Iowa
Old Press
The Chariton Patriot
Chariton, Lucas co. Iowa
May 14, 1873
EASTWARD HO. -- Last
Saturday there might have seen four white topped wagons slowly
wending their way through town eastward bound. The outfit
belonged to one family, an old man and wife and several married
sons. They had been to sunny Kansas and were out in the terrible
storm of April 13th, 14th and 15th, which so discouraged them
that they concluded to return to their old home in the
"beautiful land" Iowa. In the hindmost wagon rode the
old man and wife, and when a mile or two out of town they were
passed by a man on horse back who passed and addressed the old
couple with, "Hello, on your way from Paradise to Egypt to
buy corn?" to which the old lady replied with more emphasis
than elegance, "Bound from h--l on our way to
Paradise."
[transcribed by N.M.S., March 2007]