White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1858-09-23
Corresponding.
tFOr the White Cloud chief)
BacHELoR's HAIL, Forest Home, |
Septenber. 1853.

easy chair, IN that mental fanuemOnIunl
of man-a law Office IN the central part
of Misunderstanding with no feelings
of delight upon our past record, realizing
no pleasant or agreeable emotions origi-
mating and existing in the present, the
ssmi-creative powers of our brain were
appealed to. in order. if possible. to pro-
mote our interests and general well being,
for our condition then was regarded by
us as n,aLa Prohi6ita ct nsala IN Sc, which
being translated means-snot fit for beef,
too poor for &allow, skinned for lis hide
but like the gallant Knight of Spanish
Chivalry, we were suddenly seized with
Quixotic impulsiveness, and with black
valise (which contained neither brass
knucks or bludgeons, for our shield and
an obtuse tongue for our spear. we sailed
forth from our ssnctum deeply imbued
with the spirit of adventure. Having
heard many miraculous, and to US, fabu-
lous stories concerning the Tetans, the
Wood and Water Nymphs, with which
our western wilds and waters abound,
this we thought, was the field in which
we could quench our valorous enthusiasm
and drink to safety Of the waters of the
purling brook DER whose destiny some
Venus goddess as fair enchantress might
preside, AMI with magic spell chain US
captive with the mystic talisman of Love,
and the inimitable graces of her person.
We, therefore. with glowing hopes. and
golden-hued anticipstioDs, set out upon
our journey, and after hearing for five
consecutive days and nights the monoto-
nous sounds of the Iron Horse, and steam
engine, we at last reached st. Jo., and
very naturally were possessed of less en-
thusiasm. less ardor, and fewer of the
eggs Of tie golden goose than we had
started with. TO secure our passage for
the ii.tance of two hundred and fifty
miles up the river was our next object of
solicitule anil as we saw lying at the
wharf Stern Whseler, bound for our
port. that unpoetical piece Of mechanism,
which must have been, according to as
trolOgy, originated by soma genius, born
when the Heavens were eclipsed, and
Crabs aRl Craws were running back
wards. Bearing, as she did, the name Of
Mansfield, We were willing to test her
machinery. strenth and speed feeling
satisfied that if they correspondel with
the mini of him whose significant nam.
she bore, that all was right. In . few
moments we were aboard, and were met
by no less personlge than the Captain
himself, who gave us cordial and kind
greeting and as we boxed upon his
rudy checks, his rotun1 countenance,
ever radiant with sunny smile. his mild
and unassuming manner, together with
his portly person, We could but think he
had lost his identity and that by some
power of Transformation not Captain
Lacas. but the merry. the jovial and hu-
morous Jack Fallstaff, stood before us,
crying to King Hall in stentorean voice
I'If Sack and Sugar be an Offence, God
save the King p After a short but Seces-
sary delay, during which, everything
passed of agreeably. the whistle sounded;
all aboard was cried aloud, and in a few
moments we were of for Omaha; and
from the time of our departure until our
return under the kind auspices of the
worthy captain and officers, all was hilar-
ity. enjoyment and pleasure; for they
seemed determined to leave untried no
means which would conduce to the com
fort of those on board. while the passen-
ger, whose eongeniality of feeling, wit
an humor. proclaimed in unerring Ian
guage that Mansfield fun and frolic was
the only cure for the hypochon,lriac, the
misanthrope, or the invalid /; and that
one trip ON her was worth all the patent
medicines Of the age. labelled with their
Hostetter's Bitters and Bulls Sarsaparilla,
which, if placed in her hull, would invoi-
UNFAIRLY vanish into nothingness upon
coming in contact with this Floating
Elixir of Life. Upon our return, as the
announcement Of our arrival at the des-
tined point was made, it fell upon our
ears with almost the melancholy mourn
fulness of funeral wall for in leaving
the happy, Joyous, and smiling faces Of
the Mansfield. which in few short DAYS
we hal become familiar with, and cher
ished as the loved ones of our earliest
years, the bitter pang Of parting, the deep
regrets. and deeper reluctance, not I'M
mingled with the raven wing of sorrow,
Gas. their draperied folds around our
heart with insatiate frmness; yet, bidding
all a,lieu. and descending from the cabin
for the first time ia cur life found ourself
in that triune prodigy, a White Cloud,
which by some wonderful CONFUSION of
the elements like Lucifer, been banished
from the Heavens, (if ever there, and
yet notwithstanding, we inhabit Cloud,
we doubt not but our proximity to Hea-
ven is less at this time than ever it has
been heretofore, while all Of our Tetans,
as IL by some. freak of neeromaney have
been suddenly transformed into stalwart
and robust Indians, our wood and water
nymphs into squaws and pappooses, our
glowing aAticipations and golden-hued
visions into tin cups and knives and forks,
our goddesses into frying pans. skillets,
and coffee pot; and ourself into super
ANIMATED bachelor, controlling thefortunes
of few hewn logs chinked, and daubed.
and digni6ed with name of cabin but
still in the silence of our solitude, there
comes CLEAN of sunshine with the
memory of the politeness, courtesy. and
gentlemanly department Of the officers of
the Mansfield, and we can but remember
such things more and most dear to u.s.