[Omaha—Tuesday, 19 October 1875]
Tuesday 19. Arose at four o’clock, jumped into an omnibus which rattled rudely over the wide avenues of soft earth with occasional holes, especially near the crossings which are of plank and sometimes stand a foot above the level of the road. The vehicle was filled with people—two women with young babies, not to speak of children of all ages taken from their beds. It was a company of the unwashed save ourselves for having arisen before 4 and as the train really did not leave until half past six we managed to have time for everything but breakfast. There was no express train—so all day long we rattled on in cars heated by iron stoves, though not badly ventilated, without dinner (they stopped for that at Des Moines the capital of Iowa, but the places were so disgusting we would not go in) until at half past six at night we arrived at Iowa City—where dear “J” gave his lecture on Cheerfulness to a fine audience.
