St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1866-07-05
UP sAuK VALLEY.

First take six o'clock breakfast, and
then a seat IN one Of Burbank 8 Co.'s nbiq-
uitous coaches, and you will soon be DASH
ing out Of town, and up Sank valley-as
We were about q week ago. Eight miles
are passed over in short order, and the
coach stops to change the mail At st. 10,
the trading point for rich and thickly set
tied township. There are couple OF
stores. both doing good business. Mr.. J.
II. Linnemaa has a stock that would be no
discredit to Washington avenue or St. Ger
main street. -,.
Ten miles further on is the town Of Cold
Spring, where the mail is again overhanled.
and We have fresh relay OF horses. Cold
Spring bids fair to take fresh start be-
meath the impetus Of the new grist mill
which Is being rapidly pushed forward -
This will be Of great advantage to the town
and afford necessary milling facilities to
large section of country. as we'll as yield
handsome profit to its proprietors. Chas.
E. Buss, formerly of this city, wears the
digrity Of Postmaster, and is doing thr'v-
ing business in the limo Of dry goods, gro
ceries and the like.
Five miles more and we reach Richmond.
one of the ol3est-settled towns IN the ~;oun-
~, We noticed some improvements going
on among the rest, large storeroem be-
ing erected for Mr.. Henry Broker. Mr.
Harmon Drumming, the postmaster, finds
time to make an honest penny or two in
the line of merchandising.
Another six miles, and We exchange our
team for four fresh horses. This is at Rol-
fers', better known rs the "Yankee Dutch
man. Mr.. Rollers received this rather
odd sobriquet some rine years ago from
gentleman who observed the readiness with
which he could adapt himself to any and
all kinds of work, as we'll as his keen
ness in trading; and many to whom the
name of Henry Rollers is stranger are
well acquainted with the ''Yankee Dutch
man." Another good thing that might be
said of him-and something rare for that
locality-he is a staunch Republican.
Thus far the way has been mostly
through timber and brush and rather billy
country. This portion Of Stearns County
does not show to the best advantage from
the road. Continuing the journey to Burns
station, fifteen miles distant, where we have
dinner and again change horses, heavy
timber lies to the right. while to the left
is rolling prairie. Sank River meanders
along on this side, and its torturous course
may readily be traced by the light growth
of timber which fringes its banks.
Dinner over at about half past two
o'clock, We soon reach New Munich, town
owing its existence and growth principally
to the enterprise and capital of Mr.. VIM.
BONNER. a merchant and the postmaster
of the place.
Two miles more, and we cross Sank Riv-
er ON a bridge that will not sustain any
weighty panegyric. The appearance Of
the country is splendid-fner and fairer
cannot be found in the State. The course
of the road lies through prairie perhaps
. mile wide. TO the right is heavy timber
and this popularity extends all the way
to Sank Centre-whiIe to the left is lighter
timber and prairie, the latter jutting in
here and there, like narrow lsthmuscs con-
Meeting these little seas Of forest; while
again the prairie and woods lie in alternate
sections far as the eye can re:ch, each fair
divided till the trec-tops touch the line
where .'earth and sky do meet To the
right and lett lie email lakes, their shores
half open and half concealed by woods.
while as we ride along, breeze coquettes
with the face of tie waters, teasing it into
ripples that 49,.
kiss, with whispering sound and slow,
The beech pebbles bright as Snow" .,
The roadside is prodigally garlahded
. with floWers-roses, lilies, phlox, coluln-
bine and moccasin flowers mirgline their
rich colors with the dark green Of the ha-
eel, and the native grass that grows luxu-
RANT around them. 10 attempt any de-
scription Of the country from here to the
end of our journey is TO frankly aeknowl-
edge the weakness of words to convey the
impressions of the eye. ....
From New Munich to the old town-site
of Melrose is SIX milcs-the post office be-
ing two miles further. The ''site' is still
there, and fine one it is b"tthe 'town,''
(proper) IL represented by a single house.
that stands tenantlcss and forsaken. The
country around is rich, fertile and vel,
settled with go-ahead farmers, who arc
making the soil yield an hundred fold.
It,was not far from here that our coacl,
passed young lady who was asserting her
rights to Independence Ivy appearing in
The much-abused, and, to our mind, de-
servedly abused bloomer costume. He,
carriage and step Enthusiastically proclaimed
her . woman who .'knew her rights and
dared maintain them" In one thing how.
ever, III was slave to fashion. Beneath
the jsunty hat. with its blue ribbons flut
teriug in the breeze, appeared that capil
larry ornament (heaven save the mark
which lies nearest a lady's hcart-and tn,
back of her heAd-a waterfall. o=
About mile from the Mclrose post Of
fee, We cross Sank River again on q verl
long and q very poor bridge. From her