The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1857-06-29

/ TOT IL 0Ake Cbty.
Kssksk...Thc masonic Restival..
TAs Des Mssnes 1easlrsaA, ssc.
MEsns. EpIroas :--Whils partaking The
hospitality Of your city isel compelled TO
pen few rambling thosshs fcs your paper.
IT'S written that ''readins 10 an unremem-
bered pastime, but writing il eternal" This
will not apply to me, for am mot writing
for Immortality, n lsast just d present.
Truly your city 10 . wonderful city--a
mighty city-born Almost in day. Scarce
y seven years have elapsed since the very
spot where now write was waving forest.
The century living oak raised its proud top
to heaven and shook its green coronal Of
1 leaves 10 the glitterins beams Of the rising
and setting SUI.
! The slender ivy festooned the dead and
lightning-riven tree, like twining fretworks
on a marble shrine.
From Gods FIRST temples ten thousand
choristors sent up their diapason to Him
who in creations morning flooded with light
and glory this bright world Of ours.
How changed Natures choristers are
silent. The "pealing anthem'' now ascends,
deadened by cumbrous shaft and mighty
architrave, and tall and glittoring spires
point the way the prophets trod.
Art, now mistress, tyrant Of the old world,
is asserting her right to supremacy here
The sound Of the hammer and chisel are
heard in every part Of your city. Buildings
tastefully and beautifully finished meet you
ct every turn or ere being erected on every
street. But have thought that it would be
great blessing ii it could only be carried
on as in the building Of Solomon's temple
50 that there might bc neither the sound Of
the hammer, the axe, nor any iron instru-
ment in the building thereof.
Commerce, handmade Of art, has strewn your
levee with the productions of every cline
fruits from the "Sunny South" silks from
Italia's looms, teas from the Chinese mart,
cachmeres from the Persian web and spices
from ths islands Of the sen. Truly you have
might city, and SEQ nothing to preventits
becoming really the 1Gate City" Of the
1 west.
/ The locality is favorable both a. regards
health and business, and but one class Of
men would be liable to starve for the want
Of occupation, via: the NJ. DIS. Knowing
this, they have erected two colleges for the
manufacture Of disciples Of Esculapius, and
have to send them of as soon as they are
finished. This, / think have heard, is the
/ only way the resident physicians make their
/ living. Sad place this, for them.
Improvement, progress, 10 the order of
the day. Not content with advantages ar
sing from the proximity Of the mighty
stream which rolls by your city, you seek to
bind with iron bonds the little towns and
villages which lie like gems in an enameled
sea, for scattered through your growing
State.
| By tho urbanity Of Col. s., We were
enabled TO join in the excursion to Farming
ton on the 24th inst. At an early hour We
were seated costly in the cars, waiting i'm
patiently the appearance Of our beJecked
and be-aproned "lords." And now, Mr..
Editor, can you keep q secret? pll trust
you anyhow. You have heard much said, no
doubt, about the vanity Of the ladies, &c.,
buff you could have seen the proud and
satisfied look Of those members Of the "mys.
tic brotherhood" as they advanced with
those little tiny friugsd aprons, and sashes
rosetted and tasseled OF, you would have
been forcibly reminded Of the bird Of glo-
rious plumage, but Of ugly pedal extremi-
ties, and If they had had on the full gear Of
afashionably dressed lady, there is no know
ing the consequences--to them. This is I'M
der seal, you know.
After various evolutions and convolutions,
understood and appreciated BY the Fra.erni.
ty, they we're duly seated 10 the cars, and BY
10 o'clock fairly OF.
To me the ride was one Of deep interest.
1t gave me an opportunity to see much Of
the undevcloped resources Of your State.
Our first few miles lay close beside the
Des Moines and under the bluff. An i'm.
mense stone quarry 10 on our right hand,
where hugo masses Of rock stand out in bold
relief, like some fierce ogre, guarding with
eeasless vigils the treaaures committed to bis
care. An eminent geologist has said that
ssnature has written the history Of old Garth
upon her rocks, tables Of stone carved BY
an almighty hand, each stratum being leaf
in the massive volume.
But there was no time for communion
here. thought, - We passed so swiftly on
between the rock and stream, she kept her
daybook on the laughing wave and her ledger
on the solid rock.
We sped swiftly Oh to our destination, de-
tanned only to feed our hungry horse or take
on from time to time ssbrethren' with their
little aprons, from the little towns through
which the route lies.
| On our arrival at Pennington, 80 miles
from keokuk, We were received by largo
delegation Of Free Masons, and conducted
70 the church, where, after appropriate ex-
erciscs, we were favored with An address
from your citizen, Or. Sanford. II was
able, chaste and beautiful; we'll, gracefully
and eloquently delivered, indeed; just such
an one as you might hive expected from the
we'll deserved reputation Of the man.
After the conclusion Of the exercises. the
procession formed and marched to the near
est hotel, where ample provision had been
made: and "further deponent saith not"
At FIVE We were again seated in tho cars,
en- route for home, when soms rich scenes
occurred which beggar description. Some