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CHAPTER F 0 U R Going Out to Iowa H I LE negotiations were being completed for purchase of "the promised land," William enjoyed his last months in the role of gentleman- ~~....~~~ settler. He read services in the Episcopal church, attended more ice cream socials, joined in songfests, and accompanied Fred on excursions for prairie chickens, which were plentiful and provided a delicious alternative to "the horrid, tough beef that is sold here." One delightful interlude occurred in September when a convention of schoolmarms descended on Denison and were quartered in houses throughout town. During this session of the institute, they were instructed in classroom methods and took examinations to win their teaching certificates. They came from all parts of the county and had their "dissipation as well as the course of lectures," most of these pleasures consisting of croquet parties and church "sociables." "We are blessed with four of these School Marms boarding here. Farmers' daughters, raw unsophisticated girls, full of life and fun, and as Ginger is likewise, you may imagine the noise." That these two young bachelors would be asked to put up young girls for a stay gives some idea of how well the conventions of morality held for "respectable" people. While Denison life could be lively and attractive if one enjoyed what the country had to offer, there were certain drawbacks that became increasingly annoying for a permanent British settler, among these, the abysmal standard of hygiene. William had not forgotten how sick he became from imbibing Philadelphia water. "Everywhere throughout the States you will see the same carelessness shown in regard to sanitary measures and everything is left to fate." Pigs were kept in pens around many Denison houses, and there were numerous open cesspools. Infant m~rtality was high. "They are ready with any amount of sympathy when anyone loses a child, still the almighty dollar is too strong for them. They pretend not to believe that diphtheria has anything to do with bad drainage.... They prefer running the chances of losing their children to doing away with their hogs." A neighbor set up a pigsty on the edge of the Close property in Denison, about fifteen feet from their bedroom window. William complained to the marshal, who took action, but the remedy involved turning over the dirt, "and the stench was ten times worse." The only recourse was to buyout his neighbor's pigs (at an exorbitant price), with a contractual agreement that 40 Going Out to Iowa 41 there would be no more pigs. "But it is not all that can afford the luxury of buying a man out." How much pleasanter for all British incoming settlers if they could associate with their own kind, create a society as much as possible independent from some of the more grating aspects of raw western American life. The colony idea evolved naturally as an outgrowth of William's land-buying and selling plans. If purchasers of his land were British of a class used to associating with each other in England, all the more pleasant. During this period the Closes' most important visitor who might affect their long-range plans was their older brother James, recently returned to England from West Africa. Twenty-seven-year-old James was still at loose ends, seeking an appropriate future. On this trip he seemed largely preoccupied with touring and stayed in Denison only one day, since he had been invited by a shipboard acquaintance to join an expedition to the Rocky Mountains to view the eclipse of the sun from a spectacular vantage point. Upon his return, however, he inspected the new land near Sioux City that William was undertaking to buy and was equipped to make up his mind whether or not to join William and Frederic in their venture. On 1 October the huge land deal finally was put together, drawing upon the financial resources of James as well as Fred and William-and Daniel Paullin, although his participation was made possible by a loan provided by William. Since Paullin had been instrumental in giving William a chance to find this land and had bargained with the owners, William no doubt felt obliged to include his mentor and future father-in-law, even though this distinguished , supposedly rich land speculator was surprisingly short of cash. Perhaps it was a gesture of friendship on William's part-in romantic style he would do a favor for this beloved's father, a sign of his devotion...

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