There were few roads of any kind, and certainly none that could be
called good. For the mud of Indiana and Illinois is very deep and very
tenacious. There were good saddle-horses, a sufficient number of oxen,
and carts that were rude and awkward. No locomotives, no bicycles, no
automobiles. The first railway in Indiana was constructed in 1847, and
it was, to say the least, a very primitive affair. As to carriages,
there may have been some, but a good carriage would be only a waste on
those roads and in that forest.

The only pen was the goose-quill, and the ink was home-made. Paper was
scarce, expensive, and, while of good material, poorly made. Newspapers
were unknown in that virgin forest, and books were like angels' visits,
few and far between.

There were scythes and sickles, but of a grade that would not be
salable to-day at any price. There were no self-binding harvesters, no
mowing machines. There were no sewing or knitting machines, though
there were needles of both kinds. In the woods thorns were used for
pins.

Guns were flint-locks, tinder-boxes were used until the manufacture of
the friction match. Artificial light came chiefly from the open
fireplace, though the tallow dip was known and there were some
housewives who had time to make them and the disposition to use them.
Illumination by means of molded candles, oil, gas, electricity, came
later. That was long before the days of the telegraph.

In that locality there were no mills for weaving cotton, linen, or
woolen fabrics. All spinning was done by means of the hand loom, and
the common fabric of the region was linsey-woolsey, made of linen and