CHAPTER I.

Transcriber's Note: Minor typographical errors have been corrected

without note. Irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have

been retained as printed. Words printed in italics are noted with

underscores: _italics_.

TO AND THROUGH NEBRASKA.

BY

A Pennsylvania Girl.

THIS LITTLE WORK, WHICH CLAIMS NO MERIT BUT TRUTH

IS HUMBLY DEDICATED TO THE MANY DEAR FRIENDS,

WHO BY THEIR KINDNESS MADE THE LONG

JOURNEY AND WORK PLEASANT TO

_The Author_,

FRANCES I. SIMS FULTON.

LINCOLN, NEB.

JOURNAL COMPANY, STATE PRINTERS,

1884.

A WORD TO THE READER.

If you wish to read of the going and settling of the Nebraska Mutual

Aid Colony, of Bradford, Pa., in Northwestern Neb., their trials and

triumphs, and of the Elkhorn, Niobrara, and Keya Paha rivers and

valleys, read Chapter I.

Of the country of the winding Elkhorn, Chapter II.

Of the great Platte valley, Chapter III.

Of the beautiful Big Blue and Republican, Chapter IV.

Of Nebraska's history and resources in general, her climate, school and

liquor laws, and Capital, Chapter V.

If you wish a car-window view of the Big Kinzua Bridge (highest in the

world), and Niagara Falls and Canada, Chapter VI.

And now, a word of explanation, that you may clearly understand _just

why_ this little book--if such it may be called, came to be written.

We do not want it to be thought an emigration scheme, but only what a

Pennsylvania girl heard, saw, and thought of Nebraska. And to make it

more interesting we will give our experience with all the fun thrown

in, for we really thought we had quite an enjoyable time and learned

lessons that may be useful for others to know. And simply give

everything just as they were, and the true color to all that we touch

upon, simply stating facts as we gathered them here and there during a

stay of almost three months of going up and down, around and across the

state from Dakota to Kansas--306 miles on the S.C. & P.R.R., 291 on the

U.P.R.R., and 289 on the B. & M.R.R., the three roads that traverse the

state from east to west. It is truly an unbiased work, so do not chip

and shave at what may seem incredible, but, as you read, remember you

read ONLY TRUTH.

My brother, C. T. Fulton, was the originator of the colony movement;

and he with father, an elder brother, and myself were members. My

parents, now past the hale vigor of life, consented to go, providing

the location was not chosen too far north, and all the good plans and

rules were fully carried out. Father made a tour of the state in 1882,

and was much pleased with it, especially central Nebraska. I was

anxious to "claim" with the rest that I might have a farm to give to my

youngest brother, now too young to enter a claim for himself--claimants

must be twenty-one years of age. When he was but twelve years old, I

promised that for his abstaining from the use of tobacco and

intoxicating drinks in every shape and form, until he was twenty-one

years old, I would present him with a watch and chain. The time of the

pledge had not yet expired, but he had faithfully kept his promise thus

far, and I knew he would unto the end. He had said: "For a gold watch,

sister, I will make it good for life;" but now insisted that he did not

deserve anything for doing that which was only right he should do; yet

I felt it would well repay me for a life pledge did I give him many

times the price of a gold watch. What could be better than to put him

in possession of 160 acres of rich farming land that, with industry,

would yield him an independent living? With all this in view, I entered

with a zeal into the spirit of the movement, and with my brothers was

ready to go with the rest. As father had served in the late war, his

was to be a soldier's claim, which brother Charles, invested with the

power of attorney, could select and enter for him. But our well

arranged plans were badly spoiled when the location was chosen so far

north, and so far from railroads. My parents thought they could not go

there, and we children felt we could not go without them, yet they

wrote C. and I to go, see for ourselves, and if we thought best they

would be with us. When the time of going came C. was unavoidably

detained at home, but thought he would be able to join me in a couple

of weeks, and as I had friends among the colonists on whom I could

depend for care it was decided that I should go.

When a little girl of eleven summers I aspired to the writing of a

"yellow backed novel," after the pattern of Beadle's dime books, and as

a matter of course planned my book from what I had read in other like

fiction of the same color. But already tired of reading of perfection I

never saw, or heard tell of except in story, my heroes and heroines

were to be only common, every-day people, with common names and

features. The plan, as near as I can remember, was as follows:

A squatter's cabin hid away in a lonely forest in the wild west. The

squatter is a sort of out-law, with two daughters, Mary and Jane, good,

sensible girls, and each has a lover; not handsome, but brave and true,

who with the help of the good dog "Danger," often rescues them from

death by preying wolves, bears, panthers, and prowling Indians.

The concluding chapter was to be, "The reclaiming of the father from

his wicked ways. A double wedding, and together they all abandon the

old home, and the old life, and float down a beautiful river to a

better life in a new home."

Armed with slate and pencil, and hid away in the summer-house, or

locked in the library, I would write away until I came to a crack

mid-way down the slate, and there I would always pause to read what I

had written, and think what to say next. But I would soon be called to

my neglected school books, and then would hastily rub out what I had

written, lest others would learn of my secret project; yet the story

would be re-written as soon as I could again steal away. But the crack

in my slate was a bridge I never crossed with my book.

Ah! what is the work that has not its bridges of difficulties to cross?

and how often we stop there and turning back, rub out all we have done?

"Rome was not built in a day," yet I, a child, thought to write a book

in a day, when no one was looking. I have since learned that it takes

lesson and lessons, read and re-read, and many too that are not learned

from books, and then the book will be--only a little pamphlet after all.

THROUGH NEBRASKA.

CHAPTER I.

Going and Settling of the Nebraska Mutual Aid Colony of Bradford,

Pa., in Northern Nebraska--A Description of the Country in which

they located, which embraces the Elkhorn, Niobrara and Keya Paha

Valleys--Their First Summer's Work and Harvest.

True loyalty, as well as true charity, begins at home. Then allow us to

begin this with words of love of our own native land,--the state of all

that proud Columbia holds within her fair arms the nearest and dearest

to us; the land purchased from the dusky but rightful owners, then one

vast forest, well filled with game, while the beautiful streams

abounded with fish. But this rich hunting ground they gave up in a

peaceful treaty with the noble Quaker, William Penn; in after years to

become the "Keystone," and one of the richest states of all the Union.

Inexhaustible mineral wealth is stored away among her broad mountain

ranges, while her valleys yield riches to the farmer in fields of

golden grain. Indeed, the wealth in grain, lumber, coal, iron, and oil

that are gathered from her bosom cannot be told--affording her children

the best of living; but they have grown, multiplied, and gathered in

until the old home can no longer hold them all; and some must needs go

out from her sheltering arms of law, order, and love, and seek new

homes in the "far west," to live much the same life our forefathers

lived in the land where William Penn said: "I will found a free colony

for all mankind."

Away in the northwestern part of the state, in McKean county, a

pleasant country village was platted, a miniature Philadelphia, by

Daniel Kingbury, in or about the year 1848. Lying between the east and

west branches of the Tunagwant--or Big Cove--Creek, and hid away from

the busy world by the rough, rugged hills that surround it, until in

1874, when oil was found in flowing wells among the hills, and in the

valleys, and by 1878 the quiet little village of 500 inhabitants was

transformed into a perfect beehive of 18,000 busy people, buying and

selling oil and oil lands, drilling wells that flowed with wealth,

until the owners scarce knew what to do with their money; and,

forgetting it is a long lane that has no turning, and a deep sea that

has no bottom, lived as though there was no bottom to their wells, in

all the luxury the country could afford. And even to the laboring class

money came so easily that drillers and pumpers could scarce be told

from a member of the Standard Oil Company.

Bradford has been a home to many for only a few years. Yet years pass

quickly by in that land of excitement: building snug, temporary homes,

with every convenience crowded in, and enjoying the society of a free,

social, intelligent people. Bradford is a place where all can be

suited. The principal churches are well represented; the theaters and

operas well sustained. The truly good go hand in hand; those who live

for society and the world can find enough to engross their entire time

and attention, while the wicked can find depth enough for the worst of

living. We have often thought it no wonder that but few were allowed to

carry away wealth from the oil country; for, to obtain the fortune

sought, many live a life contrary to their hearts' teachings, and only

for worldly gain and pleasure. Bradford is nicely situated in the

valley "where the waters meet," and surrounded by a chain or net-work

of hills, that are called spurs of the Alleghany mountains, which are

yet well wooded by a variety of forest trees, that in autumn show

innumerable shades and tinges. From among the trees many oil derricks

rear their "crowned heads" seventy-five feet high, which, if not a

feature of beauty, is quite an added interest and wealth to the rugged

hills. From many of those oil wells a flow of gas is kept constantly

burning, which livens the darkest night.

Thus Bradford has been the center of one of the richest oil fields, and

like former oil metropolis has produced wealth almost beyond reckoning.

Many have come poor, and gone rich. But the majority have lived and

spent their money even more lavishingly than it came--so often counting

on and spending money that never reached their grasp. But as the tubing

and drills began to touch the bottom of this great hidden sea of oil,

when flowing wells had to be pumped, and dry holes were reported from

territory that had once shown the best production, did they begin to

reckon their living, and wonder where all their money had gone. Then

new fields were tested, some flashing up with a brilliancy that lured

many away, only to soon go out, not leaving bright coals for the

deluded ones to hover over; and they again were compelled to seek new

fields of labor and living, until now Bradford boasts of but 12,000

inhabitants.

Thus people are gathered and scattered by life in the oil country. And

to show how fortunes in oil are made and lost, we quote the great

excitement of Nov., 1882, when oil went up, up, and oil exchanges, not

only at Bradford, but from New York to Cincinnati, were crowded with

the rich and poor, old and young, strong men and weak women, investing

their every dollar in the rapidly advancing oil.

Many who had labored hard, and saved close, invested their _all_;

dreaming with open eyes of a still advancing price, when they would

sell and realize a fortune in a few hours.

Many rose the morning of the 9th, congratulating themselves upon the

wealth the day would bring.

What a world of pleasure the anticipation brought. But as the day

advanced, the "bears" began to bear down, and all the tossing of the

"bulls of the ring" could not hoist the bears with the standard on top.

So from $1.30 per barrel oil fell to $1.10. The bright pictures and

happy dreams of the morning were all gone, and with them every penny,

and often more than their own were swept.

Men accustomed to oil-exchange life, said it was the hardest day they

had ever known there. One remarked, that there were not only pale faces

there, but faces that were _green_ with despair. This was only one

day. Fortunes are made and lost daily, hourly. When the market is

"dull," quietness reigns, and oil-men walk with a measured tread. But

when it is "up" excitement is more than keeping pace with it.

Tired of this fluctuating life of ups and downs, many determined to at

last take Horace Greeley's advice and "go west and grow up with the

country," and banded themselves together under the title of "The

Nebraska Mutual Aid Colony." First called together by C. T. Fulton, of

Bradford Pa., in January, 1883, to which about ten men answered. A

colony was talked over, and another meeting appointed, which received

so much encouragement by way of interest shown and number in

attendance, that Pompelion hall was secured for further meetings. Week

after week they met, every day adding new names to the list, until they

numbered about fifty. Then came the electing of the officers for the

year, and the arranging and adopting of the constitution and by-laws.

Allow me to give you a summary of the colony laws. Every name signed

must be accompanied by the paying of two dollars as an initiation fee;

but soon an assessment was laid of five dollars each, the paying of

which entitled one to a charter membership. This money was to defray

expenses, and purchase 640 acres of land to be platted into streets and

lots, reserving necessary grounds for churches, schools, and public

buildings. Each charter member was entitled to two lots--a business and

residence lot, and a pro rata share of, and interest in the residue of

remaining lots. Every member taking or buying lands was to do so within

a radius of ten miles of the town site. "The manufacture and sale of

spirituous or malt liquors shall forever be prohibited as a beverage.

Also the keeping of gambling houses."

On the 13th of March, when the charter membership numbered

seventy-three, a committee of three was sent to look up a location.

The committee returned April 10th; and 125 members gathered to hear

their report, and where they had located. When it was known it was in

northern Nebraska, instead of in the Platte valley, as was the general

wish, and only six miles from the Dakota line, in the new county of

Brown, an almost unheard of locality, many were greatly disappointed,

and felt they could not go so far north, and so near the Sioux Indian

reservation, which lay across the line in southern Dakota. Indeed, the

choosing of the location in this unthought-of part of the state, where

nothing but government land is to be had, was a general upsetting of

many well laid plans of the majority of the people. But at last, after

many meetings, much talking, planning, and voting, transportation was

arranged for over the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern, Chicago and

Northwestern, and Sioux City and Pacific R. Rs., and the 24th of April

appointed for the starting of the first party of colonists.

We wonder, will those of the colony who are scattered over the plains

of Nebraska, tell, in talking over the "meeting times" when

anticipation showed them their homes in the west, and hopes ran high

for a settlement and town all their own, tell how they felt like eager

pilgrims getting ready to launch their "Mayflower" to be tossed and

landed on a wild waste of prairie, they knew not where?

We need scarce attempt a description of the "getting ready," as only

those who have left dear old homes, surrounded by every strong hold

kindred, church, school, and our social nature can tie, can realize

what it is to tear away from these endearments and follow stern duty,

and live the life they knew the first years in their new home would

bring them; and, too, people who had known the comforts and luxuries of

the easy life, that only those who have lived in the oil country can

know, living and enjoying the best their money could bring them, some

of whom have followed the oil since its first advent in Venango county,

chasing it in a sort of butterfly fashion, flitting from Venango to

Crawford, Butler, Clarion, and McKean counties (all of Penna.); making

and losing fortune after fortune, until, heart-sick and poorer than

when they began, they resolve to spend their labor upon something more

substantial, and where they will not be crowded out by Standard or

monopoly.

The good-bye parties were given, presents exchanged, packing done,

homes broken up, luncheon prepared for a three days' journey, and many

sleepless heads were pillowed late Monday night to wake early Tuesday

morning to "hurry and get ready." 'Twas a cold, cheerless morning; but

it mattered not; no one stopped to remark the weather; it was only the

going that was thought or talked of by the departing ones and those

left behind.

And thus we gathered with many curious ones who came only to see the

exodus, until the depot and all about was crowded. Some laughing and

joking, trying to keep up brave hearts, while here and there were

companies of dear friends almost lost in the sorrow of the "good-bye"

hour. The departing ones, going perhaps to never more return, leaving

those behind whom they could scarce hope to again see. The aged father

and mother, sisters and brothers, while wives and children were left

behind for a season. And oh! the multitude of dear friends formed by

long and pleasant associations to say "good bye" to forever, and long

letters to promise telling all about the new life in the new home.

One merry party of young folks were the center of attraction for the

hilarity they displayed on this solemn occasion, many asking, "Are they

as merry as they appear?" while they laughed and chattered away, saying

all the funny things they could summon to their tongues' end, and all

just to keep back the sobs and tears.

Again and again were the "good byes" said, the "God bless you" repeated

many times, and, as the hour-hand pointed to ten, we knew we soon must

go. True to time the train rolled up to the depot, to take on its load

of human freight to be landed 1,300 miles from home. Another clasping

of hands in the last hurried farewell, the good wishes repeated, and we

were hustled into the train, that soon started with an ominous whistle

westward; sending back a wave of tear-stained handkerchiefs, while we

received the same, mingled with cheers from encouraging ones left

behind. The very clouds seemed to weep a sad farewell in flakes of pure

snow, emblematic of the pure love of true friends, which indeed is

heaven-born. Then faster came the snow-flakes, as faster fell the tears

until a perfect shower had fallen; beautifying the earth with purity,

even as souls are purified by love. We were glad to see the snow as it

seemed more befitting the departing hour than bright sunshine. Looking

back we saw the leader of the merry party, and whose eyes then sparkled

with assumed joyousness, now flooded with tears that coursed down the

cheeks yet pale with pent up emotion. Ah! where is the reader of

hearts, by the smiles we wear, and the songs we sing? Around and among

the hills our train wound and Bradford was quickly lost sight of.

But, eager to make the best of the situation, we dried our tears and

busied ourselves storing away luggage and lunch baskets, and arranging

everything for comfort sake.

This accomplished, those of us who were strangers began making friends,

which was an easy task, for were we not all bound together under one

bond whose law was mutual aid? All going to perhaps share the same toil

and disadvantages, as well as the same pleasures of the new home?

Then we settled down and had our dinners from our baskets. We heard a

number complain of a lump in their throat that would scarcely allow

them to swallow a bite, although the baskets were well filled with all

the good things a lunch basket can be stored with.

When nearing Jamestown, N.Y., we had a good view of Lake Chautauqua,

now placid and calm, but when summer comes will bear on her bosom

people from almost everywhere; for it is fast becoming one of the most

popular summer resorts. The lake is eighteen miles long and three miles

wide. Then down into Pennsylvania, again. As we were nearing Meadville,

we saw the best farming land of all seen during the day. No hills to

speak of after leaving Jamestown; perhaps they were what some would

call hills, but to us who are used to real up-and-down hills, they lose

their significance. The snow-storm followed us to Meadville, where we

rested twenty minutes, a number of us employing the time in the

childish sport of snow-balling. We thought it rather novel to snow-ball

so near the month of buds and blossoms, and supposed it would be the

last "ball" of the season, unless one of Dakota's big snow-storms would

slide over the line, just a little ways, and give us a taste of

Dakota's clime. As we were now "all aboard" from the different points,

we went calling among the colonists and found we numbered in all

sixty-five men, women, and children, and Pearl Payne the only colony

babe.

Each one did their part to wear away the day, and, despite the sad

farewells of the morning, really seemed to enjoy the picnic. Smiles and

jokes, oranges and bananas were in plenty, while cigars were passed

to the gentlemen, oranges to the ladies, and chewing gum to the

children. Even the canaries sang their songs from the cages hung to the

racks. Thus our first day passed, and evening found us nearing

Cleveland--leaving darkness to hide from our view the beautiful city

and Lake Erie. We felt more than the usual solemnity of the twilight

hour, when told we were going over the same road that was once strewn

with flowers for him whom Columbia bowed her head in prayers and tears,

such as she never but once uttered or shed before, and brought to mind

lines I then had written:

Bloom now most beautiful, ye flowers,

Your loveliness we'll strew

From Washington to Cleveland's soil,

The funeral cortege through.

In that loved land that gave him birth

We lay him down to rest,

'Tis but his mangled form alone,

His soul is with the blest.

Not Cleveland's soil alone is moist

With many a falling tear,

A mist is over all this land

For him we loved most dear.

"Nearer, my God, to thee," we sing;

In mournful strains and slow,

While in the tomb we gently lay,

Our martyred Garfield low.

Songs sang in the early even-tide were never a lullaby to me, but

rather the midnight hoot of the owl, so, while others turn seats, take

up cushions and place them crosswise from seat to seat, and cuddled

down to wooing sleep, I will busy myself with my pen. And as this may

be read by many who never climbed a mountain, as well as those who

never trod prairie land, I will attempt a description of the land we

leave behind us. But Mr. Clark disturbs me every now and then, getting

hungry, and thinking "it's most time to eat," and goes to hush Mr.

Fuller to sleep, and while doing so steals away his bright, new coffee

pot, in which his wife has prepared a two days' drinking; but Mr. C's

generosity is making way with it in treating all who will take a sup,

until he is now rinsing the grounds.

Thus fun is kept going by a few, chasing sleep away from many who fain

would dream of home. "Home!" the word we left behind us, and the word

we go to seek; the word that charms the weary wandering ones more than

all others, for there are found the sweetest if not the richest

comforts of life. And of home I now would write; but my heart and hand

almost fail me. I know I cannot do justice to the grand old mountains

and hills, the beautiful valleys and streams that have known us since

childhood's happy days, when we learned to love them with our first

loving. Everyone goes, leaving some spot dearer than all others behind.

'Tis not that we do not love our homes in the East, but a hope for a

better in a land we may learn to love, that takes us west, and also the

same spirit of enterprise and adventure that has peopled all parts of

the world.

When the sun rose Wednesday morning it found us in Indiana. We were

surprised to see the low land, with here and there a hill of white

sand, on which a few scrubby oaks grew. It almost gave me an ague chill

to see so much ground covered with water that looked as though it meant

to stay. Yet this land held its riches, for the farm houses were large

and well built, and the fields were already quite green. But these were

quickly lost sight of for a view of Lake Michigan, second in size of

the five great lakes, and the only one lying wholly in the U.S. Area,

24,000 square miles; greatest length, 340 miles, and greatest width, 88

miles. The waters seemed to come to greet us, as wave after wave rolled

in with foamy crest, only to die out on the sandy shore, along which we

bounded. And, well, we could only look and look again, and speed on,

with a sigh that we must pass the beautiful waters so quickly by, only

to soon tread the busy, thronged streets of Chicago.

The height of the buildings of brick and stone gives the streets a

decidedly narrow appearance. A party of sight-seers was piloted around

by Mr. Gibson, who spared no pains nor lost an opportunity of showing

his party every attention. But our time was so limited that it was but

little of Chicago we saw. Can only speak of the great court house,

which is built of stone, with granite pillars and trimmings. The

Chicago river, of dirty water, crowded with fishing and towing boats,

being dressed and rigged by busy sailors, was quite interesting. It

made us heartsick to see the poor women and children, who were

anxiously looking for coal and rags, themselves only a mere rag of

humanity.

I shook my head and said, "wouldn't like to live here," and was not

sorry when we were seated in a clean new coach of the S.C. & P.R.R.,

and rolled out on the C. & N.W. road. Over the switches, past the dirty

flagmen, with their inseparable pipe (wonder if they are the husbands

and fathers of the coal and rag pickers?) out on to the broad land of

Illinois--rolling prairie, we would call it, with scarcely a slump or

stone. Farmers turning up the dark soil, and herds of cattle grazing

everywhere in the great fields that were fenced about with board,

barb-wire, and neatly trimmed hedge fence, the hedge already showing

green.

The farms are larger than our eastern farms, for the houses are so far

apart; but here there are no hills to separate neighbors.

Crossed the Mississippi river about four P.M., and when mid-way over

was told, "now, we are in Iowa." River rather clear, and about a mile

in width. Iowa farmers, too, were busy: some burning off the old grass,

which was a novel sight to us.

Daylight left us when near Cedar Rapids. How queer! it always gets dark

just when we come to some interesting place we wanted so much to see.

Well, all were tired enough for a whole night's rest, and looking more

like a delegation from "Blackville"--from the soot and cinder-dirt--than

a "party from Bradford," and apparently as happy as darkies at a

camp-meeting, we sought our rest early, that we might rise about three

o'clock, to see the hills of the coal region of Boone county by

moonlight. I pressed my face close to the window, and peered out into

the night, so anxious to see a hill once more. Travelers from the East

miss the rough, rugged hills of home!

The sun rose when near Denison, Iowa,--as one remarked, "not from

behind a hill, but right out of the ground"--ushering in another

beautiful day.

At Missouri Valley we were joined by Mr. J. R. Buchanan, who came to

see us across the Missouri river, which was done in transfer

boats--three coaches taken across at a time. As the first boat was

leaving, we stood upon the shore, and looked with surprise at the dull

lead-color of the water. We knew the word Missouri signified muddy, and

have often read of the unchanging muddy color of the water, yet we

never realize what we read as what we see. We searched the sandy shore

in vain for a pebble to carry away as a memento of the "Big Muddy," but

"nary a one" could we find, so had to be content with a little sand.

Was told the water was healthy to drink, but as for looks, we would not

use it for mopping our floors with. The river is about three-fourths of

a mile in width here. A bridge will soon be completed at this point,

the piers of which are now built, and then the boats will be abandoned.

When it came our turn to cross, we were all taken on deck, where we had

a grand view. Looking north and south on the broad, rolling river, east

to the bluffy shores of Iowa we had just left, and west to the level

lands of Nebraska, which were greeted with "three rousing huzzahs for

the state that was to be the future home of so many of our party." Yet

we knew the merry shouts were echoed with sighs from sad hearts within.

Some, we knew, felt they entered the state never to return, and know no

other home.

To those who had come with their every earthly possession, and who

would be almost compelled to stay whether they were pleased or not, it

certainly was a moment of much feeling. How different with those of us

who carried our return tickets, and had a home to return to! It was not

expected that all would be pleased; some would no doubt return more

devoted to the old home than before.

We watched the leaden waves roll by, down, on down, just as though they

had not helped to bear us on their bosom to--we did not know what. How

little the waves knew or cared! and never a song they sang to us; no

rocks or pebbles to play upon. Truly, "silently flow the deep waters."

Only the plowing through the water of the boat, and the splash of the

waves against its side as we floated down and across. How like the

world are the waters! We cross over, and the ripple we cause dies out

on the shore; the break of the wave is soon healed, and they flow on

just as before. But, reader, do we not leave footprints upon the shores

that show whence we came, and whither we have gone? And where is the

voyager upon life's sea that does not cast wheat and chaff, roses and

thorns upon the waves as they cross over? Grant, Father, that it may be

more of the wheat than chaff, more of the roses than thorns we cast

adrift upon the sea of _our_ life; and though they may be tempest

tossed, yet in Thy hands they will be gathered, not lost.

When we reached the shore, we were again seated in our coach, and

switched on to Nebraska's _terra firma_.

Mr. J. R. Buchanan refers to Beaver county, Pa., as his birth-place,

but had left his native state when yet a boy, and had wandered

westward, and now resides in Missouri Valley, the general passenger

agent of the S.C. & P.R.R. Co., which office we afterward learned he

fills with true dignity and a generosity becoming the company he

represents. He spoke with tenderness of the good old land of

Pennsylvania, and displayed a hearty interest in the people who had

just come from there. Indeed, there was much kindness expressed for

"the colony going to the Niobrara country" all the way along, and many

were the compliments paid. Do not blame us for self praise; we

flattered ourselves that we _did_ well sustain the old family

honors of "The Keystone." While nearing Blair, the singers serenaded

Mr. B. with "Ten thousand miles away" and other appropriate songs in

which he joined, and then with an earnest "God bless you," left us.

Reader, I will have to travel this road again, and then I will tell you

all about it. I have no time or chance to write now. The day is calm

and bright, and more like a real picnic or pleasure excursion than a

day of travel to a land of "doubt." When the train stopped any time at

a station, a number of us would get off, walk about, and gather

half-unfolded cottonwood and box elder leaves until "all aboard" was

sung out, and we were on with the rest--to go calling and visit with

our neighbors until the next station was reached. This relieved the

monotony of the constant going, and rested us from the jog and jolt of

the cars.

One of the doings of the day was the gathering of a button string;

mementos from the colony folks, that I might remember each one. I felt

I was going only to soon leave them--they to scatter over the plains,

and I to return perhaps never to again see Nebraska, and 'twas with a

mingling of sadness with all the fun of the gathering, that I received

a button from this one, a key or coin from that one, and scribbled down

the name in my memorandum. I knew they would speak to me long after we

had separated, and tell how the givers looked, or what they said as

they gave them to me, thinking, no doubt, it was only child's play.

Mr. Gibson continued with the party, just as obliging as ever, until we

reached Fremont, where he turned back to look after more travelers from

the East, as he is eastern passenger agent of the S.C. & P.R.R. He

received the thanks of all for the kindness and patience he displayed

in piloting a party of impatient emigrants through a three days'

journey.

Mr. Familton, who joined us at Denison, Iowa, and was going to help the

claim hunters, took pity on our empty looking lunch baskets, and kindly

had a number to take dinner at West Point and supper at Neligh with

him. It was a real treat to eat a meal from a well spread table again.

I must say I was disappointed; I had fancied the prairies would already

be in waving grass; instead, they were yet brown and sere with the dead

grass of last year excepting where they had been run over with fire,

and that I could scarcely tell from plowed ground--it has the same

rough appearance, and the soil is so very dark. Yet, the farther west

we went, the better all seemed to be pleased. Thus, with song and

sight-seeing, the day passed. "Old Sol" hid his smiling face from us

when near Clearwater, and what a grand "good night" he bade us! and

what beauty he spread out before us, going down like a great ball of

fire, setting ablaze every little sheet of water, and windows in houses

far away! Indeed, the windows were all we could see of the houses.

We were all wide awake to the lovely scene so new to us. Lizzie saw

this, Laura that, and Al, if told to look at the lovely sunset (but who

had a better taste for wild game) would invariably exclaim: Oh! the

prairie chickens! the ducks! the ducks! and wish for his gun to try his

luck. Thus nothing was lost, but everything enjoyed, until we stopped

at a small town where a couple of intoxicated men, claiming to be

cow-boys, came swaggering through our car to see the party of

"tenderfeet," as new arrivals from the East are termed by some, but

were soon shown that their company was not congenial and led out of the

car. My only defense is in flight and in getting out of the way; so I

hid between the seats and held my ears. Oh! dear! why did I come west?

I thought; but the train whistle blew and away we flew leaving our

tormenters behind, and no one hurt. Thus ended our first battle with

the much dreaded cow-boys; yet we were assured by others that they were

not cow-boys, as they, with all their wildness, would not be guilty of

such an act.

About 11 o'clock, Thursday night, we arrived at our last station,

Stuart, Holt county. Our coach was switched on a side-track, doors

locked, blinds pulled down, and there we slept until the dawning of our

first morning in Nebraska. The station agent had been apprised of our

coming, and had made comfortable the depot and a baggage car with a

good fire; that the men who had been traveling in other coaches and

could not find room in the two hotels of the town, could find a

comfortable resting place for the night.

We felt refreshed after a night of quiet rest, and the salubrious air

of the morning put us in fine spirits, and we flocked from the car like

birds out of a cage, and could have flown like freed birds to their

nests, some forty miles farther north-west, where the colonists

expected to find their nests of homes.

But instead, we quietly walked around the depot, and listened to a lark

that sang us a sweet serenade from amid the grass close by; but we had

to chase it up with a "shoo," and a flying clod before we could see the

songster. Then by way of initiation into the life of the "wild west," a

mark was pinned to a telegraph pole; and would you believe it, reader,

the spirit of the country had so taken hold of us already that we took

right hold of a big revolver, took aim, pulled the trigger, and after

the smoke had cleared away, looked--and--well--we missed paper and

pole, but hit the prairie beyond; where most of the shots were sown

that followed.

A number of citizens of Stuart had gathered about to see the "pack of

Irish and German emigrants," expected, while others who knew what kind

of people were coming, came with a hearty welcome for us. Foremost

among these were Messrs. John and James Skirving, merchants and

stockmen, who, with their welcome extended an invitation to a number to

breakfast. But before going, several of us stepped upon the scales to

note the effect the climate would have upon our avoirdupois. As I wrote

down 94 lbs., I thought, "if my weight increases to 100 lbs., I will

sure come again and stay." Then we scattered to look around until

breakfast was ready. We espied a great red-wheeled something--I didn't

know what, but full of curiosity went to see.

A gentleman standing near asked: "Are you ladies of the colony that

arrived last night?"

"Yes, sir, and we are wondering what this is."

"Why, that's an ox plow, and turns four furrows at one time."

"Oh! we didn't know but that it was a western sulky."

It was amusing to hear the guesses made as to what the farming

implements were we saw along the way, by these new farmers. But we went

to breakfast at Mr. John Skirving's wiser than most of them as far as

ox-plows were concerned.

What a breakfast! and how we did eat of the bread, ham, eggs, honey,

and everything good. Just felt as though we had never been to breakfast

before, and ate accordingly. That noted western appetite must have made

an attack upon us already, for soon after weighing ourselves to see if

the climate had affected a change yet, the weight slipped on

to--reader, I promised you I would tell you the truth and the whole

truth; but it is rather hard when it comes right down to the point of

the pen to write ninety-six. And some of the others that liked honey

better than I did, weighed more than two pounds heavier. Now what do

you think of a climate like that?

But we must add that we afterwards tested the difference in the scales,

and in reality we had only eaten--I mean we had only gained one and a

half pound from the salubrious air of the morning. Dinner and supper

were the same in place, price, and quality, but not in quantity.

When we went to the car for our luggage, we found Mr. Clark lying there

trying to sleep.

"Home-sick?" we asked.

"No, but I'm nigh sick abed; didn't get any sleep last night."

No, he was not homesick, only he fain would sleep and dream of home.

First meeting of the N.M.A.C. was held on a board pile near the

depot, to appoint a committee to secure transportation to the location.

The coming of the colony from Pennsylvania had been noised abroad

through the papers, and people were coming from every direction to

secure a home near them, and the best of the land was fast being

claimed by strangers, and the colonists felt anxious to be off on the

morrow.

The day was pleasant, and our people spent it in seeing what was to be

seen in and about Stuart, rendering a unanimous "pleased" in the

evening. Mr. John Skirving kindly gave three comfortable rooms above

his store to the use of the colonists, and the ladies and children with

the husbands went to house-keeping there Friday evening.

_Saturday morning._ Pleasant. All is bustle and stir to get the men

started to the location, and at last with oxen, horses, mules, and

ponies, eight teams in all, attached to wagons and hacks, and loaded

with the big tent and provisions, they were off. While the ladies who

were disappointed at being left behind; merrily waved each load away.

But it proved quite fortunate that we were left behind, as Saturday was

the last of the pleasant days. Sunday was cool, rained some, and that

western wind commenced to blow. We wanted to show that we were keepers

of the Sabbath by attending services at the one church of the town.

But, as the morning was unpleasant, we remained at the colony home and

wrote letters to the dear ones of home, telling of our safe arrival.

Many were the letters sent post haste from Stuart the following day to

anxious ones in the East.

In the afternoon it was pleasant enough for a walk across the prairie,

about a quarter of a mile, to the Elkhorn river. When we reached the

river I looked round and exclaimed: Why! what town is that? completely

turned already and didn't know the town I had just left.

The river has its source about fifteen miles south-west of Stuart, and

is only a brook in width here, yet quite deep and very swift. The water

is a smoky color, but so clear the fish will not be caught with hook

and line, spears and seine are used instead.

Like all the streams we have noticed in Nebraska it is very crooked,

yet we do not wonder that the water does not know where to run, there

is no "up or down" to this country; it is all just over to us; so the

streams cut across here, and wind around there, making angles, loops,

and turns, around which the water rushes, boiling and bubbling,--cross

I guess because it has so many twists and turns to make; don't know

what else would make it flow so swiftly in this level country. But hear

what Prof. Aughey says:

"The Elkhorn river is one of the most beautiful streams of the state.

It rises west of Holt and Elkhorn counties. Near its source the valley

widens to a very great breadth, and the bluffs bordering it are low and

often inappreciable. The general direction of the main river

approximates to 250 miles. Its direction is southeast. It empties into

the Platte in the western part of Sarpy county. For a large part of its

course the Elkhorn flows over rock bottom. It has considerable fall,

and its steady, large volume of waters will render it a most valuable

manufacturing region."

We had not realized that as we went west from the Missouri river we

made a constant ascent of several feet to the mile, else we would not

have wondered at the rapid flow of the river. The clearness of the

water is owing to its being gathered from innumerable lakelets; while

the smoky color is from the dead grass that cover its banks and some

places its bed.

Then going a little farther on we prospected a sod house, and found it

quite a decent affair. Walls three feet thick, and eight feet high;

plastered inside with native lime, which makes them smooth and white;

roof made of boards, tarred paper, and a covering of sod. The lady of

the house tells me the house is warm in winter, and cool in summer. Had

a drink of good water from the well which is fifteen feet deep, and

walled up with barrels with the ends knocked out.

The common way of drawing water is by a rope, swung over a pulley on a

frame several feet high, which brings to the top a zinc bucket the

shape and length of a joint of stove pipe, with a wooden bottom. In the

bottom is a hole over which a little trap door or valve is fastened

with leather hinges. You swing the bucket over a trough, and let it

down upon a peg fastened there, that raises the trap door and leaves

the water out. Some use a windlass. It seemed awkward to us at

first, but it is a cheap pump, and one must get used to a good many

inconveniences in a new country. But we who are used to dipping water

from springs, are not able to be a judge of pumps. Am told the water is

easily obtained, and generally good; though what is called hard water.

The country is almost a dead level, without a tree or bush in sight.

But when on a perfect level the prairie seems to raise around you,

forming a sort of dish with you in the center. Can see the sand hills

fifteen miles to the southwest quite distinctly. Farm houses, mostly

sod, dot the surrounding country.

_Monday, 30th._ Cool, with some rain, high wind, and little sunshine.

For the sake of a quiet place where I could write, I sought and found a

very pleasant stopping place with the family of Mr. John Skirving, of

whom I have before spoken, and who had but lately brought his family

from Jefferson City, Iowa.

_Tuesday._ A very disagreeable day; driving rain, that goes through

everything, came down all day. Do wonder how the claim hunters in camp

near the Keya Paha river will enjoy this kind of weather, with nothing

but their tent for shelter.

_Wednesday._ About the same as yesterday, cold and wet; would have

snowed, but the wind blew the flakes to pieces and it came down a fine

rain.

Mrs. S. thinks she will go back to Iowa, and I wonder if it rains at

home.

_Thursday._ And still it rains and blows!

_Friday._ A better day. Last night the wind blew so hard that I got out

of bed and packed my satchel preparatory to being blown farther west,

and dressed ready for the trip. The mode of travel was so new to me I

scarcely knew what to wear. Everything in readiness, I lay me down and

quietly waited the going of the roof, but found myself snug in bed in

the morning, and a roof over me. The wind was greatly calmed, and I

hastened to view the ruins of the storm of the night, but found nothing

had been disturbed, only my slumber. The wind seems to make more noise

than our eastern winds of the same force; and eastern people seem to

make more noise about the wind than western people do. Don't think that

I was frightened; there is nothing like being ready for emergencies! I

had heard so much of the storms and winds of the West, that I half

expected a ride on the clouds before I returned. The clouds cleared

away, and the sun shone out brightly, and soon the wind had the mud so

dried that it was pleasant walking. The soil is so mixed with sand that

the mud is never more than a couple of inches deep here, and is soon

dried. When dry a sandy dust settles over everything, but not a dirty

dust. A number of the colony men returned to-day.

_Saturday._ Pleasant. The most of the men have returned. The majority

in good heart and looking well despite the weather and exposure they

have been subject to, and have selected claims. But a few are

discouraged and think they will look for lands elsewhere.

They found the land first thought of so taken that they had to go still

farther northwest--some going as far west as Holt creek, and so

scattered that but few of them can be neighbors. This is a

disappointment not looked for, they expected to be so located that the

same church and school would serve them all.

Emigrant wagons have been going through Stuart in numbers daily,

through wind and rain, all going in that direction, to locate near the

colony. The section they had selected for a town plot had also been

claimed by strangers. Yet, I am told, the colonists might have located

more in a body had they gone about their claim-hunting more

deliberately. And the storm helped to scatter them. The tent which was

purchased with colony funds, and a few individual dollars, proved to be

a poor bargain. When first pitched there was a small rent near the top,

which the wind soon whipped into a disagreeably large opening. But the

wind brought the tent to the ground, and it was rightly mended, and

hoisted in a more sheltered spot. But, alas! down came the tent again,

and as many as could found shelter in the homes of the old settlers.

Some selected their claims, plowed a few furrows, and laid four poles

in the shape of a pen, or made signs of improvement in some way, and

then went east to Niobrara City, or west to Long Pine, to a land office

and had the papers taken out for their claims. Others, thinking there

was no need of such hurried precautions, returned to Stuart to spend

the Sabbath, and lost their claims. One party selected a claim,

hastened to a land office to secure it, and arrived just in time to see

a stranger sign his name to the necessary documents making it his.

Will explain more about claim-taking when I have learned more about it.

_Sunday, 6 May._ Bright and warm. Would not have known there had

been any rain during the past week by the ground, which is nicely

dried, and walking pleasant.

A number of us attended Sunday school and preaching in the forenoon,

and were well entertained and pleased with the manner in which the

Sunday school was conducted, while the organ in the corner made it

quite home-like. We were glad to know there were earnest workers even

here, where we were told the Sabbath was not observed; and but for our

attendance here would have been led to believe it were so. Teams going,

and stores open to people who come many miles to do their trading on

this day; yet it is done quietly and orderly.

The minister rose and said, with countenance beaming with earnestness:

"I thank God there are true christians to be found along this Elkhorn

valley, and these strangers who are with us to-day show by their

presence they are not strangers to Christ; God's house will always be

sought and found by his people." While our hearts were filled with

thanksgiving, that the God we love is very God everywhere, and unto him

we can look for care and protection at all times.

In the evening we again gathered, and listened to a sermon on

temperance, which, we were glad to know, fell upon a temperance people,

as far as we knew our brother and sister colonists. After joining in

"What a friend we have in Jesus" we went away feeling refreshed from

"The fountain that freely flows for all," and walked home under the

same stars that made beautiful the night for friends far away. Ah! we

had begun to measure the distance from home already, and did not dare

to think how far we were from its shelter.

But, as the stars are, so is God high over all; and the story of his

love is just the same the wide world over.

_Monday._ Pleasant. Colonists making preparation to start to the

location to-morrow, with their families. Some who have none but

themselves to care for, have started.

_Tuesday._ Rains. Folks disappointed.

_Wednesday._ Rains and blows. Discouraging.

_Thursday._ Blows and rains. _Very_ discouraging.

The early settlers say they never knew such a long rain at this season.

Guess it is raining everywhere; letters are coming telling of a snow in

some places nine and ten inches deep, on the 25th of April; of hard

frozen ground, and continuous rains. It is very discouraging for the

colony folks to be so detained; but they are thankful they are snug in

comfortable quarters, in Stuart, instead of out they scarcely know

where. Some have prepared muslin tents to live in until they can build

their log or sod houses. They are learning that those who left their

families behind until a home was prepared for them, acted wisely. I

cannot realize as they do the disappointment they have met with, yet I

am greatly in sympathy with them.

With the first letter received from home came this word from father: "I

feel that my advanced years will not warrant me in changing homes."

Well, that settled the matter of my taking a claim, even though the

land proved the best. Yet I am anxious to see and know all, now that I

am here, for history's sake, and intend going to the colony grounds

with the rest. Brother Charley has written me from Plum Creek, Dawson

county, to meet him at Fremont as soon as I can, and he will show me

some of the beauties of the Platte valley; but I cannot leave until I

have done this part of Nebraska justice. Mr. and Mrs. S. show me every

kindness, and in such a way that I am made to feel perfectly at home;

in turn I try to assist Mrs. S. with her household duties, and give

every care and attention to wee Nellie, who is quite ill. I started on

my journey breathing the prayer that God would take me into His own

care and keeping, and raise up kind friends to make the way pleasant. I

trusted all to Him, and now in answer, am receiving their care and

protection as one of their own. Thus the time passes pleasantly, while

I eat and sleep with an appetite and soundness I never knew

before--though I fancy Mrs. S's skill as a cook has a bearing on my

appetite, as well as the climate--yet every one experiences an increase

of appetite, and also of weight. One of our party whom we had called

"the pale man" for want of his right name, had thrown aside his "soft

beaver" and adopted a stockman's wide rimmed sombrero traded his

complexion to the winds for a bronze, and gained eight pounds in the

eleven days he has been out taking the weather just as it came, and

wherever it found him.

_Friday._ Rain has ceased and it shows signs of clearing off.

It does not take long for ground and grass to dry off enough for a

prairie fire, and they have been seen at distances all around Stuart at

night, reminding us of the gas-lights on the Bradford hills. The

prairies look like new mown hay-fields; but they are not the hay-fields

of Pennsylvania; a coarse, woody grass that must be burnt off, to allow

the young grass to show itself when it comes in the spring. Have seen

some very poor and neglected looking cattle that have lived all winter

upon the prairie without shelter. I am told that, not anticipating so

long a winter, many disposed of their hay last fall, and now have to

drive their cattle out to the "divides,"--hills between rivers--to

pasture on the prairie; and this cold wet weather has been very hard on

them, many of the weak ones dying. It has been a novel sight, to watch

a little girl about ten years old herding sheep near town; handling her

pony with a masterly hand, galloping around the herd if they begin to

scatter out, and driving them, into the corral. I must add that I have

also seen some fine looking cattle. I must tell you all the bad with

the good.

During all this time, and despite the disagreeable weather, emigrants

keep up the line of march through Stuart, all heading for the Niobrara

country, traveling in their "prairie schooners," as the great

hoop-covered wagon is called, into which, often are packed their every

worldly possession, and have room to pile in a large family on top.

Sometimes a sheet-iron stove is carried along at the rear of the wagon,

which, when needed, they set up inside and put the pipe through a hole

in the covering. Those who do not have this convenience carry wood with

them and build a fire on the ground to cook by; cooking utensils are

generally packed in a box at the side or front. The coverings of the

wagons are of all shades and materials; muslin, ducking, ticking,

overall stuff, and oil-cloth. When oil-cloth is not used they are often

patched over the top with their oil-cloth table covers. The women and

children generally do the driving, while the men and boys bring up the

rear with horses and cattle of all grades, from poor weak calves that

look ready to lay them down and die, to fine, fat animals, that show

they have had a good living where they came from.

Many of these people are from Iowa, are intelligent and show a good

education. One lady we talked with was from Michigan; had four bright

little children with her, the youngest about a year old; had come from

Missouri Valley in the wagon; but told us of once before leaving

Michigan and trying life in Texas; but not being suited with the

country, had returned, as they were now traveling, in only a wagon,

spending ten weeks on the way. She was driver and nurse both, while her

husband attended to several valuable Texas horses.

Another lady said: "Oh! we are from Mizzurie; been on the way three

weeks."

"How can you travel through such weather?"

"Oh! we don't mind it, we have a good ducking cover that keeps out the

rain, and when the wind blows very hard we tie the wagon down."

"Never get sick?"

"No."

"Not even a cold?"

"Oh! no, feel better now than when we started."

"How many miles can you go in a day?"

"We average about twenty."

The sun and wind soon tans their faces a reddish brown, but they look

healthy, happy, and contented. Thus you see, there is a needed class of

people in the West that think no hardship to pick up and thus go

whither their fancy may lead them, and to this class in a great measure

we owe the opening up of the western country.

_Saturday morning._ Cloudy and threatened more storm, but cleared off

nicely after a few stray flakes of "beautiful snow" had fallen. All

getting ready to make a start to the colony location. Hearing that Mr.

Lewis, one of the colonists, would start with the rest with a team of

oxen, I engaged a passage in his wagon. I wanted to go West as the

majority go, and enter into the full meaning and spirit of it all; so,

much to the surprise of many, I donned a broad brimmed sombrero, and

left Stuart about one o'clock, perched on the spring seat of a double

bed wagon, in company with Mrs. Gilman, who came from Bradford last

week. Mr. Lewis finds it easier driving, to walk, and is accompanied by

Mr. Boggs, who I judge has passed his three score years.

Thinking I might get hungry on the way or have to tent out, Mrs. S.

gave me a loaf of bread, some butter, meat, and stewed currants to

bring along; but the first thing done was the spilling of the juice off

the currants.

Come, reader, go with me on my first ride over the plains of Nebraska

behind oxen; of course they do not prance, pace, gallop, or trot; I

think they simply walk, but time will tell how fast they can jog along.

Sorry we cannot give you the shelter of a "prairie schooner," for the

wind does not forget to blow, and it is a little cool.

Mr. L. has already named his matched brindles, "Brock and Broady," and

as they were taken from the herd but yesterday, and have not been under

the yoke long, they are rather untutored; but Mr. L. is tutoring them

with a long lash whip, and I think he will have them pretty well

trained by the time we reach the end of our journey.

"Whoa, there Broady! get up! it's after one and dear only knows how far

we have got to go. Don't turn 'round so, you'll upset the wagon!" We

are going directly north-west. This, that looks like great furrows

running parallel with the road, I am told, is the old wagon train road

running from Omaha to the Black Hills. It runs directly through Stuart,

but I took it to be a narrow potato patch all dug up in deep rows. I

see when they get tired of the old ruts, they just drive along side and

make a new road which soon wears as deep as the old. No road taxes to

pay or work done on the roads here, and never a stone to cause a jolt.

The jolting done is caused in going from one rut to another.

Here we are four miles from Stuart, and wading through a two-mile

stretch of wet ground, all standing in water. No signs of habitation,

not even Stuart to be seen from this point.

Mr. Lewis wishes for a longer whip-stock or handle; I'll keep a look

out and perhaps I will find one.

Now about ten miles on our way and Stuart in plain view. There must be

a raise and fall in the ground that I cannot notice in going over it.

Land is better here Mr. B. says, and all homesteaded. Away to our right

are a few little houses, sod and frame. While to the left, 16 miles

away, are to be seen the sand-hills, looking like great dark waves.

The walking is so good here that I think I will relieve the--oxen of

about 97 pounds. You see I have been gaining in my avoirdupois. I enjoy

walking over this old road, gathering dried grasses and pebbles,

wishing they could speak and tell of the long emigrant trains that had

tented at night by the wayside; of travelers going west to find new

homes away out on the wild plains; of the heavy freight trains carrying

supplies to the Indian agencies and the Black Hills; of the buffalo

stampede and Indian "whoop" these prairies had echoed with, but which

gave way to civilization only a few years ago, and now under its

protection, we go over the same road in perfect safety, where robbery

and massacres have no doubt been committed. Oh! the change of time!

Twelve miles from Stuart, why would you believe it, here's a real

little hill with a small stream at the bottom. Ash creek it is called,

but I skip it with ease, and as I stop to play a moment in the clear

water and gather a pebble from its gravelly bed, I answer J. G. Holland

in Kathrina with: Surely, "the crystal brooks _are_ sweeter for singing

to the thirsty brutes that dip their bearded muzzles in their foam,"

and thought what a source of delight this little stream is to the many

that pass this way. Then viewed the remains of a sod house on the

hillside, and wondered what king or queen of the prairie had reigned

within this castle of the West, the roof now tumbled in and the walls

falling.

Ah! there is plenty of food for thought, and plenty of time to think as

the oxen jog along, and I bring up the rear, seeing and hearing for

your sake, reader.

Only a little way from the creek, and we pass the first house that

stands near the road, and that has not been here long, for it is quite

new. The white-haired children playing about the door will not bother

their neighbors much, or get out of the yard and run off for awhile at

least, as there is no other house in sight, and the boundless prairie

is their dooryard. Happy mother! Happy children!

Now we are all aboard the wagon, and I have read what I have written of

the leave taking of home; Mr. B. wipes his eyes as it brings back

memories of the good byes to him; Mr. L. says, "that's very truly

written," and Mrs. G. whispers, "I must have one of your books, Sims."

All this is encouraging, and helps me to keep up brave heart, and put

forth every effort to the work I have begun, and which is so much of an

undertaking for me.

"Oh! Mr. Lewis, there it is!"

"Is what?"

"Why, that stick for a whip-handle."

I had been watching all the way along, and it was the only stick I had

seen, and some poor unfortunate had lost it.

The sun is getting low, and Mr. L. thinks we had better stop over night

at this old log-house, eighteen miles from Stuart, and goes to talk to

the landlord about lodging. I view the prospects without and think of

way-side inns I have read of in story, but never seen before, and am

not sorry when he returns and reports: "already crowded with

travelers," and flourishing his new whip starts Brock and Broady,

though tired and panting, into a trot toward the Niobrara, and soon we

are nearing another little stream called Willow creek, named from the

few little willow bushes growing along its banks, the first bushes seen

all the way along. It is some wider than Ash creek, and as there is no

bridge we must ride across. Mr. L. is afraid the oxen are thirsty and

will go straight for the water and upset the wagon. Oh, dear! I'll just

shut my eyes until we are on the other side.

There, Mr. B. thinks he sees a nest of prairie chicken eggs and goes to

secure some for a novelty, but changes his mind and thinks he'll not

disturb that nest of white puff-balls, and returns to the wagon quite

crestfallen. Heavy looking clouds gathering in the west, obscure the

setting sun, which is a real disappointment. The dawning and fading of

the days in Nebraska are indeed grand, and I did so want a sunset feast

this evening, for I could view it over the bluffy shores of the

Niobrara river. Getting dark again, just when the country is growing

most interesting.

Mr. B. and L. say, "bad day to-morrow, more rain sure;" I consult my

barometer and it indicates fair weather. If it is correct I will name

it Vennor, if not I shall dub it Wiggins. Thermometer stands at 48°,

think I had better walk and get warmed up; a heavy cloth suit, mohair

ulster and gossamer is scarcely sufficient to keep the chilly wind out.

One mile further on and darkness overtakes us while sticking on the

banks of Rock creek, a stream some larger than Willow creek, and

bridged with poles for pedestrians, on which we crossed; but the oxen,

almost tired out, seemed unequal for the pull up the hill. Mr. L. uses

the whip, while Mr. B. pushes, and Mrs. G. and I stand on a little rock

that juts out of the hill--first stone or rock seen since we entered

the state, and pity the oxen, but there they stick. Ah! here is a man

coming with an empty wagon and two horses; now he will help us up the

hill. "Can you give me a lift?" Mr. L. asks. "I'm sorry I can't help

you gentlemen, but that off-horse is _terribly weak_. The other horse

is all right, but you can see for yourself, gentlemen, how weak that

off-horse is." And away he goes, rather brisk for a weak horse. While

we come to the conclusion that he has not been west long enough to

learn the ways of true western kindness. (We afterwards learned he was

lately from Pennsylvania.) But here comes Mr. Ross and Mr. Connelly who

have walked all the way from Stuart. Again the oxen pull, the men push,

but not a foot gained; wagon only settling firmer into the mud. The men

debate and wonder what to do. "Why not unload the trunks and carry them

up the hill?" I ask. Spoopendike like, someone laughed at my

suggestion, but no sooner said than Mr. L. was handing down a trunk

with, "That's it--only thing we can do; here help with this trunk," and

a goodly part of the load is carried to the top of the hill by the men,

while I carry the guns. How brave we are growing, and how determined to

go west; and the oxen follow without further trouble.

When within a mile and a half of the river, those of us who can, walk,

as it is dangerous driving after dark, and we take across, down a hill,

across a little canyon, at the head of which stands a little house with

a light in the window that looks inviting, but on we go, across a

narrow channel of the river, on to an island covered with diamond

willow bushes, and a few trees. See a light from several "prairie

schooners" that have cast anchor amid the bushes, and which make a very

good harbor for these ships of the west.

"What kind of a shanty is this?"

"Why that is a wholesale and retail store, but the merchant doesn't

think worth while to light up in the evening."

On we walk over a sort of corduroy road made of bushes, and so tired I

can scarcely take another step.

"Well, is this the place?" I asked as we stopped to look in at the open

door of a double log house, on a company of people who are gathered

about an organ and singing, "What a friend we have in Jesus."

"No, just across the river where you see that light."

Another bridge is crossed, and we set us down in Aunty Slack's hotel

about 9 o'clock. Tired? yes, and _so glad_ to get to _somewhere_.

Mr. John Newell, who lives near the Keya Paha, left Stuart shortly

after we did, with Mrs. and Miss Lizzie, Laura, and Verdie Ross, in his

hack, but soon passed us with his broncho ponies and had reached here

before dark.

Three other travelers were here for the night, a Keya Paha man, a Mr.

Philips, of Iowa, and Mr. Truesdale, of Bradford, Pa.

"How did the rest get started?" Mrs. R. asks of her husband.

"Well, Mr. Morrison started with his oxen, with Willie Taylor, and Mrs.

M. and Mrs. Taylor rode in the buggy tied to the rear end of the wagon.

Mr. Barnwell and several others made a start with his team of oxen. But

Mr. Taylor's horses would not pull a pound, so he will have to take

them back to the owner and hunt up a team of oxen." We had expected to

all start at the same time, and perhaps tent out at night. A good

supper is refreshing to tired travelers, but it is late before we get

laid down to sleep. At last the ladies are given two beds in a new

apartment just erected last week, and built of cedar logs with a sod

roof, while the men throw themselves down on blankets and comforts on

the floor, while the family occupies the old part.

About twelve o'clock the rain began to patter on the sod shingles of

the roof over head, which by dawn was thoroughly soaked, and gently

pouring down upon the sleepers on the floor, causing a general

uprising, and driving them from the room. It won't leak on our side of

the house, so let's sleep awhile longer; but just as we were dropping

into the arms of Morpheus, spat! came a drop on our pillow, which said,

"get up!" in stronger terms than mother ever did. I never saw a finer

shower inside a house before. What a crowd we made for the little log

house, 14×16 feet, built four years ago, and which served as kitchen,

dining room, chamber, and parlor, and well crowded with furniture,

without the addition of fourteen rain-bound travelers, beside the

family, which consisted of Mrs. Slack, proprietress, a daughter and

son-in-law, and a hired girl, 18 heads in all to be sheltered by this

old sod roof made by a heavy ridge pole, or log laid across at the

comb, which supports slabs or boards laid from the wall, then brush and

dried grass, and then the sod. The walls are well chinked and whitened.

The door is the full height of the wall, and the tallest of the men

have to strictly observe etiquette, and bow as they enter and leave the

house. Mr. Boggs invariably strikes a horse shoe suspended to the

ceiling with his head, and keeps "good luck" constantly on the swing

over us. The roof being old and well settled, keeps it from leaking

badly; but Mrs. S. says there is danger of it sliding off or caving in.

Dear me! I feel like crawling under the table for protection.

Rain! rain! think I will give the barometer the full name of R. Stone

Wiggins! Have a mind to throw him into the river by way of immersion,

but fear he would stick in a sand-bar and never predict another storm,

so will just hang him on the wall out side to be sprinkled.

The new house is entirely abandoned, fires drowned out, organ, sewing

machine, lunch baskets, and bedding protected as well as can be with

carpet and rubber coats.

How glad I am that I have no luggage along to get soaked. My butter and

meat was lost out on the prairie or in the river--hope it is meat cast

adrift for some hungry traveler--and some one has used my loaf for a

cushion, and how sad its countenance! Don't care if it does get wet! So

I just pin my straw hat to the wall and allow it to rain on, as free

from care as any one can be under such circumstances. I wanted

experience, and am being gratified, only in a rather dampening way.

Some find seats on the bed, boxes, chairs, trunk, and wood-box, while

the rest stand. We pass the day talking of homes left behind and

prospects of the new. Seven other travelers came in for dinner, and

went again to their wagons tucked around in the canyons.

The house across the river is also crowded, and leaking worse than the

_hotel_ where we are stopping. Indeed, we feel thankful for the shelter

we have as we think of the travelers unprotected in only their wagons,

and wonder where the rest of our party are.

The river is swollen into a fretful stream and the sound of the waters

makes us even more homesick.

"More rain, more grass," "more rain, more rest," we repeated, and every

thing else that had a jingle of comfort in it; but oftener heard, "I

_do wish_ it would stop!" "When _will_ it clear off?" "Does it _always_

rain here?" It did promise to clear off a couple of times, only to

cloud up again, and so the day went as it came, leaving sixteen souls

crowded in the cabin to spend the night as best we could. Just how was

a real puzzle to all. But midnight solves the question. Reader, I wish

you were here, seated on this spring wagon seat with me by the stove, I

then would be spared the pain of a description. Did you ever read Mark

Twain's "Roughing It?" or "Innocents Abroad?" well, there are a few

_innocents abroad_, just now, _roughing it_ to their hearts' content.

The landlady, daughter, and maid, with Laura, have laid them down

crosswise on the bed. The daughter's husband finds sleep among some

blankets, on the floor at the side of the bed. Mr. Ross, almost sick,

sticks his head under the table and feet under the cupboard and snores.

Mrs. Ross occupies the only rocker--there, I knew she would rock on Mr.

Philips who is stretched out on a one blanket just behind her! Double

up, Mr. P., and stick your knees between the rockers and you'll stand a

better chance.

If you was a real birdie, Mrs. Gilman, or even a chicken, you might

perch on the side of that box. To sleep in that position would be

dangerous; dream of falling sure and might not be all a dream, and

then, Mr. Boggs would be startled from his slumbers. Poor man! We do

pity him! Six feet two inches tall; too much to get all of himself

fixed in a comfortable position at one time. Now bolt upright on a

chair, now stretched out on the floor, now doubled up; and now he is on

two chairs looking like the last grasshopper of the raid. Hush! Lizzie,

you'll disturb the thirteen sleepers.

Mr. Lewis has turned the soft side of a chair up for a pillow before

the stove, and list--he snores a dreamy snore of home-sweet-ho-om-me.

Mr. Truesdale is rather fidgety, snugly tucked in behind the stove on a

pile of kindling wood. I'm afraid he will black his ears on the pots

and kettles that serve as a back ground for his head, but better that

than nothing. Am afraid Mr. Newell, who is seated on an inverted wooden

pail, will loose his head in the wood-box, for want of a head rest, if

he doesn't stop nodding so far back.

Hold tight to your book, Mr. N., you may wake again and read a few more

words of Kathrina.

Here, Laura, get up and let your little sister, Verdie, lie down on the

bed. "That table is better to eat off than sleep on," Lizzie says, and

crawls down to claim a part of my wagon seat in which I have been

driving my thoughts along with pencil and paper, and by way of a jog,

give the stove a punch with a stick of wood, every now and then;

casting a sly glance to see if the old lady looks cross in her sleep,

because we are burning all her dry wood up, and dry wood is a rather

scarce article just now. But can't be helped. The feathery side of

these boards are down, the covers all wet in the other room, and these

sleepers must be kept warm.

Roll over, Mr. Lewis, and give Mrs. Ross room whereon to place her feet

and take a little sleep! Now Mrs. R.'s feet are not large if she does

weigh over two hundred pounds; small a plenty; but not quite as small

as the unoccupied space, that's all.

Well, it's Monday now, 'tis one o'clock, dear me; wonder what ails my

eyes; feels like there's sand in them. I wink, and wink, but the

oftener, the longer. Do believe I'm getting sleepy too! What will I do?

To sleep here would insure a nod over on the stove; no room on the

floor without danger of kicks from booted sleepers. Lizzie, says, "Get

up on the table, Sims," it will hold a little thing like you. So I

leave the seat solely to her and mount the table, fully realizing that

"necessity is the mother of invention," and that western people do just

as they can, mostly. So

All cuddled up together,

In a little weenty heap,

I double up my pillow

And laugh myself to sleep.

I know you will not blame me

If I dream of home so bright--

I'll see you in the morning

So now a kind "good night".

As there is no room for the muses to visit me here I'll not attempt

further poetizing but go to sleep and dream I am snug in my own little

bed at home. Glad father and mother do not know where their daughter is

seeking rest for to-night.

"Get up, Sims, it's five o'clock and Mrs. S. wants to set the table for

breakfast," and I start up, rubbing my eyes, wishing I could sleep

longer, and wondering why I hadn't come west long ago, and hadn't

always slept on a table?

I only woke once during the night, and as the lamp was left burning,

could see that Mrs. R. had found a place for her feet, and all were

sound asleep. Empty stomachs, weariness, and dampened spirits are

surely three good opiates which, taken together, will make one sleep in

almost any position. Do wonder if "Mark" ever slept on an extension

table when he was out west? Don't think he did, believe he'd use the

dirty floor before he'd think of the table; so I am ahead in this

chapter.

Well, the fun was equal to the occasion, and I think no one will ever

regret the time spent in the little log house at "Morrison's bridge,"

and cheerfully paid their $1.75 for their four meals and two nights'

lodging, only as we jogged along through the cold next day, all thought

they would have had a bite of supper, and not gone hungry to the floor,

to sleep.

_Monday morning._ Cold, cloudy, and threatening more rain. Start

about eight o'clock for the Keya Paha, Mr. N. with the Ross ladies

ahead, while the walkers stay with our "span of brindles" to help push

them up the hill, and I walk to relieve them of my weight.

But we have reached the table-land, and as I have made my impress in

the sand and mud of this hill of science, I gladly resume my seat in

the wagon with Mrs. Gilman, who is freezing with a blanket pinned on

over her shawl. Boo! The wind blows cold, and it sprinkles and tries to

snow, and soon I too am almost freezing with all my wraps on, my head

well protected with fascinator, hat, and veil. How foolish I was to

start on such a trip without good warm mittens. "Let's get back on the

trunks, Mrs. G., and turn our backs to the wind." But that is not all

sufficient and Mr. L. says he cannot wear his overcoat while walking

and kindly offers it to me, and I right willingly crawl into it, and

pull it up over my ears, and draw my hands up in the sleeves, and try

hard to think I am warm. I can scarcely see out through all this

bundling, but I must keep watch and see all I can of the country as I

pass along. Yet, it is just the same all the way, with the only

variation of, from level, to slightly undulating prairie land. Not a

tree, bush, stump, or stone to be seen. Followed the old train road for

several miles and then left it, and traveled north over an almost

trackless prairie. During the day's travel we met but two parties, both

of whom were colonists on their way to Long Pine to take claims in that

neighborhood. Passed close to two log houses just being built, and two

squads of tenters who peered out at us with their sunburnt faces

looking as contented as though they were perfectly satisfied with their

situation.

The oxen walked right along, although the load was heavy and the ground

soft, and we kept up a steady line of march toward the Keya Paha, near

where most of the colonists had selected their claims, and as we neared

their lands, the country took on a better appearance.

The wind sweeps straight across, and the misting rain from clouds that

look to be resting upon the earth, makes it a very gloomy outlook, and

very disagreeable. Yet I would not acknowledge it. I was determined, if

possible, to make the trip without taking cold. So Mrs. G. and I kept

up the fun until we were too cold to laugh, and then began to ask: "How

much farther do we have to go? When will we reach there?" Until we were

ashamed to ask again, so sat quiet, wedged down between trunks and a

plow, and asked no more questions.

"Oh, joy! Mrs. G., there's a house; and I do believe that is Mrs. Ross

with Lizzie and Laura standing at the door. I'll just wave them a

signal of distress, and they will be ready to receive us with open

arms."

And soon we are safely landed at Mr. J. Newell's door, where a married

brother lives. They gave us a kindly welcome, and a good warm dinner.

After we had rested, Mr. N. took the ladies three miles farther on to

the banks of the Keya Paha river, which is 18 miles from the Niobrara

and 48 from Stuart, arriving there about four P.M.

Mr. and Mrs. John Kuhn, with whom the party expected to make their home

until they could get their tents up, received us very kindly, making us

feel quite at home.

Mrs. K. is postmistress of Brewer postoffice, and her table was well

supplied with good reading matter. I took up a copy of "Our Continent"

to read while I rested, and opened directly to a poem by H. A. Lavely:

"The sweetest songs are never sung;

The fairest pictures never hung;

The fondest hopes are never told--

They are the heart's most cherished gold."

They were like a voice directly from the pleasant days of last summer,

when the author with his family was breathing mountain air at DuBois

City, Pa., when we exchanged poems of our own versing, and Mrs. L.

added her beautiful children's stories.

He had sent them to me last Christmas time, just after composing them,

and now I find them in print away on the very frontier of civilization.

How little writers know how far the words they pen for the public to

read, will reach out! Were they prophetic for our colonists?

_Tuesday, 15th of May_, dawned without a cloud, and how bright

everything looks when the clouds have rolled away. Why, the poor

backward buds look as though they would smile right open. What a change

from that of yesterday! Reader, I wish I could tell you all about my

May day, but the story is a long one--too long for the pages of my

little book.

And now Mrs. Ross and the girls are ready with baskets to go with me to

gather what we can find in the way of flowers and leaves along the

hillside and valley of the Keya Paha. For flowers we gather blossoms of

the wild plum, cherry, and currant, a flower they call buffalo beans,

and one little violet. But the leaves were not forgotten, and twigs

were gathered of every different tree and bush then in leaf. They were

of the box elder, wild gooseberry, and buck bush or snow berry. Visited

the spring where Mr. Kuhn's family obtained their water; a beautiful

place, with moss and overhanging trees and bushes, and altogether quite

homelike. Then to the river where we gathered pebbles of almost every

color from the sandy shore. We threw, and threw, to cast a stone on the

Dakota side, and when this childish play was crowned with success,

after we had made many a splash in the water, we returned to the house

where Mr. J. Newell waited for us with a spring wagon, and in which,

Lizzie, Laura and I took seats, and were off to visit the Stone Butte,

twelve miles west.

Up on the table-land we drove, then down into the valley; and now close

to the river, and now up and down over the spurrs of the bluff; past

the colonists' tent, and now Mr. N. has invited a Miss Sibolt and Miss

Minn to join our maying party.

The bottom land shows a luxuriant growth of grass of last year's

growing, and acres of wild plum and choke cherry bushes, now white with

blossoms, and so mingled that I cannot tell them apart. If they bear as

they blossom, there will be an abundance of both. A few scattered

trees, mostly burr or scrub oak and elms are left standing in the

valley; but not a tree on the table-land over which the road ran most

of the way. The Stone Butte is an abrupt hill, or mound, which stands

alone on a slightly undulating prairie. It covers a space of about 20

acres at the base; is 300 feet from base to the broad top; it is

covered with white stones that at a distance give it the appearance of

a snow capped mountain, and can be seen for many miles. Some say they

are a limestone, and when burnt, make a good quality of lime; others

that they are only a sand-stone. They leave a chalky mark with the

touch, and to me are a curious formation, and look as though they had

been boiled up and stirred over from some great mush pot, and fell in a

shower of confusion just here, as there are no others to be seen but

those on the butte. Oh! what a story they could tell to geologists;

tell of ages past when these strange features of this wonderful country

were formed! But they are all silent to me, and I can only look and

wonder, and turn over and look under for some poor Indian's hidden

treasure, but all we found were pieces of petrified wood and bone, a

moss agate, and a little Indian dart. Lizzie found a species of

dandelion, the only flower found on the butte, and gave it to me, for I

felt quite lost without a dear old dandelion in my hand on my May day,

and which never failed me before. I have termed them "Earth's Stars,"

for they will peep through the grassy sod whenever the clouds will

allow. It is the same in color, but single, and the leaves different.

We called and hallooed, ah echo coming back to us from, we did not know

where; surely not from Raymond's buttes, which we can see quite

distinctly, though they are thirty-five miles away. Maybe 'twas a war

whoop from a Sioux brave hid among the bluffs, almost four miles to the

north, and we took it for an echo to our own voice. The view obtained

from this elevated point was grand.

A wide stretch of rolling prairie, with the Keya Paha river to the

north. Though the river is but two and one-half miles away, yet the

water is lost to view, and we look beyond to the great range of bluffs

extending far east and west along its northern banks, and which belong

to the Sioux Indian reservation, they are covered with grass, but

without shrubbery of any kind, yet on their sides a few gray stones or

rocks can be seen even from here. South of the butte a short distance

is a small stream called Holt Creek. Near it we can see two "claim

takers" preparing their homes; aside from these but two other houses, a

plowman, and some cattle are the only signs of life. Mr. N. tells me

the butte is on the claim taken by Mr. Tiffiny, and Messrs. Fuller's

and Wood's and others of the colony are near. After all the

sight-seeing and gathering is done, I sit me down on a rock all alone,

to have a quiet think all to myself. Do you wonder, reader, that I feel

lonely and homesick, amid scenes so strange and new? Wonder will our

many friends of the years agone think of me and keep the day for me in

places where, with them, I have gathered the wild flowers and leaves of

spring?

But Mr. N. comes up and interrupts me with: "Do you know, Miss Fulton,

your keeping a May-day seems so strange to me? Do not think our western

girls would think of such a thing!"

"Since you wonder at it, I will tell you, very briefly, my story. It

was instituted by mere accident by me in 1871, and I have kept the 15th

of May of every year since then in nature's untrained gardens,

gathering of all the different flowers and leaves that are in bloom, or

have unfolded, and note the difference in the seasons, and also the

difference in the years to me.

No happier girl ever sang a song than did I on my first May-day; and

the woodland was never more beautiful, dressed in the bright robes of

an early spring. Every tree in full leaf, every wild flower of spring

in bloom, and I could not but gather of all--even the tiniest.

The next 15th of May, I, by mere happening, went to the woods, and

remembering it was the anniversary of my accidental maying of the

previous year, I stopped to gather as before; but the flowers were not

so beautiful, nor the leaves so large. Then, too, I was very sad over

the serious illness of a loved sister.

I cannot tell of all the years, but in '74 I searched for May flowers

with tear-dimmed eyes--sister May was dead, and everywhere it was

desolate.

'75. "A belated snow cloud shook to the ground" a few flakes, and we

gathered only sticks for bouquets, with buds scarcely swollen.

In '81, I climbed Point McCoy near Bellefont, Pa., a peak of the Muncy

mountains and a range of the Alleghanys, and looked for miles, and

miles away, over mountains and vales, and gathered of flowers that

almost painted the mountain side, they were so plentiful and bright.

Last year I gathered the flowers of home with my own dear mother, and

shared them with May, by laying them on her grave.

To-day, all things have been entirely new and strange; but while I

celebrate it on the wild boundless plains of Nebraska, yet almost

untouched by the hand of man, dear father and mother are visiting the

favorite mossy log, the spring in the wood, and the moss covered rocks

where we children played at "house-keeping," and in my name, will

gather and put to press leaves and flowers for me. Ah! yes! and are so

lonely thinking of their daughter so far away.

The sweetest flower gathered in all the years was Myrtle--sister

Maggie's oldest child--who came to me for a May-flower in '76.

But while the flowers bloomed for my gathering in '81, the grass was

growing green upon her grave. And I know sister will not forget to

gather and place on the sacred mound, "Auntie Pet's" tribute of love.

Thus it is with a mingling of pleasures and pains, of smiles and tears

that I am queen of my maying, with no brighter eyes to usurp my crown,

for it is all my own day and of all the days of the year the dearest to

me.

"I think, Mr. Newell, we can live _good_ lives and yet not make the

_most_ of life; our lives need crowding with much that is good and

useful; and this is only the crowding in of a day that is very good and

useful to me. For on this day I retrospect the past, and think of the

hopes that bloomed and faded with the flowers of other years, and

prospect the future, and wonder what will the harvest be that is now

budding with the leaves for me and which I alone must garner."

After a last look at the wide, wide country, that in a few years will

be fully occupied with the busy children of earth, we left "Stone

Butte," carrying from its stony, grassy sides and top many curious

mementos of our May-day in Nebraska.

Then I went farther north-west to visit the home of a "squaw man"--the

term used for Indians who cannot endure the torture of the sun dance,

and also white men that marry Indian maidens. On our way we passed a

neatly built sod house, in which two young men lived who had lately

come from Delaware, and were engaged in stock-raising, and enjoyed the

life because they were doing well, as one of them remarked to Mr. N. I

tell these little things that those who do not already know, may

understand how Nebraska is populated with people from everywhere.

Soon we halted at the noble (?) white man's door, and all but Lizzie

ventured in, and by way of excuse asked for a drink or _minnie_ in

the Sioux language. "Mr. Squaw" was not at home, and "Mrs. Squaw," poor

woman, acted as though she would like to hide from us, but without a

word handed us a dipper of water from which we very lightly sipped, and

then turned her back to us, and gave her entire attention to a bright,

pretty babe which she held closely in her arms, and wrapped about it a

new shawl which hung about her own shoulders. The children were bright

and pretty, with brown, curly hair, and no one would guess there was a

drop of Indian blood in their veins. But the mother is only a

half-breed, as her father was a Frenchman. Yet in features, at least,

the Indian largely predominates. Large powerful frame, dusky

complexion, thin straight hair neatly braided into two jet black

braids, while the indispensable brass ear drops dangled from her ears.

Her dress was a calico wrapper of no mean color or make-up. We could

not learn much of the expression of her countenance, as she kept her

face turned from us, and we did not wish to be rude. But standing thus

she gave us a good opportunity to take a survey of their _tepee_.

The house was of sod with mother earth floors, and was divided into two

apartments by calico curtains. The first was the kitchen with stove,

table, benches, and shelves for a cupboard. The room contained a bed

covered with blankets, which with a bench was all that was to be seen

except the walls, and they looked like a sort of harness shop. The

furniture was all of home make, but there was an air of order and

neatness I had not expected.

The woman had been preparing kinnikinic tobacco for her white chief to

smoke. It is made by scraping the bark from the red willow, then

drying, and usually mixing with an equal quantity of natural leaf

tobacco, and is said to make "pleasant smoking." Ah, well! I thought,

it is only squaws that will go to so much pains to supply their liege

lords with tobacco. She can, but will not speak English, as her husband

laughs at her awkward attempts. So not a word could we draw from her.

She answered our "good bye," with a nod of the head and a motion of the

lips. I know she was glad when the "pale faces" were gone, and we left

feeling so sorry for her and indignant, all agreeing that any man who

would marry a squaw is not worthy of even a squaw's love and labor;

labor is what they expect and demand of them, and as a rule, the squaw

is the better of the two. Their husbands are held in great favor by

those of their own tribe, and they generally occupy the land allowed by

the government to every Indian, male or female, but which the Indians

are slow to avail themselves of. They receive blankets and clothing

every spring and fall, meat every ten days, rations of sugar, rice,

coffee, tobacco, bread and flour every week.

Indians are not considered as citizens of the United States, and have

no part in our law-making, yet are controlled by them. They are kept as

Uncle Sam's unruly subjects, unfit for any kind of service to him. Why

not give them whereon to place their feet on an equal footing with the

white children and made to work or starve; "to sink or swim; live or

die; survive or perish?" What a noble motto that would be for them to

adopt!

We then turn for our homeward trip, a distance of fifteen miles, but no

one stops to count miles here, where roads could not be better.

When within six miles of Mr. Kuhn's, we stopped by invitation given in

the morning, and took tea with Mrs. W., who received us with: "You

don't know how much good it does me to have you ladies come!" Then led

the way into her sod house, saying, "I wish we had our new house built,

so we could entertain you better." But her house was more interesting

to us with its floorless kitchen, and room covered with a neat rag

carpet underlaid with straw. The room was separated from the kitchen by

being a step higher, and two posts where the door would have been had

the partition been finished.

The beds and chairs were of home manufacture, but the chairs were

cushioned, and the beds neatly arranged with embroidered shams, and

looked so comfortable that while the rest of the party prospected

without, I asked to lie down and rest, and was soon growing drowsy with

my comfortable position when Mrs. W. roused me with: "I cannot spare

your company long enough for you to go to sleep. No one knows how I

long for company; indeed, my very soul grows hungry at times for

society."

Poor woman! she looked every word she spoke, and my heart went right

out to her in pity, and I asked her to tell us her experience.

I will quote her words and tell her story, as it is the language and

experience of many who come out from homes of comfort, surrounded by

friends, to build up and regain their lost fortunes in the West. Mrs.

W's. appearance was that of a lady of refinement, and had once known

the comforts and luxuries of a good home in the East. But misfortunes

overtook them, and they came to the West to regain what they had lost.

Had settled there about three years before and engaged in stock

raising. The first year the winter was long and severe, and many of

their cattle died; but were more successful the succeeding years, and

during the coming summer were ready to build a new house, not of sod,

but of lumber.

"We had been thinking of leaving this country, but this colony settling

here will help it so much, and now we will stay."

Her books of poems were piled up against the plastered wall, showing

she had a taste for the beautiful.

After a very pleasant couple of hours we bade her good-bye, and made

our last start for home. The only flowers found on the way were the

buffalo beans and a couple of clusters of white flowers that looked

like daisies, but are almost stemless. On our way we drove over a

prairie dog town, frightening the little barkers into their underground

homes.

Here and there a doggie sentinel kept his position on the roof of his

house which is only a little mound, barking with a fine squeaky bark to

frighten us away and warn others to keep inside; but did we but turn

toward him and wink, he wasn't there any more.

Stopped for a few moments at the colony tent and found only about six

of the family at home, including a gentleman from New Jersey who had

joined them.

The day had been almost cloudless and pleasantly warm, and as we

finished our journey it was made thrice beautiful by the setting sun,

suggesting the crowning thought: will I have another May-day, and

where?

Wednesday was pleasant, and I spent it writing letters and sending to

many friends pressed leaves and flowers and my maying in Nebraska.

The remainder of the week was bright; but showery. "Wiggins" was kept

hanging on a tree in the door yard, to be consulted with about storms,

and he generally predicted one, and a shower would come. We did so want

the rain to cease long enough for the river to fall that we might cross

over on horse-back to the other side and take a ramble over the bluffs

of Dakota, and perhaps get a sight of a Sioux. As it kept so wet the

colonists did not pitch their tents, and Mr. Kuhn's house was well

filled with weather stayed emigrants.

Mr. and Mrs. Morrison, Mrs. Taylor, and Will came Tuesday. They had not

come to any stopping place when darkness settled upon them Saturday

night and the ladies slept in the buggy, and men under the wagon. When

daylight came they found they were not far from the first house along

the way where they spent Sunday. Monday they went to the Niobrara river

and stopped at the little house at the bridge; and Tuesday finished the

journey. Their faces were burnt with the sun and wind; but the ladies

dosed them with sweet cream, which acted admirably. Mr. Taylor returned

his horses to their former owner, bought a team of oxen, and left

Stuart on Monday, but over-fed them, and was all the week coming with

sick oxen. Mr. Barnwell's oxen stampeded one night and were not found

for over a week. Such were the trials of a few of the N.M.A.C.

Perhaps you can learn from their experiences. I have already learned

that, if possible, it is best to have your home selected, and a shelter

prepared, and then bring your family and household goods. Bring what

you really need, rather than dispose of it at a sacrifice. Do not

expect to, anywhere, find a land of perpetual sunshine or a country

just the same as the one you left. Do not leave Pa. expecting to find

the same old "Keystone" in Nebraska; were it just the same you would

not come. Expect disappointments and trials, and do not be discouraged

when they come, and wish yourself "back to the good old home." Adopt

for your motto, "What _others_ have done _I_ can do." Allow me to give

you Mr. and Mrs. K.'s story; it will tell you more than any of the

colonists can ever tell, as they have lived through the disadvantages

of the first opening of this country. Mr. K. says: "April of '79 I came

to this country to look up a home where I could have good cattle range.

When we came to this spot we liked it and laid some logs crosswise to

look like a foundation and mark the spot. Went further west, but

returned and pitched our tent; and in a week, with the help of a young

man who accompanied us, the kitchen part of our house was under roof.

While we worked at the house Mrs. K. and our two girls made garden. We

then returned thirty-five miles for our goods and stock, and came back

in May to find the garden growing nicely. Brought a two months' supply

of groceries with us, as there was no town nearer than Keya Paha,

thirty miles east at the mouth of the river; there in fact, was about

the nearest house.

"Ours was the first house on the south side of the river, and I soon

had word sent me by Spotted Tail, Chief of the Sioux, to get off his

reservation. I told the bearer of his message to tell Mr. Spotted Tail,

that I was not on his land but in Nebraska, and on surveyed land; so to

come ahead. But was never disturbed in any way by the Indians, whose

reservation lay just across the river. They often come, a number

together, and want to trade clothing and blankets furnished them by the

government, giving a blanket for a mere trinket or few pounds of meat,

and would exchange a pony for a couple quarts of whisky. But it is

worth more than a pony to put whisky into their hands, as it is

strictly prohibited, and severely punished by law, as it puts them

right on the war-path.

"The next winter a mail route was established, and our house was made

Burton post-office, afterwards changed to Brewer. It was carried from

Keya Paha here and on to the Rose Bud agency twice a week. After a time

it was dropped, but resumed again, and now goes west to Valentine, a

distance of about sixty miles.

"The nearest church and school was at Keya Paha. Now we have a school

house three miles away, where they also have preaching, the minister

(M.E.) coming from Keya Paha."

Mrs. K. who is brave as woman can be, and knows well the use of

firearms, says: "I have stayed for a week at a time with only Mr. K.'s

father, who is blind and quite feeble, for company. Had only the lower

part of our windows in then, and never lock our doors. Have given many

a meal to the Indians, who go off with a "thank you," or a grunt of

satisfaction. They do not always ask for a meal, but I generally give

them something to eat as our cattle swim the river and graze on

reservation lands. Anyway, kindness is never lost. My two daughters

have gone alone to Keya Paha often. I have made the trip without

meeting a soul on the way.

"The latch string of our door has always hung out to every one. The

Indians would be more apt to disturb us if they thought we were afraid

of them."

It was a real novelty and carried me back to my grandmother's days, to

"pull the string and hear the latch fly up" on their kitchen door.

Their house, a double log, is built at the foot of the bluff and about

seventy rods from the river, and is surrounded by quite a grove of burr

oak and other trees. They came with twelve head of cattle and now have

over eighty, which could command a good price did they wish to sell.

Thus, with sunshine and showers the week passes quickly enough, and

brought again the Sabbath bright and clear, but windy. A number of us

took a walk one and one-half miles up the valley to the colony tent;

went by way of a large oak tree, in the branches of which the body of

an Indian chief had been laid to rest more than four years ago. From

the bleached bones and pieces of clothing and blanket that were yet

strewn about beneath the tree, it was evident he had been of powerful

frame, and had been dressed in a coat much the same as a soldier's

dress coat, with the usual decoration of brass buttons. Wrapped in his

blanket and buffalo robe, he had been tied with thongs to the lower

limbs, which were so low that the wolves had torn the body down.

When we reached the tent under which they had expected to hold their

meetings and Sabbath-school, we found it, like many of their well-meant

plans, now flat on the ground. It had come down amid the rain and wind

of last night on the sleepers, and we found the tenters busy with

needles trying to get it in order for pitching. None busier prodding

their finger ends than was Mr. Clark.

"What have you been doing all this time, Mr. C.?" I asked.

"What have I been doing? Why it has just kept me busy to keep from

drowning, blowing away, freezing, and starving to death. It is about

all a man can attend to at one time. Haven't been idling any time away,

I can tell you."

We felt sorry for the troubles of the poor men, but learned this lesson

from their experience--never buy a tent so old and rotten that it won't

hold to the fastenings, to go out on the prairies of Nebraska with; it

takes good strong material to stand the wind.

In the afternoon we all went up on to the table-land to see the

prairies burn. A great sheet of flame sweeping over the prairie is

indeed a grand sight, but rather sad to see what was the tall waving

grass of last year go up in a blaze and cloud of smoke only to leave

great patches of blackened earth. Yet it is soon brightened by the new

growth of grass which could not show itself for so long if the old was

not burnt.

Some say it is necessary to burn the old grass off, and at the same

time destroy myriads of grasshoppers and insects of a destructive

nature, and also give the rattlesnake a scorching. While others say,

burning year after year is hurtful to the soil, and burns out the grass

roots; also that decayed vegetation is better than ashes for a sandy

soil.

These fires have been a great hindrance to the growth of forest trees.

Fire-brakes are made by plowing a number of furrows, which is often

planted in corn or potatoes. I fancy I would have a good wide potato

patch all round my farm if I had one, and never allow fire on it. To

prevent being caught in a prairie fire, one should always carry a

supply of matches. If a fire is seen coming, start a fire which of

course will burn from you, and in a few minutes after the fire has

passed over the ground, it can be walked over, and you soon have a

cleared spot, where the fire cannot reach you.

_Monday, 21st._ Bright and pleasant, and Mr. K. finishes his corn

planting.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY IN WHICH THE COLONY LOCATED.

As this is to be my last day here, I must tell you all there is yet to

be told of this country. There are so many left behind that will be

interested in knowing all about the country their friends have gone to,

so I will try to be very explicit, and state clearly all I have learned

and seen of it. Allow me to begin with the great range of bluffs that

closely follow the north side of the river. We can only see their

broken, irregular, steep, and sloping sides, now green with grass, on

which cattle are grazing--that swim the river to pasture off the "Soo"

(as Sioux is pronounced) lands. The reservation is very large, and as

the agency is far west of this, they do not occupy this part much, only

to now and then take a stroll over it.

The difference between a hill and a bluff is, that a bluff is only half

a hill, or hill only on one side. The ground rises to a height, and

then maintains that height for miles and miles, which is called

table-land. Then comes the Keya Paha river, which here is the dividing

line between Dakota and Nebraska. It is 125 miles long. At its mouth,

where it empties into the Niobrara, it is 165 feet wide. Here,

thirty-five miles north-west, it is about 75 feet wide, and 6 feet

deep. The water flows swiftly over its sandy bed, but Mr. K. says

"there is rock bottom here." The sand is very white and clean, and the

water is clear and pleasant to the taste.

The banks are fringed with bushes, principally willow. The valley on

the south side is from one-fourth to one and one half-miles wide, and

from the growth of grass and bushes would think the soil is quite rich.

The timber is pine, burr oak, and cottonwood principally, while there

are a few cedar, elm, ash, box elder and basswood to be found. The oak,

elm, and box elder are about all I have seen, as the timber is hid in

the canyons. Scarcely a tree to be seen on the table-lands. Wild plums,

choke cherries, and grapes are the only fruits of the country. No one

has yet attempted fruit culture. The plums are much the same in size

and quality as our cultivated plums. They grow on tall bushes, instead

of trees, and are so interwoven with the cherry bushes, and in blossom

so much alike, I cannot tell plum from cherry bush. They both grow in

great patches along the valley, and form a support for the grape vines

that grow abundantly, which are much the same as the "chicken grapes"

of Pennsylvania. I must not over-look the dwarf or sand-hill cherry,

which, however, would not be a hard matter, were it not for the little

white blossoms that cover the crooked little sticks, generally about a

foot in height, that come up and spread in every direction. It is not

choice of its bed, but seems to prefer sandy soil. Have been told they

are pleasant to the taste and refreshing.

Then comes the wild gooseberry, which is used, but the wild black

currants are not gathered. Both grow abundantly as does also the

snowberry, the same we cultivate for garden shrubbery. Wild hops are

starting up every where, among the bushes and ready to climb; are said

to be equally as good as the poled hops of home.

"Beautiful wild flowers will be plenty here in a couple of weeks," Mrs.

K. says, but I cannot wait to see them. The most abundant, now, is the

buffalo bean, of which I have before spoken, also called ground plum,

and prairie clover: plum from the shape of the pod it bears in

clusters, often beautifully shaded with red, and prairie clover from

the flower, that resembles a large clover head in shape, and often in

color, shading from a dark violet to a pale pink, growing in clusters,

and blooming so freely, it makes a very pretty prairie flower. It

belongs to the pulse order, and the beans it bears can be cooked as

ordinary beans and eaten--if at starvation point. Of the other flowers

gathered mention was made on my May-day.

Mr. K. has a number of good springs of water on his farm, and it is

easily obtained on the table-land. It cannot be termed soft water, yet

not very hard.

About one-half of the land I am told is good tillable land, the other

half too sandy for anything but pasture lands. Soil is from eighteen

inches to two feet deep.

I will here quote some of the objections to the country offered by

those who were not pleased. Time only can tell how correct they are.

"It is too far north. Will never be a general farming or fruit growing

country. Summer season will be too short for corn to ripen. Too spotted

with sand hills to ever be thickly settled. Afraid of drouth. Too far

from railroad and market, and don't think it will have a railroad

nearer soon. Those Sioux are not pleasant neighbors. Winters will be

long and cold." But all agree that it is a healthy country, and free

from malaria. Others say, "Beautiful country. Not as cold as in

Pennsylvania. Of course we can raise fruit; where wild fruit will grow

tame fruit can be cultivated. Those sand hills are just what we want;

no one will take them, and while our cattle are grazing on them, we

will cultivate our farms." We feel like quoting a copy often set for us

to scribble over when a little girl at school, with only a little

alteration. "Many men of many minds, many lands of many kinds"--to

scatter over--and away some have gone, seeking homes elsewhere.

Those who have remained are getting breaking done, and making garden

and planting sod corn and potatoes, which with broom corn is about all

they can raise on new ground the first summer. Next will come the

building of their log and sod shanties, and setting out of their timber

culture, which is done by plowing ten acres of ground and sticking in

cuttings from the cottonwood, which grows readily and rapidly.

There are a few people scattered over the country who have engaged in

stock raising, but have done little farming and improving. So you see

it is almost untouched, and not yet tested as to what it will be as a

general farming country. Years of labor and trials of these new-comers

will tell the story of its worth.

I sincerely hope it will prove to be all that is good for their sake! I

hide myself away from the buzz and hum of voices below, in the quiet of

an upper room that I may tell you these things which have been so

interesting to me to learn, and hope they may be interesting to read.

But here comes Lizzie saying, "Why, Sims, you look like a witch hiding

away up here; do come down." And I go and take a walk with Mrs. K. down

to see their cattle corral. The name of corral was so foreign I was

anxious to know all about it. It is a square enclosure built of heavy

poles, with sheds on the north and west sides with straw or grass roof

for shelter, and is all the protection from the cold the cattle have

during the winter. Only the milk cows are corraled during the summer

nights. A little log stable for the horses completes the corral, while

of course hay and straw are stacked near. Then she took me to see a

dugout in the side of a hill, in a sheltered ravine, or draw, and

surrounded by trees. It is not a genuine dugout, but enough of the real

to be highly interesting to me. It was occupied by a middle-aged man

who is Mr. K.'s partner in the stock business, and a French boy, their

herder. The man was intelligent, and looked altogether out of place as

he sat there in the gloom of the one little room, lighted only by a

half window and the open door, and, too, he was suffering from asthma.

I asked: "Do you not find this a poor house for an asthmatic?"

"No, I do not find that it has that effect; I am as well here as I was

before I came west."

The room was about 10×12, and 6 feet high. The front of the house and

part of the roof was built of logs and poles, and the rest was made

when God made the hill. They had only made the cavity in which they

lived, floor enough for the pole bed to stand on.

To me it seemed too lonely for any enjoyment except solitude--so far

removed from the busy throngs of the world. But the greater part of the

stockman's time is spent in out-door life, and their homes are only

retreats for the night.

We then climbed the hill that I might have a last view of sunset on the

Keya Paha. I cannot tell you of its beauty, as I gaze in admiration and

wonder, for sun, moon, and stars, have all left their natural course,

or else I am turned all wrong.

_Tuesday._ Another pleasant day. Mrs. K., whom I have learned to

regard as a dear friend, and I, take our last walk and talk together,

going first to the grave of a granddaughter on the hill, enclosed with

a railing and protected from the prairie wolves by pieces of iron. Oh!

I thought, as I watched the tears course down Mrs. K's. cheek as she

talked of her "darling," there is many a sacred spot unmarked by marble

monument on these great broad plains of Nebraska. "You see there is no

doctor nearer than Keya Paha, and by the time we got him here he could

do her no good." Another disadvantage early settlers labor under.

Then to the river that I might see it flow for the last time, and

gather sand and pebbles of almost every color that mingle with it. I

felt it was my last goodbye to this country and I wished to carry as

much of it away in my satchel and in memory as possible.

We then returned to the house, and soon Mr. Newell who was going to

Stuart, came, and with whom I had made sure of a passage back. Mrs. K.

and all insisted my stay was not near long enough, but letters had been

forwarded to me from Stuart from brother C. asking me to join him. And

Miss Cody, with whom I had been corresponding for some time, insisted

on my being with her soon; so I was anxious to be on my way, and

improved the first opportunity to be off. So, chasing Lizzie for a

kiss, who declared, "I cannot say good-bye to Sims," and bidding them

all a last farewell, with much surface merriment to hide sadness, and

soon the little group of friends were left behind.

I wonder did they see through my assuming and know how sorry I was to

part from them?--Mrs. K., who had been so kind, and the colony people

all? I felt I had an interest in the battle that had already begun with

them. Had I not anticipated a share of the battle and also of the

spoils when I thought of being one with them. I did feel so sorry that

the location was such that the majority had not been pleased, and our

good plans could not be carried out.

It was not supposed as night after night the hall was crowded with

eager anxious ones, that all would reach the land of promise. But even

had those who come been settled together there would have been quite a

nice settlement of people.

The territory being so spotted with sand hills was the great hindrance

to a body of people settling down as the colony had expected to, all

together as one settlement. One cannot tell, to look over it, just

where the sandy spots are, as it is all covered with grass. They are

only a slight raise in the ground and are all sizes, from one to many

acres.

One-half section would be good claimable land, and the other half no

good. In some places I can see the sand in the road that drifts off the

unbroken ground. We stopped for dinner at Mr. Newell's brother's, whose

wife is a daughter of Mr. Kuhn's, and then the final start is made for

the Niobrara. The country looks so different to me now as I return over

the same road behind horses, and the sun is bright and warm. The

tenters have gone to building log houses, and there are now four houses

to be seen along the way. Am told most of the land is taken.

We pass close to one of the houses, where the husband is plowing and

the wife dropping seed corn; and we stop for a few minutes, that I may

learn one way of planting sod corn. The dropper walks after the plow

and drops the corn close to the edge of the furrow, and it comes up

between the edges of the sod. Another way is to cut a hole in the sod

with an ax, and drop the corn in the hole, and step on it while you

plant the next hill--I mean hole--of corn.

One little, lone, oak tree was all the tree seen along the road, and

not a stone. I really miss the jolting of the stones of Pennsylvania

roads. But strewed all along are pebbles, and in places perfect beds of

them. I cannot keep my eyes off the ground for looking at them, and, at

last, to satisfy my wishing for "a lot of those pretty pebbles to carry

home," Mr. N. stops, and we both alight and try who can find the

prettiest. As I gather, I cannot but wonder how God put these pebbles

away up here!

Reader, if all this prairie land was waters, it would make a good sized

sea, not a storm tossed sea but water in rolling waves. It looks as

though it had been the bed of a body of water, and the water leaked out

or ran down the Niobrara river, cutting out the canyons as it went, and

now the sea has all gone to grass.

Mr. N. drives close to the edge of an irregular series of canyons that

I may have a better view.

"I do wish you would tell me, Mr. N., how these canyons have been

made?"

"Why, by the action of the wind and water."

"Yes, I suppose; but looks more like the work of an immense

scoop-shovel, and all done in the dark; they are so irregular in shape,

size, and depth."

Most that I see on this side of the river are dry, grassy, and barren

of tree or bush, while off on the other side, can be seen many well

filled with burr oak, pine, and cedar.

Views such as I have had from the Stone Butte, along the Keya Paha, on

the broad plains, and now of the valley of the Niobrara well repays me

for all my long rides, and sets my mind in a perfect query of how and

when was all this wonderful work done? I hope I shall be permitted to

some day come again, and if I cannot get over the ground any other way,

I will take another ride behind oxen.

Several years ago these canyons afforded good hiding places for

stray(?) ponies and horses that strayed from their owners by the

maneuvering of "Doc." Middleton, and his gang of "pony boys," as those

who steal or run off horses from the Indians are called. But they did

not confine themselves to Indian ponies alone, and horses and cattle

were stolen without personal regard for the owner.

But their leader has been safe in the penitentiary at Lincoln for some

time, and the gang in part disbanded; yet depredations are still

committed by them, which has its effect upon some of the colonists, who

feel that they do not care to settle where they would be apt to lose

their horses so unceremoniously. A one-armed traveler, who took shelter

from the storm with a sick wife on the island, had one of his horses

stolen last week, which is causing a good deal of indignation. Their

favorite rendezvous before the band was broken was at "Morrison's

bridge," where we spent the rainy Sabbath. Oh, dear! would I have laid

me down so peacefully to sleep on the table that night had I known more

of the history of the little house and the dark canyons about?

But the house has another keeper, and nothing remains but the story of

other days to intimidate us now, and we found it neat and clean, and

quite inviting after our long ride.

After supper I went out to take a good look at the Niobrara river, or

_Running Water_. Boiling and surging, its muddy waves hurried by,

as though it was over anxious to reach the Missouri, into which it

empties. It has its source in Wyoming, and is 460 miles long. Where it

enters the state, it is a clear, sparkling stream, only 10 feet wide;

but by the time it gathers and rushes over so much sand, which it keeps

in a constant stir, changing its sand bars every few hours, it loses

its clearness, and at this point is about 165 feet wide. Like the

Missouri river, its banks are almost entirely of a dark sand, without a

pebble. So I gathered sand again, and after quite a search, found a

couple of little stones, same color of the sand, and these I put in my

satchel to be carried to Pennsylvania, to help recall this sunset

picture on the "Running Water," and, for a more substantial lean for

memory I go with Mr. N. on to the island to look for a diamond willow

stick to carry home to father for a cane. The island is almost covered

with these tall willow bushes. The bridge was built about four years

ago. The piers are heavy logs pounded deep into the sand of the river

bed, and it is planked with logs, and bushes and sod. It has passed

heavy freight trains bound for the Indian Agency and the Black Hills,

and what a mingling of emigrants from every direction have paid their

toll and crossed over to find new homes beyond! Three wagons pass by

this evening, and one of the men stopped to buy milk from Mrs. Slack

"to make turn-over cake;" and made enquiry, saying:

"Where is that colony from Pennsylvania located? We would like to get

near it."

It is quite a compliment to the colony that so many come so far to

settle near them; but has been quite a hindrance. Long before the

colony arrived, people were gathering in and occupying the best of the

land, and thus scattering the little band of colonists. Indeed the fame

of the colony will people this country by many times the number of

actual settlers it itself will bring.

Mrs. S. insists that I "give her some music on the organ," and I

attempt "Home sweet, home," but my voice fails me, and I sing "Sweet

hour of prayer," as more befitting. Home for me is not on the Niobrara,

and in early morn we leave it to flow on just as before, and we go on

toward Stuart, casting back good-bye glances at its strangely beautiful

valley. The bluffs hug the river so close that the valley is not wide,

but the canyons that cut into the bluffs help to make it quite an

interesting picture.

There is not much more to be told about the country on the south side

of the river. It is not sought after by the claim-hunters as the land

on the north is. A few new houses can be seen, showing that a few are

persuaded to test it.

The grass is showing green, and where it was burnt off on the north

side of the valley, and was only black, barren patches a little more

than a week ago, now are bright and green. A few new flowers have

sprung up by the way-side. The sweetest in fragrance is what they call

the wild onion. The root is the shape and taste of an onion, and also

the stem when bruised has quite an onion smell; but the tiny, pale pink

flower reminds me of the old May pinks for fragrance. Another tiny

flower is very much like mother's treasured pink oxalis; but is only

the bloom of wood sorrel. It opens in morning and closes at evening,

and acts so much like the oxalis, I could scarcely be persuaded it was

not; but the leaves convinced me.

I think the setting sun of Nebraska must impart some of its rays to the

flowers, that give them a different tinge; and, too, the flowers seem

to come with the leaves, and bloom so soon after peeping through the

sod. The pretty blue and white starlike iris was the only flower to be

found about Stuart when I left.

We have passed a number of emigrant wagons, and--"Oh, horror! Mr.

Newell, look out for the red-skins!"

"Where, Miss Fulton, where?"

"Why there, on the wagon and about it, and see, they are setting fire

to the prairie; and oh dear! one of them is coming toward us with some

sort of a weapon in his hand. Guess I'll wrap this bright red Indian

blanket around me and perhaps they will take me for a 'Soo' and spare

me scalp."

Reader I have a mind to say "continued in the next" or "subscribe for

the Ledger and read the rest," but that would be unkind to leave you in

suspense, though I fear you are growing sleepy over this the first

chapter even, and I would like to have some thrilling adventure to wake

you up.

But the "Look out for the red skins," was in great red letters on a

prairie schooner, and there they were, men with coats and hats painted

a bright red, taking their dinner about a fire which the wind is trying

to carry farther, and one is vigorously stamping it out. Another, a

mere boy with a stick in his hand, comes to inquire the road to the

bridge "where you don't have to pay toll?" Poor men, they look as

though they hadn't ten cents to spare. So ends my adventure with the

"red skins." But here comes another train of emigrants; ladies

traveling in a covered carriage, while the horses, cattle, people, and

all show they come from a land of plenty, and bring a goodly share of

worldly goods along.

They tell Mr. N. they came from Hall county, Nebraska, where vegetation

is at least two weeks ahead of this country, but came to take up

government land. So it is, some go with nothing, while others sell good

homes and go with a plenty to build up another where they can have the

land for the claiming of it.

The sun has not been so bright, and the wind is cool and strong, but I

have been well protected by this thick warm Indian blanket, yet I am

not sorry when I alight at Mr. Skirvings door and receive a hearty

welcome, and "just in time for a good dinner."

THE COLONISTS' FIRST SUMMER'S WORK AND HARVEST.

It would not do to take the colonists to their homes on the frontier,

and not tell more of them.

I shall copy from letters received. From a letter received from one

whom I know had nothing left after reaching there but his pluck and

energy, I quote:

"BREWER, P.O. BROWN CO., NEB.,

"December 23, '83.

"Our harvest has been good. Every man of the colony is better

satisfied than they were last spring, as their crops have done

better than they expected. My sod corn yielded 20 bushels (shelled)

per acre. Potatoes 120 bushels. Beans 5, and I never raised larger

vegetables than we did this summer on sod. On old ground corn 40,

wheat 20 to 35, and oats 40 to 60 bushels per acre. After the first

year we can raise all kinds of grain. For building a sod house, it

costs nothing besides the labor, but for the floor, doors and

windows. I built one to do me for the summer, and was surprised at

the comfort we took in it; and now have a log house ready for use,

a sod barn of two rooms, one for my cow, and the other for the

chickens and ducks, a good cave, and a well of good water at eight

feet.

"There are men in the canyons that take out building logs. They

charge from twenty-five to thirty-five dollars per forty logs,

sixteen and twenty feet long. To have these logs hauled costs two

and two and one-half dollars per day, and it takes two days to make

the trip. But those who have the time and teams can do their own

hauling and get their own logs, as the trees belong to "Uncle Sam."

"The neighbors all turn out and help at the raising. The timber in

the canyons are mostly pine. Our first frost was 24th September,

and our first cold weather began last week. A number of the

colonists built good frame houses. I have been offered $600.00 for

my claims, but I come to stay, and stay I will."

From another:

"We are all in good health and like our western homes. Yet we have

some drawbacks; the worst is the want of society, and fruit. Are

going to have a reunion 16 February."

"BREWER, Jan., 8.

"You wished to know what we can do in the winter. I have been

getting wood, and sitting by the fire. Weather beautiful until 15th

December, but the thermometer has said "below zero," ever since

Christmas. The lowest was twenty degrees. The land is all taken

around here (near the Stone Butte) and we expect in a couple of

years to have schools and plenty of neighbors."

Those who located near Stuart and Long Pine, are all doing well, and no

sickness reported from climating.

I have not heard of one being out of employment. One remarked: "This is

a good country for the few of us that came."

I believe that the majority of the first party took claims; but the

little handful of colonists are nothing in number to the settlers that

have gathered in from everywhere, and occupy the land with them. Of the

horse thieves before spoken of I would add, that the "vigilantes" have

been at work among them, hanging a number to the nearest tree, and

lodging a greater number in jail.

It is to be hoped that these severe measures will be all sufficient to

rid the country of these outlaws. May the "colonists" dwell in peace

and prosperity, and may the harvest of the future prove rich in all

things good!