A woman from Milwaukee, stopping at Sparta for the summer, had a serious
accident the other day. She had her dress pinned back so tight that the
exclamation point where she was vaccinated on the left arm was plainly
visible, and as she stooped over at the artesian well to dip up a cup full
of physic, a little dog belonging to a lady from Pilot Knob took hold of
her striped stocking and shook it, thinking it was a blue racer. The lady
was overcome with heat and sank down on the damp ground, and the result
was congestion of the dog, for when she got up she kicked that dog over
the Court house and sprained her stocking. It is said that beautiful and
healthful summer resort is fast filling up and everybody swears it is the
most enjoyable place on the continent. It is certainly the cheapest for us
La Crosse folks to go. We don't know of a place where, for the money
invested, one can have so much fun and get so much health. You can leave
La Crosse at 5:45, and arrive at Sparta at 6:20, after a delightful ride
of thirty miles, and you will enjoy a race, your train beating the
Northwestern train, and running like lightning. If you have a pass, or sit
on the hind platform, it will cost you nothing. You can walk down town, at
small expense. You want to take supper before leaving home, if economy is
what you are seeking in addition to health. Go to Condit, at the Warner
House, and talk as though you were looking for a place to send your
family, and he will hitch up and drive you all over town. Tell Doc.
Nichols you never tried a Turkish bath, but that you are troubled with
hypochondria and often wish you were dead, and that if you were sure the
baths would help you, you would come down and take them regular. He will
put you through for nothing, and give you a cigar. Then you can get a
tooth pick at Condit's and put your thumb under your vest and go to the
springs and talk loud about railroad stocks and bonds and speculating in
wheat. (It takes two to do it up right. Frank Hatch and the writer are
going down some night to "do" the watering place). Then you can swell
around till half past ten, and sneak off to the depot on foot and come
home, and your pocket book will be just as empty as when you started,
unless you get a subscriber, and you will have added bloom to your cheek,
and had a high old time, and next winter you can talk about the delightful
time you passed at Sparta last summer during the heated term.
Let's get up a party and go down some night.