Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1856-09-06

sElrc ANp I.

A a
DEAR T.uEs: After taking leave of you and
your canonized city, Flee and I made good
time over the prairis.-we gained the Fort ere.
the dew was dry, BY noon had passed through
again on tho shore of our beautiful Lake. Though.
our path was through sea of wild flowers, and
Eden Prairie afforded many charming views, yet
we were glad to reach the shaded openings and
fine rolling country which marks the approach to
the Lake from the south. After crossing Hull's
Narrows, the "Big Woods" proper commence.
Here the MAPLE the oak, the lynn and the tall elm
lay their heads together and conspire to shut out
the blessed sunlight from the humble shrubs that
grow up tall and slender around their roots; and
when struggling ray streams through the upper
foliage it looks like golden shaft set up in the
dark anu sombre forest.
And now, dear Times, as am going to tell you
all about our style of life out here, you must ex
cuse my talking good deal about Elec,-becanse.
Elec is our guest, and is, wthal, good sort Of u
fellow.
Elec is so extremely metropolitan in his tastes
that am sure it cost him no little self-denial to
adopt the wild, free and irregular habits of
Lake. sh IRE squatter. At first / observed many
evidences of his attachment to the chains which
held him in social bondage, not to say absolute
repugnance for the simple forms of rural life;
but it was soon apparent from the ease with which
he adapted himself to his new position, that he
was at heart a true citizen of the world. To be
sure he entertained some very absurd fancies,
and gave utterance to some EXPLANATIONS which
thought captious and hypercritical, but which
now serve rs witnesses to the change so happily
effected. He remarked, we walked out on the
day after his arrival that our streets were not mt
all straight, but tortuOus and often disfgu-ed by
stumps; that they needed paving very much, and
were entirely destitute of gas-lishts. He COM
planned that there was entirely too much room
out of doors, that We should have houses about
us instead Of so many trees. And you may know
how much was surprised to see him refuse to eat
his breakfast, because the morning papers were
not beside his plate. 1t was really provoking to
see him manifest petulancy because We had no
barber shop where he could have his face shorn
and hair dressed; not even soda-fountain to
refresh his thirst during the heat of the day.
Our hours of going to bed early and rising at
day break were, he said, simply ridiculous.
These were his impressions when he first came
among US; but he changed, and the revolution
was complete as it was rapid. l shall content
myself with telling you some Of the results. He
soon acquired an extraordinary contempt for
clothing -Starched shirt-collars, neckerchiefs,
fancy vests, tight pants, and paten.-leather boots
he put far from him, and took every occasion to
characterize as denominations. During the first
few days after his arrival he ate very sparingly
of our simple country fare; and on more than
one occasion heard him sigh for the hospitable
board of the Winslow. But not many days elaps-
ed ere. at the first ntimation, he would rush to
the dinner table, and sitting down, consume such
fabulous piles of bread and potatoes, and drink
such extraordinary drafts of tea that dare not
venture on any computation. This singula gas
tronomic phenomenon, he believed, was all owing
to the climate; and that lie might be able to
digest and secretc the superhuOus food which his
appetite demanded, he conceived the brilliant idea
of working working at laborious manual en-
ployment. So he chopped down trees, carried
logs, grubbed and digged, till his back ached
and all his limbs were sore; till his hands were
blstered and torn, his feet bruised and swollen,
and his face and neck tanned by the sun and
stung by the mosquitoes. Alas, poor Eeo!
l reserve for my next the pleasure of telling
you how all these multiplied evils proved merely
transitional to higher appreciation and keener
relish for the real beauties and pure enjoymen,s
of q pastoral life. Il.