Totem Pole Tales-Trails Tales of Pioneer Settlers of Allis Part III Submitted by Nute Chapman From Onaway Outlook January 11, 2013

CAPTION #1:  STEVEN HELL, standing upside down, by a fence post at the Roberts School in 1920.



CAPTION #2: MARGARET AND NORMA ELLENBERGER and Vera Cadwell at the Roberts School in 1920.



CAPTION #3:  CARI AND JAMES FERGUSON at the Roberts School.



   Unpublished by Oscar Adelbert Roberts and edited by daughter Ruth (Roberts) Schmidt


   It was near Christmas in 1890 when I (Oscar Adelbert Roberts) was a lad of 9, living with my parents
in our homestead 25 miles from the nearest town, when my Father told me I could go to Cheboygan with him
to purchase provisions and also to get $200 from the bank to pay his help.

   Our team was put in the stable at the Summit House Hotel and then we went to the big stores.

   I had never seen such lights before and my eyes must have bugged out at the sight of the great
hard-coal base burner heater with all the isinglass.

   The huge cases filled with bushels of cheap, hard candy, peanuts and oranges-reminding me of the bins
of oats and wheat in our barn at home.  I was much disappointed when we went to the bank and asked
Father where they had the bins of money.

   The Good Old Days

   Someone must go to Cheboygan for a load of provisions.  Father cold do some work at home that the boys
couldn't do, and they were anxious to make the trip.  So that's how my elder brothers Jim and John, 15 and 
11-years-old, took Buck and Bright, our young team of oxen, and started out.

   A wagon box full of hay, some oats for the oxen, what money was needed and our almost new Kennedy 44-40
rifle, plenty of ammunition, and something for lunch.  They were off.

   By evening they had reached Philip's place where they took lodging for the night.  Tuesday they reached
Cheboygan.  Wednesday, they spent the day making the necessary purchases.

   Thursday morning they were on their way home, reaching there on Friday evening.  I'll bet Mother spent some
very anxious hours during those five days.  Continued next week.
 
     
 
    -From The Onaway Outlook, January 11, 2013, p 5.
    

Retyped by J. Anderson.