In eight days sold over 
 1,400 of them. Extra nice people; no rudeness; w^ell 
 behaved. Got material; built us another house (on 
 gears of wagon); got another horse; forvi^ard again. 
 
 Nov. 21 at New London. — People skeptical; fev^ 
 books. On 24th had fine turkey dinner; 25th our 
 annex got on fire, damage $15. 
 
 At Nev^r Haven, 26. — Snow storm stayed us; ap- 
 plied for snow hauling; refused because I was not a 
 resident. 
 
 PRESS HEADLINES. 
 
 ''The Lasleys in Distress." 
 ''Family in House on Wheels stalled in ^Orange 
 street. Couldn't get work in New Haven. Mayor 
 Farnsworth declined to help out travelers from the Pa- 
 cific coast, so are compelled to remain until the roads 
 are passable. — Mr. Lasley and fine arts." 
 
 New Haven "Register," Dec. 4, 1898. 
 
 155 
 
THE BEGGARS OF 'FRISCO. 
 
 For the first few days after arriving in 'Frisco star- 
 vation was close to our door. We were too proud to let 
 our condition be known, except to a few, as recorded 
 (pages 71 and 72 of this book) ; the anguish was terri- 
 ble until the change, as told on page 75 (this book) ; 
 then we felt rich. We offered to feed any hungry per- 
 son ; many accepted, but none of them seemed to be 
 as hungry as we had been. Most of them asked for 
 money to eat on. I said money to drink on, you mean, 
 /^sking them to eat with us, their stomach gave the lie 
 to their tongue. There was a fine eating place near by 
 where a person could get all they could eat of good, 
 nice, clean grub (Western term for edibles) for 10 
 cents. For 30 cents we could get more than my family 
 desired to eat. Before going to our meals I would say : 
 ^'Now, if there is any poor, hungry person here, come 
 go and get a good free meal." One day I noticed a one- 
 legged, young, poorly-clad beggar in the crowd. As 
 usual, I put the same request. It struck him. *T'll go." 
 *'You are welcome," said I. I had him eat at our table. 
 I tried to find out his history, experience, etc. He would 
 not carry on any conversation. He want'^.d to know if 
 I was not a reporter in disguise. Assuring him I was 
 not and was just a common traveler, he became more 
 congenial. I tried to persuade him to eat enough to 
 satisfy a hungry man, as he had said he was, but I 
 failed. He ate but little, finished, excused himself and 
 tried to leave. I retained him till we were done. After 
 
 156 
 
paying the bill I said to the cashier: ''Any time this 
 poor cripple desires a meal, let him have it. When we 
 come for our meal I will pay his. He stepped out ahead 
 of us, but I noticed he did not hurry away, but sidled 
 toward a door and beckoned for me to corre. I slipped 
 to his side, wondering what he now wanted. i 
 
 Said he: "I am here to find out the truth. It has 
 been reported to me that you offer to feed any poor per- 
 son, and I came to try you. I am satisfied it is so. I 
 want to tell you something. We beggars are organized 
 and have a strong society, with money to our credit in 
 the bank. I am the treasurer. You, sir, will never 
 again be asked to give a beggar anything. You will 
 know by their action after to-night. Good by." He was 
 gone. We record the fact. 
 
 that never again were we asked for money, or any- 
 thing to eat while we were in the State of California. 
 
 Bridgeport, Dec. 7. — Rested two days. Stamford, 
 Dec. 10; New Rochelle, 13; Williams Bridge, 14; East 
 117th street, Dec. 22. Free street permit. Sold our 
 books at corner Third avenue and 125th street from 
 our house. Fine people; clever officers. Sold lots of 
 books, 
 
 PAPER HEADLINES. 
 '^The House on Wheels" at 531 East 117th street. 
 "The Hon. M. E. A. Lasley, author, traveler and 
 proprietor, may look like a 'durned fool,' but he has 
 hit on 'how to get rich.' 
 "Maybe he has as much brains as whiskers." 
 
 The New York "Press," Jan. 14, 1899. 
 
 157 
 
KIND NEIGHBORS. 
 
 Our location was well chosen; neighbors soon called 
 upon us, and asked us to call upon them. Among 
 those whose friendship proved most sincere were J. G. 
 Wilson and family, of 526 East 117th street; H. Mar- 
 kle and family. We spent many pleasant evenings with 
 them, and partook of their hospitality. They offered 
 to care for us during the raging blizzard, but being 
 comfortable in our little houses, we thanked them and 
 remained cosey and warm within at our quarters. 
 
 Thus ends our book, ''Across America in the Only 
 House on Wheels." We have not (for want of space) 
 gone into detail in things we would like to, but this 
 is for the people, a cheap book for the masses. It 
 shows how a poor but ambitious family can turn dis- 
 aster into benefit, and be healthy, have a good living, 
 enjoy life, see all, and be happy. Reader, you may ex- 
 pect other publications, especially "Pioneer Life in the 
 West; or. The Boy From a Buckeye Town." In- 
 quire for it at dealers. 
 
 Come and see our house. Buy our photos, especial- 
 ly the photo of our boy singer, little Robert. Agents 
 for this book wanted; terms liberal. Address, with 
 stamp for terms, 
 
 M. E. A. LASLEY, 
 
 Author and Proprietor of Lasley's Traveling Palace. 
 Address: General Delivery, New York City, N. Y, 
 
 168 
 
AN OMISSION. 
 
 Reading our book collectively, I find I have shown 
 partiality, so this is added to even up. 
 
 EXTRA CLEVER TREATMENT. 
 
 After arriving at Wappinger Falls, N. Y., we came 
 to a temporary halt in front of Sweet, Orr & Oo/s 
 overalls and pants factory. Soon among others came 
 a gentleman who proved to be Mr. Goring, superin- 
 tendent of the factory. Said he, ''Would not you like 
 to visit and inspect our factory? We are the biggest 
 overall manufacturers in the world." I said, "With 
 pleasure." I was especially interested in their cordu- 
 roy suits, and asked how they were made, as I had 
 worn many overalls of their make and not a pair ever 
 ripped. There are more of Sweet, Orr & Co.'s over- 
 alls, pantaloons and corduroy worn out West than 
 all other makes put together. They give best satis- 
 faction; command the best price. This statement 
 from me pleased the superintendent amazingly. On 
 passing through the cutting room, he ordered my 
 measure taken, also measured Robert (our only boy). 
 On returning to the office he asked our boy to remem- 
 ber his name, so told him and us of a teacher by name 
 of Goring who had a pupil who could not remember 
 her name, so she said, 'Tf you desired to enter a large 
 house, how would you get the door open?" "Why, 
 I would go ring the bell," answered the child. Said 
 the teacher, ''My name is Goring." After that the 
 child remembered her as Go ring the bell. In coming 
 out of the factory he handed me a package and said, 
 "I hope they will fit. Wear them; remember the 
 giver." As a compliment, I placed Sweet, Orr & Co.'s 
 advertising card upon our house, and it was there 
 when we drove into Newburg, N. Y., Sept. 30th, '97, 
 their home factory location. 
 
A NEW SURPRISE. 
 
 We had secured a street permit and there was a big 
 crowd around us, books selling fast. A man witf 
 quick step came up, asked me how I came to have 
 that ad. upon there. I told him of our treatment b) 
 Sweet, Orr & Co.'s superintendent, and that was i 
 compliment to them. Said he, "Give me a dollar's 
 worth of books, photos; well, yes, I'll take two dol- 
 lars' worth of these fine photos of your outfit. Good-: 
 day." And he was gone. Soon after a fine looking 
 young man came up; said he, ''We have heard oi 
 others. To-morrow you and family please call at out 
 home factory of Sweet, Orr & Co." We did. We were 
 kindly received by the superintendent, Mr. C. Wi 
 Bartrum, and foreman. Myself and boy were the re^ 
 cipients of another pair of corduroy pants. I have 
 worn mine every day since, and not a hole or a break 
 in them. They said, 'They will never rip." "Oh,", 
 said I, 'T know that, for I have always chosen your 
 goods out West; gave me best satisfaction." 
 
 If any of the firm of Sweet, Orr & Co. sees this, I, 
 wish to congratulate you as makers of the best cor-( 
 duroy and overalls ever used by man. I admire your 
 button and band fasteners, also. As these are the 
 only factories we have ever been allowed to visit, we 
 feel more pleased at our reception. Other factories 
 have said, "No, your notoriety would cause all hands 
 to stop and look at you, and that means loss." Al- 
 though when we were conducted through their sewing 
 room 500 operators stopped and looked at least a 
 minute each, making a loss of over eight hours, not 
 one word of complaint was heard. The hands seemed 
 satisfied, and said their success was also due to their 
 kind treatment by the firm. Dealers in the goods say 
 the firm is honest and square dealers. ' 
 
 We wish you all of your well-earned success. 
 
 Yours, M. E. A. LASLEY, 
 
 Laborer, traveler, author and proprietor of the only 
 House on Wheels. 
 
PIONEER LIFE IN THE WEST, 
 
 SYNOPSIS: 
 
 Home Surroundings in Ohio^Westward Ho — Stage Ride on 
 Foot in the Heart of the Rocky Mountains— Mountain Scen- 
 ary— Fight with My Mill Boss— Captured by Women— Love 
 Affairs — The Surrender— At an Indian War Dance— The Cap- 
 tured — The Victor — First School and How I Came to Be 
 Known as the Fighting Teacher — At School — Teamster — 
 Range Life— Herder, Mill Life, Office Work, Secret Service, 
 Hunter, Guide. Mechanic, Merchant, Manufacturer. Traveler, 
 Camp Life on the Plains Among Indians — The Girl I Left Be- 
 hind Me — The Mormons; Their Social Life — How I Became a 
 Cynic, an Adventurer, a Farmer — My Last Love Scene — At 
 this stage is where really the history commences that is 
 included in book. Across America in the Only House on 
 Wheels. This book (Pioneer Life in the West) shows how a 
 bright, intelligent young man can adapt himself to all things, 
 in all places; tells what the West really is, and what a per- 
 son must be to succeed well. The book is written in Western 
 stj^le original with me, with our Western phrases. The 
 writer spent 22 years west of the Mississippi River. 
 
 Our books are sold with a guarantee to please. 
 
 Buy and read a copy; learn of true Western life. 
 
 M. E. A. LASLEY, Author. 
 Prop. House on Wheels Publishing Co. 
 Address Gen. Del.. New York City, N. Y. 
 
 WI 6 
 
• 1 1 
 
 
 "V.%* 
 
 
 
 ^id' 
 
 

 ^ /k <. *'f. .« .0*- "^^ *^^!^ A <.