Part II
Mr. Bliss and Mrs. Bliss decided it would be nice for Mrs. Bliss to visit relatives in Doniphan County and they would continue to drive to Atchison to see if some Poland China pigs had arrived that Mr. Bliss had ordered for his brother-in-law's ranch.
Mrs. Bliss recalled that "the next morning they procured a spring wagon with one seat, panelled sides, painted bright red, had on Kansas brakes and all the necessary equipment to make the a safe journey up the hills and down the ravines as the roads were at that time. There were only two conveyances to let at the livery stable then owned by Stephen Dunn—one, the old spring wagon or an open top buggy with one horse to pull the vehicle, so there was no use to look further since that was the only livery stable in town.
"On Friday morning we started in good season for our thirty-five mile ride to my aunt's house. We had not gone very far before I was holding on for dear life to Mr. Bliss and the side of the seat thinking every minute I would be tumbled out, also giving specific orders to the driver to 'Go slow!', 'Be careful' and so on until I was completely tired out. The driver had been here several months and, of course, understood the business of driving on Kansas roads better than I. I was a tenderfoot, and my feet are tender until this day, for I had never ridden over such roads or forded streams as we had occasion to do during our day's journey.
"We arrived at my aunt's with a whole skin about sundown and such a welcome as we received and such hospitality made it a joy to be there. It blotted from my memory, for the time being, the road I had travelled to get there. The next day Mr. Bliss and my brother left for Atchison. I did not see them anymore for three weeks nor did I hear from them as mail was hard to get. One day toward evening I looked across the prairie (one could see for miles at that time) and saw a speck in the distance and wondered if it could be Charlie coming after me.
"It should be remembered there were no fences or timber to obstruct the view and roads were running in every direction. Joy to the world that speck proved to be he and happy was I. He had come with one horse pulling a one-seated topless, backless buggy! Think, if you can, of riding thirty-five miles in such a vehicle!
After a good breakfast, Aunt put up a nice lunch, crated a hen and a large brood of little chickens, a half dozen brooms given to me by a cousin who had a broom factory in Troy, Kansas, and we started for our new home. We arrived without any mishap at our dwelling place which was a new house. The cook stove had been put up before our arrival, so Mr. Bliss unloaded our baggage, took the horse and buggy to the livery and went downtown for provisions.
"A few of the things we had for our first meal in the new home were a juicy steak, butter, bread, milk, eggs and coffee. I never sat down to a feast of good things that tasted better than that simple meal. We were very tired, so put up the bedstead, made the bed and were soon fast asleep, and that was the beginning of our lives in Kansas."
More reminiscences of early life in Grasshopper (Valley) Falls in Part III.
The Valley Falls Historical society's museum will be open at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 29. Window displays include colorful birthday greetings to the state of Kansas for 150 years of statehood.
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