Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1856-09-13

farther extension Of the area Of Slavery In the Unite
the House Of Of pssss
on the Oregon Bill. 1s4s.
Week among the Pioneers-On the Way.
Just north of the thickly settled portion o.
Anoka winds road not much travelled, bu
which leads directly to the Pineries on the Upper
Mississippi. Our Driver turned his horses heads
hitherward, and while it was yet early morning
we logged along comfortably through oak open
ings, and over gently slipping mounds on our way
to the west branch of Rum River, the place W,
had chosen for our rendezvous. Observing thu
demure countenance of John We remarked
Well, driver, you do not seem to feel very vel
this morning." John turned his eyes upon vi
with such an expression that we thought the porl
barrel would certainly take US in, at the same
time ripping out series of oaths unheard of in
the catalogue of profanity. We dared not say
anything further for several minutes, when We
innocently asked him what was the cause of his
ill:temper? " ll-temper % he calculated !
"Ill-temper h-H.-who wouldn't be in ill-tem.
per wnen some cursed villain had stolen all your
acoOden oats! just look at them ere horses
See their ribs how they have fallen away! ]
tell you sir, this is the unhappiest day of nv
life" and with that he brought his hand in con-
tact with q nail, and then swore the rest of the
forenoon over the accident. The truth was, the
poor fellow had been unable TO get his toddy, for
1t should be remembered that as general thing
the people OF Anoka are temperate, and he took
this method to let out the pent-up feelings of his
soul. We could not help reaecting-what slave
man is. A slave to his Appetite slave to pas
sion-a slave to money getting-a slave to ambi-
tion-a slave to public opinion. When soiu the
time come when there will be more individuality
when he who knows that it is wrong to drink,
knows it Injuries him, knows it will bring poverty
and disgrace upon his family, will act out the
better impulses Of his nature and desist We are
too much governed by what others think and saw.
and pay too little regard to the &c sweet small
voice" which cries "stopp' We verify believe
that half of the drunkards in our country are
made so from want of stamina on their part to
say, when asked to drink, "No!'' Now, John is
clever fellow-he means to do right-he has no
idea OF becoming an inebriate,-he would scorn
the imputation that he loved liquor, and yet Just
one mornings omission of his regular dram,
made him disagreeable to himself and to every
body else.
"There you are again." exclaimed our iocund
friend S. ''Phlosophizing as usual ON pork
barrel. You'll never make farmer, for while
endeavoring to trace out the causes of the growth
of vegetation, the crops would grow, ripen and
be gathered" The interruption of our medita-
ton only paved the way to jolly time, for while
the driver swore We sang, and
ssThe sounding aisles of the dim woods rang
To the anthems of the free., =
IL was near noon when We hadridden some ten
miles over beautiful section of country, in.
with here and there q farm house.
when it was proposed to get dinner-but where
was the question which most interested us. Half
an hour suffced to bring to our vision log house
on the right, and to this place we directed the
horses. "Can you prepare us dinner ?'' respect
fully asked one of our company, of lady who
made her appearance. 'We don't keep tavern
she courteousy replied, 'sbut we will give you the
best we have" SO dismounting the wagon, we ar.
ranged ourselves on a log near the door, and
whiled away the time in discussing the prospects
OF ''the craps" the difference between country
and city life, and the almost nsupportable tedious
ness OF journey on a lumber wagon through
country where the houses were within only FIVE
miles of each other. 1t should be remembered
that when we left ST. Paul our appette,was non est,
and laborng under the impression that it was still
non est, we were quite Indifferent as to the dinner
hour, but it finally came, and when we sat down
to that homely yet clean and wholesome meal, it
appeared to us that We had been starved for the
last two weeks, and We wouldn't have given fig
Tor all the la mode beef or ox-tail SOUP that
ever graced the table of the Winslow House,
Plate after plate of fried pork butts day before
he very thought of it used to make us SICK
mashed potatoes, squash, in fact any and almost
everything on the table, except the pepper box,
became our particular friends, and when we
moved back our chair, we made solemn resolu- |
on to hereafter s'throw physic to the dogs" and
when Nature needed rest to seek the glorious
country air as restorative to bad digestion and
shattered nerves. Dinner over once again we |
we're on our way, better satisfied with ourself and
he world generally.
About fifteen miles from Anoka, we came to |
he residence of Mr.. Low, formerly of the firm of |
'awtelle, Low, 4 Company, of this city. His |
house is located amid clump of trees, and in !
curse of time, and with little expense, it CO, :,
ind no doubt will be made a beautiful placr. &c
esort. On we pushed until we left the r.,;n.,v
Dad and struck out on to the prairie oundl...
'raire---and just then finely formed I,eer emero-
d from his hiding place and went s'x;ppinp over
he bushes, making all Roadway FOR the woods in
he distance; and as further: aggravation the
prairie chickens saucily wall. Led about our wheels.
eemingly conscious of tie fac. that we had no
'un' and then to add to our misery, legions of
pigeons futtered over our heads, and fingered for
mics ABOUT us. We could discern no road, and
we're oohgea to steer our course by the sun, which
vas last oecnning in the West. The dew began
faii' ous we pushed on in the hope of reaching
'ur destination before the night closed in upon
is. The trees became less visible---the horses
moved slower---the stars began to glimmer--.tbe
river swore at his ill-luck--Tom and sat mute
J meditating, when the announcement was made
nat we We're lost on the prairie, and must camn
mt Tor the night---an announcement by no mean. |
leasant to one whose ideas of bears, mosquitoes
nd Indians were anything but pleasant. We are
ast on the prairie and here We must stay.