The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-02-28
Letters from St. Paul..-NO. 1.

FEBRUARY 22d, 1852.
My DEAR FRIEND AND Cousin Per
haps you may imagine that we, in this by
pero region, with the thermometer 300
below zero, are in torpid, half conscious
state, and that we are waiting the breath
Of Spring and the sweet southwest wind
that wakes up the new grass, and the flows
ers, and the sweet 4" brides soDg," to rouse
US from our ethargic state. But such, l
make haste to assure you, is far from being
the case.
To be sure, when the mercury first began
to fall, l would return from my morning
walk, sbriveed up, almost stunned by my
contact with Jack Frost, and with such q
blue cold nose, and wriDkled brow" but
the purity and brightness OF the atmosphere,
the wonderful beauty of the earth in it's
rosy, sun~lit mantle oil white, and the deep
blue of the sky this Minnesota sky-gaz-
ing into whose ilimitabls depths one seems
almost to grasp iDfDitude, all these drew
me out in spite of myself, and now l find
in them an inspiration, an intoxicating in
huence, that sends the blood throbbiDg
through every vein, and makes the heart
bound with an irrepressible vivacity.
Our mental and moral pulse is in sympa
thy also. Mercury, choriform, and proof
spirits may freeze in this northern region,
but hearts as warm as ours would survive
the cold of the Arctic circle itself. To
prove to you that such is the case, and also,
that like the god Baal, 1 am neither dead
Or asleep" but oniy" gone on journey,"I
will endeavor to redeem the promise made
you 10 Boston, that when l had actually
passed the Rubicon of civilization, and
stood, as ii were, upon the confines of an
other world, | would, from time to time,
send you my impressions of lite in North
land.
To traveller so fresh and unsophisticat-
ed as myself, the journey westward present
ed thousand new experiences, and de.
lightiul incidents. But l must not liDger
to recall them, nor must forget that your
feet have worn the pilgrims shoon in for
eigh countries, or that with me you have
wcrshiped the Invisible alone" under
the shadow of hit. Washington, and bow
ed with reverept awe before Niagara's
thunder.
But that Sabbath at Niagara, Can /
ever forget it spent the whole day 10
lingering about the cataract, for felt that
there was no better temple to worship God
in than those majestic forests, and no more
eloquent preacher than the mighty tide
that raised its voice in the thunder. 1
crawled upon the rocks and looked up at
the mighty columns of green and white as
they rushed into the tathomless gulf be-
low; l leaned over the shelving rocks and
gazed, till my very soul trembled, upon the
foaming tide beneath half hid in clouds OF
spray which seemed to veil the majesty of
the scene, for the same reason perhaps that
Jehovah, when be appeared to man, was
always enveloped in "clouds and thick
darkness" and exclaimed with Coleredge,
Ye wild torrents fiercely glad.
Who called ye forth from night and utter death
Down those precipitous bleak jagged rocks
Forever shattered and the same forever?
Who gave you your unconquerablle lite
You! strength, your speed, your fury and your
joy,
Unceasing thunder and eternal foam9
Leaving Niagara, and bustliDg cities,
and broad beautiful prairies behind, we
sped westward, and 10, the Father of Wa
ters