Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1859-08-04

satisfied us they were not "very fine" as
compared with our preconceiyed notions of
fine fish. If you or any of our friends
have a curiosity to know how willow pike
taste, they can satisfy it by mixing togeth-
er equal parts of lard, ashes and soool, and
cook it, seasoning ad H5itum.a We do not
know to what class of the inny tribe they
belong, but think they are cross between
dog fish and aligaotr, with perhaps a
hereditary tendency TO partake somewhat
of the nature of the lamper eel
Through this portion of Illinois the
whole country was swansp, and almost inn
passible; hoping as we approached the
railroad the roads would be better, We un-
derstood from farmers that when we came
to Anargo We could get onto main trav
eled road leading to Peoria, which would
be much better than the prairies through
which we were passing; but on arriving at
ABargo, they infomed US that we must fol-
low the road near the r. r., as that was
the only one leadinn to Peoria. We did
so for day or two, and a sweet time We
had ofit-sloughs, swamps and quicksands
made a laeasing variety. One day driv-
ing along through sloughs as usual, sus-
pecling nothing more than our ordinary
hard dragging and splashing, the first
thing we knew our four horses were swamp
ed fat as founders, unable to get foot
hold sufficient to get on their legs. We
jumped in up to the knees in black, tai
lowy mud, and tried to help them out; 10
doing so your humble servant found him
self head and heels in horizontal line en-
phatically planted for the spring crop; but
not being quite so ponderous as the other
cattle, be got on end, and all hands went
to work and unhitched the horses, leaving
the wagon in the mud. Having got the
horses out, Tom started for oxen, and Ed
and myself to wash the horses. Tom
soon returned with two very good frames,
driven by their owner, who boasted he
could "snake that wagon eout in less nor
no time" that "Tom d Jerry" never fail
ed in pinch. So with the usual "gee, wo,
whas,r Tom and Jerry were driven in the
mire hooked to the tongue; they made one
single pull, and down went poor Jerry on
bis side, from which neither beating nor
coaxing could cause him to rise. Even
corn laid within foot of bis nose, was not
a sufficient inducement. So off we started
again for more oxen to pull Jerry OUT
This time we got two fine large yoke, fas
tened chain round Jerry's horns and
"snaked him eoat" then hitched onto our
wagon, but the ''critters" sunk up to their
bellies in the mire, and could, not move it.
So we started again and secured the coun-
try for log chains; could only find eight;
these we hooked to the point of the tongue
and stretched them out until the oxen got q
foothold on terra firma, when the brought it
out exiting" This was considerable of an
adventure, and gave US all a slight tendency
to use very strong adjective phrases. be-
liere, however we all kept pretty cool-the
day was cool understand-except Tom; !;
be got excited once or twice, and | am
very strongly of the opinion l heard him
say repeatedly, +" Well, really, this beats
the Oldest man oliue" Having got our
wagon out our next care was for poor Jer-
ry, who was still lying PROSTATE, miserable
muddy and detected, bis master watching
him with anxious eye, having concluded he
was ouly worth his hide; but the corn ex-
pertinent proved more successful this time,
for upon laying an ear within few inches
of his nose, be rose TO his feet and COM
menced eating as if it were-and | pre-
sumo it was-the only corn he had seen
for months.
We kept on the road near the railroad
to Ellpasso, where we also enquired for
the other road, but they too informed us
that that was the only road. We thought
it was quite strange that a public road
should be feSced up in many places, but
presumed it must be the way they did bus
iness through Illinois; but growing des-
perate after leaving Ellpasso, we struck a
'sbee line" south, through the prairie, and
had not travelled two miles until we came
to fine, hard, much travelled road, lead
ing directly TO Peoria. We presume the
reason why they kept us near the railroad,
was in order that we might see The many
fine, foursishing cities which are spring
ing up as if by magic on this Oquaqua &
Peoria R. R. For the benefit of those
who may not be so fortunate as to have
the felicity of travelling through this par
ticular part of Illinois by land, we will say
that this railroad passe through the lowest,
wettest, poorest part of the State; about
every six miles there is city projected,
and in several places tavern and grocery
already established. The circulating me-
dium is 'ssod-corn' whisky-ten gallons to
the bushel-warranted to kill at 800 PAGES
and embryotic cities. We would sug-
gest that the Legislature pass law reserv-
ing at least one section ir each township in
that portion of the State for farming pur-
poses.
The country near Peoria is very fine in.
deed. Everything assurns different as
pect as you approach the river. The land
is more rolling and in high state of cult
walton; fine farm houses and barns, every
thing cheerful and hfe-like. After crossing
the river, beyond Peoria, the scenery is very
beautiful; high hills and beautiful valleys,
the country thickly settled, and everything
looking as if everybody lived at home
Between Peoria and Burlington the coun
try is the finest l have ever seen. As fal
as you can see, your eyes are greeted witt
large mansions Of brick or stone, with al
the comforts and conveniences farmers Of
any other class Of ofpersons could wish. Fol
miles there are continuous hedges, enclos
ing hnest rolling fields, laid of as regular
~ as town lots. Occasionally you pass
portion OF the country of poorer soil, and
consequently less thickly settled and com
fortably improved; but on the whole can
not see how any Improvements could b.
made in the condition or advantages of tht
farming portion Of community in this par