St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1866-01-18
IhF st. Cloud 1fmorrat,
W.@B. MITCHELL, EDITOR
{ OE'FI(LAL PAPER OF THE CITY.
Thursday, Jan. l8, 1865.
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA.

SOUTHERN MINNESOTA.
Leaving kasson with two locomotives at
tackled to the trnin, we were not long in
reaching Rochester. some sixteen niles dis.
taut. Prom occasional views caught of
the country through the frost st-curtained
windows Of the car, we judged it to be
rolling prairie, wi Ii but little timber. A
considerable rortion was fenced and under
cultivation. Ol,nstead county bns the rep.
utation Of heing one Of the best in the
State, both as res ar Is sol and the charac-
ter of its citizens. r #2@..'. -
Arriving at Rochester about FIVE o'clock
in the afternoon, we went to the Americsn
House, kept by Mr.. E. A. Goodell. former
~ . Lieutenant in Capt. 4. NJ. Wilson'S
company Of Mounted Rangers, which was
stationed ut Paynesville III this County.
during the winter of SO and spring of '63.
Tie aGc6mmodations we're good, .nd we
Judged the hotel to be the popular one of
the town, though the building is On old
frame. ".'.t "
This being .-.- -
SABBATH EVENING,
led by force Of long habit, We went to
church; to the Presbyterian church,
line large brick building-where there was
. union meeting with the Congregational
lists 10 hear m address from an agent of
the American Bible Society. Brother
IS remarks were very much On the
stump speech order, as to style, while lack
ing The interest which usually pertains to
such efusions His frequent interlardings
Of ''but again." and 'sdo you see it g" re-
minded one very forcibly of the ''whang.
doodle" sermon. Why ls it that such as
sociations as the American Bible Socie.y y
aud 50 many others Of like character, exer.
else SO little discretion in the choice of
their agents? Such . s'hash'' as that we
heard does any cause positive injury, as
was evidenced Oh that evening by the small
amount Of money taken up.
Shortly after seven o'clock on Monday
morning-being compelled to reuain in
Rochester oy:r night, rs. the train went no
further Oh sat5atk eeening-we. we're ; !
ABOARD THE CARS ..,..'
for Winona. The ride was extremely ieis-
urely the latter city, Fifty miles distant,
not being reached until half past eleven
o'clock. Anumber of small towns are STAT
tered along this road. but the only one of
special importance is st. Charles, twenty
three miles from Rochester,. 1t is located
on level prairie, and is cut in twain by
the railroad. Having been The terminus -oi
the road for time, it gained rapidly. Be-
ing in rich agricultural country, it y i'll
doubtless grow into quite good-sized own
The passengers having not much outside
to attract their attention, enjoyed highly
the actions of -.
A YOUNG cOUrLE ~ '<
who were apparently either going or re
turning fl ON their bridal tour. Occupying
a seat in the front end of car, they were
soon the "obseryed Of all ohseryers."-
Johns I'VE will not be positive about the
rame) arIn crept slowly around the top o1
the seat until it formed complete enclo.
sure of the form beside him. Anna Ma
ria's head dropped tenderly on Johns man.
ly shoulder, while her melting eyes were
raised to his with an expression very much
akin to that Of y calf when about to become
veal. The conversation, in low tones, VA.
unremittlng; while nearly half the sea-
was vacant. The passen GERS were titterina
in ecstacies, and could scarcely keep from
bursting into laughter but of all this The
happy pair were unconscious. Some ma.
licious individual bribed small boy with
an apple to inquire if they had not said
they wanted to get off at the next station
which was close At hand. They innocen
ly replied that they had not, Of course.
| And thus il: was until they reached Winona
Are all yothg rad hewly-married pcopl,
So silly? If so, it would be a good idea tt
have couple aboard Of every train; 70,
they are very amusing =.
Shortly after lea:.nge St. Charles, We no
ticed - -. ~.
5sf;. saI5S LITrLE GEM 2'.>#-@ 'tf0 ~
OF. IN Episcopal church. 1t seemed like {.
miniature model, and was certainly tn,
prettiest lttlc church VIC ever saw. Gu
friend, George, W.. Bracket, who wa
aboard the train, told us the name Of th,
town, but We cannot now remember it,
George says Southern Minuesota dues no
compare with this part of the State, ant
that he intends coming back to St. Cloud
| When within about twelve miles Of Wi
mona, the line OF the railroad-the Winon.
and St. Peter-cnters what is termed
t'THE BLUFFS" \
They ire really high hills, affording view!
Of scenery varied and picturesque: Her,
are some with rounded peaks; others lik,
the pictures # pyramids, with the long, fla
top, and smooth }sloping sides while sur
mounting one here and there is higl
rocky pillar, booking as though it nigh
have been part Of some old castle wall tha,
had been battered down, or had crumblel
beneath the storms Of heaven-this Alon.
remaining. The track winds its wa,
| through these hills, which seem to be q
some soft stone, whose rougE-hewn side.
you could almost touch. from either ca,
window over long bridges that are more
than seventy feet high = and all of the way
down heavy grade, so that eteam is shn,
off: Following the windings of the road,
and always in sight, is ..babbling brook, y
whose ''babble" the rlgor of old King Win
ter has not succeeded in bushing. There
are MANY such throughout the State.
Arriving in 49,. -..
we were not long in finding agreeable
quarters. That evening and the next day
We spent partially in looking over the city,
ard partially lly-otherwisc. Winona is one
of the oldest towns in the State, and con-
tains now about five Thousand inhabitants.
Facing the Mississippi river and backed up
by the high bluffs, the intermediate space
on which the town lies Is perfectly level
almost as much 80 as the floor of house.
Some of the streets. lying parallel with the
river. are quite long. and afford capital