Iowa Old Press
Sheldon Mail
Sheldon, Iowa
February 10, 1881
The weather prophet had better retire to private life; their
public services are no longer needed. During the past week this
county has experienced the worst spell of weather in all its
history. It has snowed and blowed for four days.
Landlord Brown of the Sheldon Hotel is entertaining a jolly crowd
of snowbound customers. The fastidious transients could not find
a better place to put up during a blizzard that this popular
hostelry.
Among the storm-stayed pilgrims that Sheldon harbored during
"the late unpleasantness" was a tall, lean and lank
Presbyterian minister, whose objective point was Huron, Dakota
Territory. On Wednesday morning, he
purchased a hand sled, strapped a week's provisions and his grip
sack onto it, and set out for home on foot. The distance is about
180 miles.
The naughty LeMars Sentinel says: "The Sioux County
School ma'ams are quick travelers. One of them who went sleighing
last Sunday made 15 miles in one lap."
[transcribed by L.Z., June 2006]
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Sheldon Mail
Sheldon, O'Brien co. Iowa
February 24, 1881
The poet Tennyson can take a worthless sheet of paper, and by
writing a poem on it, make it worth $5,000.
A Le Mars man says the railroads of the future will be elevated
and there by do away with all the nonsense of snow blockages and
fuel famines.
Owing to their inability to procure costumes on account of the
railroad blockade, the managers of the masquerade ball have found
it necessary to postpone the party one week.
Somebody put George Klock's name down on the church pew plat as
the rentor of a $40 pew, whereupon Klock remarked that "it
ought not to have been done, but in as much as my name is there,
of course I'll pay the fee and take the seat."
[transcribed by L.Z., June 2006]