The new era., 1860-07-05
in the Woods.
No. Is.

sY:sssg t.5 bsxi1odit.o ~ ASS5N = qsrrtTsIE
The first winter of our residence II
Minnesota-that Of lS5l-was mild an,
pleasant. with the exception Of abou
twoiweeks' 10 the early part Of January
which mwas intensely cold. Snow feI
unusually earlyse and we, had sleighins
bytheB middle of November. Two. yeas
later we had no snow uutl New Years
But as it came sooner, SO. it earlier dis
appeared. We well remember that {
sleigh-ride we enjoyed the first Of Feb
ruary, into a neighboring country, hat
for its termination that most disagreed.
BILE Of all travelling modes, ga sleigh
ride on bare ground arr
Spring opened early and delightful.
Indeed, that, as well as several success
siye springs, were like this of ls6O.-
The few last seasons following winter S
heightened reign have not been real
and regular Minnesota spring-times,--
They have been exceptions to the gen
eral rule. People who have been here
only since the grasshopper-aff1iction,
and the one or two seasons untoward to
bountiful harvest, have wondered why we
were able to speak with SO much parti-
ality and enthusiasm, for this land ofour
adoption. They begin to see the reason
why. We became enraptured with
Minnesota when she was in her palmy,
golden days. She has passed through
her season of affliction and tribulation.
She has put off her weeds Of mourning,
and again donned her gay and gorgeous
robes. Her song is Joy and glad
ness. And so the faces of her people
are but halfas long as they were. and
have become beautifed wondrously -
They smile instead of cry; and their
'tlookp has become altogether too good
natured to 'sbite board nail Off" They
speak to each other pleasant, hopeful,
encouraging words, instead of mumbling
out anathemas against ''this cold and
miserable and -ofthe-way nook of
the world" Some even go so far as to
ellow that the 'old settlers" have not SO
many sins of misrepresentation to an
swer for as have been laid up against
them. And so Minnesota and her peo-
pie are getting along amicably together,
TO the great JOY of the world.
Emigration was at this time-spring
of lS5l--going up the Minnesota River,
1t was for st Paul's interest that that
region of country should be settled
Therefore, sha of course represented
that to be the garden spot Of our new
Territory. Every emgrant wagon,
horse, and COW, consequently, were
made to turn their backs upon Northern
Minnesota, leaving us few, scattered
people, "alone with our glory" and the
Indians. So much the better. The
new, wild, isolated life was novelty
duO OCilSut. uO dttTdCliOHS VI IlIS up
per country would soon enough bring
hither farmers and their treasures.
oSauk Rapids didn't grow at all In
fact it grew less in a couple of months,
after its existence for our only neigh
bors, Mr. SIS family moved to Fort
Ripley for a few months, and we were
tbs sole occupants Of the goodly town
just Fred and Minnie and sometimes
Minnie alone, as Fred had to take long
journeys to distant parts Of the country
which was then of unlimited extent
and more than once have we remained
alone four days and nights, our nearest
neighbor being a half mile distant. We
became accustomed to this alone busi-
ness by degrees. Bravery or heroIsm
had never constituted portion of our
virtues, and Fred. upon starting for the
Post Office, distant mile and half,
never got away without this reiterated
caution ringing in his ear snow be
sure and be back by Inine o'clock, or
Ifshall be frightened to death. $50,
ike good husband as he was and
ought to have been. he was sure to, re-
turn within the specified time, until one
luckless nights The clock had struck
hine and he was away There was no
thing to read, and writing was out ofthe
question. The sewing had been fool
ishly put away, SO with our eyes we had
nothing to do but watch the clock, and
with our ears to listen for Fred's steps,
or Indians war-whoop Ten o'clock
sounded out more deafeningly lin the
solemn stiines than would have done SO
many cannon balls. Nor wou' ten