The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-01-16

uOOr. Just as you are Comfortably enscOnced al
the dinner-table II you have landed with the
fixed purpose Of exploring the inland country, and
accepting my invitation, and will be first guided
to Prairie de Ia Fleur, you win make light Of all
inconvenience TO appetite, and seat yourself
forthwith among it's passengers.
Crack and away you rumble over a road like
macadamized pavement, without its accompani.
ment Of echoes The clay soil beyond the sand
heap, baked by the rays Of July sun, gives the
best possible passage for short distance As
soon as you leave the limits of "the clearing
however, the circumstances change You have
entered the forest e. grove" or TIMBER in the
parlsnce Of those peopling it) that encircles the
Lake like an emerald setting, ranging from three
to FIVE miles in its width, and your track among
the trees is q rougher one Dodging between the
luxuriant maple boughs and lingering stumps,
the stout vehicle numbers along, describing arc
after arc in strict accordance with the "line of
beauty shaking the bending tresses of the
trees and soaring the squirrel and the whirrinp
partridge from their MONDAY hooks.
If you traverse this part Of the country in the
less genial days after the spring and autumn
rains, your experience may be diversified by sun
dry jottings and jumbings toy ther Of all whom
circumstances have thrown ia oompany-thrown
oftentimes into contienity little too close for
comfort. The wheels dash delightfully."- from a
stump into fathomless "rut,n or rather to the
tune Of Rockaway over bit Of corduroy turn
pike. That dozing Englishman has just been
walked up TO the dignity Of his situation by dash
of his beaver against the "chapesun OF that pratt
Ting Frenchwoman opposite, whose anxiety for the
safety of the "ehere enfamn sleeping on her lap
forces her to interlard with many Mon Dieu
her simple stock Of Anglo-Americsn phrases Two
Dutchmen nod phlegmatcally from their respect.
i've corners, comprehending rather by the eye
-
Yankee-land "guesscs the road'll be beat down on
the prairie, likelyn
Swash sink the wheels into whirlpool Of
mud. The horses struggle; and amid shouting,
shaking, and whip-crscking, you come to a sud
den stand
whats agogp growls passenger from the
window, just as the driver has wsded to the oppo-
.si.~'-9a,ss vhrA4-s'> -. ~ - ls.S4tp =
the little Frenchwoman from the inclined plane
Of the stage floor.
STRANGER jump out, win you y he exclaims,
familiarity, and led a hand to heaye log for the
ladies to lightm
The Englishman draws up his dignity closer in
bis macintosh. The Dutchmen are too slow Of
apprehension to appreciate the invitation but
the ready handed Yankee is "on duty in a
twinkiDg
81 say, comrade, where's the foot-hold ~ he
cries looking humorously into the opaque pool
beneath.
"T'other side o. the Chinese Empire Swim
ahead, captainw
Thus encouraged, our hero takes the leap and
commences his bridge-hunting
"What has happened 2"
"Stage SHE'D ~ laconically replies an initiated
one of the company.
"Ah! que malheur p calculates the fair Fran
caise, in vague terror.
"A slough, suppose superciliously repeats
her Us-a-ois from the opposite side Of the British
Channel, emphasizing the correct pronunciation
{" Slough of Despond indeed it seems to you"
All are extricsted presently, however even
the unfortunate horses, that were wslowing deep
er and deeper in the mire, have struggled to a
frmer spot; and the empty stage wagon, with
two wheels in the air and two beneath the earth
seems likely to be swallowed up in the Maelstrom
of mud.
81 Fetch poles to pry up 'yurw commands the
general at the horses heads and you hasten into
the fenceless road to procure the nearest available
piece Of timber, What have you startled from it's
lair among the dry leaves rustliug and coiling at
your feet Aim a sure blow with your rude
weapon for the spring of moccasin snake y is
B@eref XsiJs spripg ri ,Q will aSabatly
rattles as trophy, If you are miser in the mat
ter of relics.
Walk along TO the prairie now, il you choose
an easier mode of motion than you have been en-
during The slant sunbeams are gliding up TO
the tree tops kindling each like taper. Glimpses
of a fathomless and matchess blue heaven beyond
urge you on
You have swept the last curve, and the broad,
beautiful prairie is before you. Prairie de Ia
Fleur ~ would start instinctivey to the lips Of
that French lady passenger, even had it not first
sounded on those Of the affabe driver, at the mo-
ment of introduction.
Who that has seen il in its spring mantle Of
white azure and blushing pink-or its royal au-
tumn robe Of gold and purple AZ l. were caught
by reflection from its own sweetly bending sun
set sky-has not christened it in his heart even
"Prairie de la Fleur2n
Yet you are disappointed and your eye does
not dssemble it, You looked for q shoreless,
spotless, hillockless expanse Of waving green I'M
VARYING and level as an ocean of still water. An
ocean CONCEALED in a storm has been the oft
repeated comparison best BETTING the reality.
Yet there are no mountain waves but swelling
ridges, crowned here and there by fields Of wav-
ing wheat divide the landscape with the gentle
dells between them. Orchard-like islands OF
oak trees speck its surface, and low roofs dot it,
as cities dot the map. Afar to the right-you
would not think IL quite three miles awny-on
the highest wave Of the greensward, a windmill
losses its white arms to the wooiDg breezes This
Is the most distinctive feature of the landscape and
by your leave, shall be our "light-house" in our
wanderings together for, as 10 is visible from
nearly all points on this labyrnthine prairie, IL
supplies the lack Of a compass to the bewldered
novice Of q traveller, whenever the North Star
has shut its eye.
With a spy glass you might mark, to the right
and the left, school-houses Of log and brick, at
wide distances from each other, humbly striving
to foreshadow happy destiny for the children
scattered like sheep around and between them
single simple building towers above its fellows
it is "church in the wildernessn Does not even
this PARKWAY nook of prairie bear the impress OF
the "Pilgrim FathersT But look up! You have
lowered your gaze too long from sky whose well
come is as deep M it's own inmitable blue 1.-THE
brush Of the Creator Artist is dipped In dyes
Of Heaven here, and earthly painters may toll in
vain in it's imitation.
Look again Does not the very gate Of the
brighter world seem opening where that halfhid-
den orb is kindling the prairie affair." Light, va
pory forms seem dissoving in radiance TOO brill
liant for your eye to look upon and, far up to
the zenith, the cloadlets, sesrce visible before,
blush with the last warm kiss Of their Sun-parent
will not speak TO " break the charm" leave
you in It's chain OF beauty--to feef, a. you may
have never felt before, Bryants apostrophe to
the pillars Of the sky
AZ only know how fair they stand
About my own beloved land"
fro re CONTINUED