ANTIQUES  by Anne Olson
 
Antiques shops are my weakness or inspiration depending upon ones view point, and a
visit to an old one that has been collecting old things, memorabilia and just junk for
years was on my list of call last week. An old cream separator drew my attention, it was
a replica of one I was intimately acquainted with more years ago than I like to fess up
to. That separator was the bane of those day, it stood in the milk house in the summer,
in the kitchen when weather was too cold to keep its innards running in the cold summerhouse. More about it later.
 
That afternoon in writing to a cousin I mentioned the fact that I could not find the size
paper I liked in the store in which we were wont to trade. That word "trade" dates me,
now the word used is "shop." But trade was the right word in those early days since
buying meant swapping one thing for another as most folks did, even the townsmen
especially on the outskirts who had a cow or two and a flock of chickens and brought
their produce to the store. Bartering with milk, cream or eggs helped both buyer and
merchant.
Naturally these episodes brought a whole train of memories down the back lanes of my
mind, to another more uncomplicated time when my hair was brown, my vision needed
no booster, and a11 the wee sounds registered loud and clear on my eardrums.
 
Back to the subject of the cream separator and what it was used for, which was to ³¹Q
separate the cream from the milk. At the top was a huge hopper which held the fresh
milk from the cows; after the handle had been brought to so many revolutions and the
correct power had been generated a small spigot was opened and the milk flowed
down into a bowl in which 32 discs spun it into cream and skim milk. A bowl had been
placed on a shelf of the separator for that purpose, the skim milk flowing into a pail
placed on the floor; the cream into a bowl to be stored in a cool place, the skim milk would be carried out and put in troughs for the pigs. The cream was saved and churned into butter some used for the table and the rest went into cream cans to sell at the Creamery. Many times butter was bought at the Creamery thus saving the chore of making butter. I was too young or away at school but later in my own home washing those 32 discs was tedious, time-consuming several times, days a week, they could be 
soused in warm sudsy water and rinsed during the week, but so often each disc had to be washed. My folks were in the market for a separator and two from different
manufacturers were installed to see which one they liked better. They had about decided on the DeLaval.as against U.S. when something seemed to go wrong with it.
The agent was notified and found iron fillings had been put into it by the other agent
when he had stopped by to see how his machine was being rated; needless to say my
folks bought the DeLaval which gave years of service. There was a bit of a scandal as
this happened for several at the time. So chicanery happened occasionally in those
days of much more honesty than we find in this age when we are warned- "buyer
beware."
 
Chickens were not always kept in the chicken yard and often were allowed to roam far
afield. The eggs were gathered in the evening and placed in square crates that held 12
dozen or in a large crate that held 24 dozen eggs. These were taken to the store to be on
exchanged for groceries. Staples purchased when I was a little girl were sugar, flour, is
coffee, crackers, matches and kerosene. The folks were careful to put something on
the oil can spout, perhaps a raw potato, so as not to spoil the food if oil leaked out.
 
Costs of food Dec. 3, 1912; Davis & Fuller, Emerson, Nebraska:
age
10# sugar .50
7 thread spool .35
toothpicks .05
raisins .25
crinoline .10
salt .10
tar soap .25
figs .10
1 qt. cooking syrup .15
50# flour 1.45
3# coffee .60 & .75
lamp chimney .15
 
1 doz. lemons .40
2# cheese .50
1 doz. bananas .20
matches .05
kerosene .38
tobacco .50
lye .10
2 1/2 yds. serge 3.09
8 yds. percale 1.20
12 yds. scrim 1.50
1 yd. sateen .25
3 1/4 whipcord 2.93
velvet .25
1 jabot .35
 
March 6, 1913, Edwards & Bradfords, Nacora, Nebraska:
 
3# coffee .60
50# flour 1.40
1 qt. oil .39
separator oil .40
1 block salt 1.80
140# rock salt 1.00
 
We usually did our buying at a small town called Nacora which is no more, the highway
to Sioux City follows the old railroad track, the PeeVee elevator burned one night and
the fire was seen for miles. One of the first buildings to go was the saloon, on its upper
false front was' "Deutches Gesthaus" and it could be a rough place on a Saturday night 40
according to the rumors concerning it, and it no doubt debased many of the young men
in its heyday. The bank and at last the stores closed and eventually the blacksmith 50
shop shut down when there was no longer horses to be shod and no plows to be
sharpened as modern farm machines took over. This writer knew the little town like a
book having taken the train for the five years she spent in the larger town going to
school there. The fare was 11 cents for the six miles or so. The red plush seats weren’t
too clean and one was often bombarded with cinders landing in the eyes. A loving
brother took me to the station and I was never late for my train. I almost shed tears
years later when driving through the old town and saw nothing but cornfields.
 
The main store in the larger town in which we did our trading was run by people who
had come from the state of New York an older man and his son-in-law and was called 
the Davis and Fuller Store. They brought culture and it was a delight to visit in their
home and to see their cut glass and beautiful furniture. My folks did their buying there
and my mother purchased a cherry parlor set and an Axminister rug among other
things for they handled more than groceries and wearing apparel. It was in this store I
waited for train time or to meet my folks Friday nights. The store personnel took me
under their wings. Their son who then was at an Eastern University lives in Salida,
Colorado and I always wished I might visit with him for old time sake. Davis and Fuller
extended credit to many and I am sure must have lost out on many accounts. Another
place that afforded pleasure in that long ago time was the Weinant Opera House; here
our High School Plays were put on and outside Entertainment was held and of course
dances on Friday nights in the winter season were held, these were in the best of taste.
A small Movie House "The Gem" was on Main Street and this was a place I did not get
to go to very often. A piano player banged away at an old upright during intermission.
 
On Main Street was a small building of brick, the front room was the waiting room for
our Doctor, the back room a little larger was the Consulting room. Dr. Evans, our
Doctor, was a Welshman and had been in our town many years. He not only ushered
me into the world but later my two sons. Needless to say he was our best friend a
counselor and ready to come if we needed him. Doctor's house was next door to the
office and his wife was loved by all; she was a very beautiful woman and hours were
spent visiting with her.
 
Our town was unique and made the Ripleyís Believe It Or Not column because the mal
main intersection was in three counties so it was important to know which County Seat
you had to go to for business you had to transact. So my oldest sister was married in
our home since our church was not in the county the wedding license was purchased in.
 
Now most of these pioneers rest in Rosehill Cemetery. They have earned their crowns.
Emerson has not suffered the fate of many old towns and though for a time the
population decreased, it is now growing and prospering.
Anne Olson