Demoine courier., 1854-08-24
SKETCHES OF IOWA.

10 The Editor OF The ". Y. Tribune:
SIR: | have JUS: risen from the peru
sal of a long and interesting letter from
"Our own Reporter" 10 The TRIBUNE,
da'ed St. Paul, June 9Th, 1854, and have
responded-True-,o all the glowing
descriptions of the beauty, fertility and
magnitude of the country bordering upon
the Upper Mississippi, and feeling thai
The beauty, fertility, and excellence of the
interior are fully equal, if o superior,
to ,he borders. am impelled 10 give
you a few jo,lings by the way, of a jour.
ney just ended, from Burlington to Os
kaloosa, and ,henre back TO Keokuk.-
We had no grand party TO give eclat to
our goings or comings; no music MOI
dancing; no celebrations, no festivals MOI
feasting, 10 gid with rainbow hues the
surrounding landscape; bu, of speech
making We had plenty, and an endless
variety, as good and sensible. too, per
haps. as if spoken by lips cuivering with
the excitement of pride, ambition oil
sparkling Ca,awba, and falling upon ears
as capable of appreciation as those dull
ed by hurry, sensuality, hustle and ia
tlgue. Ny business was to lecture on
Temperance and "Woman's Rights" to
the people, and OF course | had time ir
my few days of leisure al the towns b.
the way, 10 learn something of the coun
try; and changing my travelling compan
ions every few miles of my journey
brought me in contact with all classes
and kinds of people, from The immova
BILE 0ulchman TO the cute Yankee spec
ulalor. and from stage coach speeches
we will draw our ideas of the impression
made upon the explorers by this in.er.
esling country. "Wel this is cen jes'
The garden of Eden anyhow" broke on
an old man from Maine, who had beer
studying the landscape for some hour:
in silence. He was ~"hun,ing homes 70,
his boys" "Bless my stars, mother
look at that" exclaimed a loquacious
New Yorker to his wife, who seemed
looking back like Lots wife to the worn
out lands of Oswego, "doh't that make
your mouth water! These corn fields
look as if fifty years old; not a stump
nor a stone. Look at that fellow pillow
ing: his horse walks as if he had moth
ing behind him; what a furrow he rolls
up! soft as a garden plat, rich as a stable
ard"
"lll give il up" says a stately Cana.
dian, IL have been looking all The way
from Paris in Canada, through Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin, for
something better, and it has grown better
all the way, but better than ihis is NO
use; Ill give it up. Come. wife. let's
get out and go back; you wanted clear
streams and here they are. | wanted
timber. stone and prairie, and I've found
them all. Let's go back. gather up the
chicks and come 10 Iowa"
"They lell'd US this WIS little the put.
tyest place this side o. shutdown, bu,
thought it a half gas-but by shucks
they did'n, tell half ont. Uncle Nate
told us we'd never want to 60 back to
Monroe"
81 reckon we won't neither" says a
stout young man to his cherry. checked
wife, putting his hand al the same time
near a side-pockes where probably the
treasure was secre,ed that was to pur.
chase a new home.
g
jaculated The gentleman in gloves, with
the linen coat over his broadcloih; '.these
lands will be worth ten dollars an acre
in five years. every rod of them-len
years will make this country equal to the
mos, favored sections Of New York,
Pennsylvania OF Ohio. Look! is not
that splendid? rolling prairie, jus. enough
TO drain it-vsle, hill. woodland, park,
lawn, grove, meadow. field. shrubbery
and garden, and all in luxuriant bloom
and beauty, from natures own hand;