The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-06-27


irie," though giving promise of an ener-
getie, thriving city, rising from the far
stretching plain beside the winding kaw,
where the wigwam of the savage and the
forest tree stood in unison
Before ne came, huge posters stared Us
in the face, headed Anew York and San
Francisco-through in three days!" and
leaving the splendid depot in Duane
street, we are buzzing away toward the
West, at an average rate of sixty miles an
hour, taking breakfast at St. Louis, and
supper perhaps in Lawrence, where We
leave the train, which stops but moment,
and then speeds on its way, with pre-
cious freight of lives, to where the Sierra
rises in majesty above the rolling waves of
the Pacific. Crossing the splendid bridge,
a single span over the river, we take the
Massachusetts, street cars for the DREAD
HOUSE, mile or two from the depot,
where we sit down to magnificent COLA
ton served up by the good humored host;
and while engaged thus, revert to the
trying old days of the st. Nicholas and
Metropolitan when bacon reigned SUI
preme, and hominy held the important
post of its ''aid-de-camp'' Later came
| the more modern and comfortable hotels
of 1857, among which we recollect the
Morrow and CENTRAL Houses, and the
commodious WHITNEY close to the an
tique ferry.
After supper, we regale ourselves by a
stroll through the city, visiting places
which were of interest to us in times
agone Passing down the street, we come
to the Free State Hotel, diminutive il
comparison with the more splendid struc.
lures on either hand, though standing as &
memorial of other days. When last W.
looked upon the spot, it was rising, Phe
nix-like from the ashes, while around
were strewed the ruins caused by Wanda
hands. Far to the south stand, on boil
sides of the broad thoroughfare, beautiful
and substantial cdifices, which, fifty year
ago would have been pride to easter
. cities. A Babel-like sound comes iron
the busy denizens of the street, and tn
bang of closing shutters mingles with
strain of music from the balcony of Metro
!, politan Hail. In what was once hand
some glen just beyond the ravine, stand
the church of our recollection, like tn
old Dutch edifce of SLEEPY Hollow,
:, serving to call to the memory of age,
passing thought of early days on the KaI
sas border, when the gruff challenge {
"Free State or Pro-Slavery?" rang OF
upon the air, and LANES ragamu6ils," -
in Border Ruf1ian encampe
: upon the prairie sward. Other streets
= equal beauty traverse the city. Ne
Hampshire, Winthrop and Vermont stree
are models in their way, and many gel
of architectural beauty pleases the visie
as we pass along. We left them with &
existence hardly more than in name-v
er return to the old familiar spots as havir
n no superiors in the State. All, all
er changed. On either hand we read Il
f evidences of progress, architectural, agI
or cultural, mechanical and scientific. III
n old woods of the Delaware Reserve a
D. standing no longer-in their stead are Il
y superb residences of our citizens, al
k, thither now they have mostly RETIRED
in The sonorous peal from yon toweril
ly spire strikes the hour of ten; the gas-ligh
W burn brightly far adown the street, like
ce extensive torch-light procession. He
bit and there we see crowds trooping hon
es from the various places of amusemeI
lg some toward the Dread, and thither v
IN wend our way.
IT We have visited a portion of Lawren
in 1900-when shall we visit it again?