St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1867-11-01
THE VEST.
A Western Mans Observations---Anecdo
and Incidents.
From Albert ID. RichardsonI New Book.
THE MISSOURI RIVER.


ing that the Ohio was frozen over one
half the year and dry the other half. But
Benton told almost the exact truth when
he described the Missouri as little too
thick to swim in and not quite thick
enough to walk in. BY daylight the
broad current is unpoetic and repulsive
"a stream of liquid brick dust or flow
ing mud, studded with dead tree trunks,
broken by bars and islands of dreary
sand, and incloscd by crumbling shores
Of naked soil. Its water will deposit
sediment an eighth of an inch thick
upon the bottom o. tumbler in five
minutes. Though at first unpalatabIe
and medicinal, one soon finds it a pleas
ant, healthtul beverage. have seen er-
rant Mlssourians so partial to it as to
urge that the pure waters of the Rocky
mountains were unfit to drink because of
clcarness
One of the eastern passengers, pour
ing out half 4 pitcher full for ablution,
was utterly disgusted with its color in the
white porcelain basin.
'IIere, WAITER he exclaimed, ..bring
mc clean water; somebody has washed
in this"
Its aspect quite justiiies the Indian ap-
pellatiun OF strong water," and possibly
accounts for the tendency of whites to
the manner born to weaken it with
whi>key. A novice tancies bathing in it
must sadly soil any one not very dirty to
begin with; but it proves soft and cleans
lng.
Navigating the Missouri at low water
is like putting a steamer upon dry land
any sending Il boy ahead with sprlnk-
ling pot.
ORIGIN OF WESTERN NAMES.
kansas" signitying smoky" is the
name of adegradcd and nearly extinct
Indian tribe Lewis and Clark, and all
other early explorers, spelt it as pro-
nounced, with 4 ''z.'
Kansas towns perpetuate many Indian
names. OSawatomlc, the home OF old
John Brown, was formed from the Usage
and Pottawatomie rivers, at whose juno
ton it is built OSkoloosa was named
in iont honor of Os ka, an old chiet, and
I.oo>a, hi, squaw. Osawkee signifies the
yellow Leaf" Hiawatha, III Brown
county. commentaries longtellow's hero.
kinnekuck is Il corruption of ke-an-ne-
: kuck (the foremost man). a great klcka-
poo prophet, "White Cloud was a
brave chief among the Iowas, and the
city of White Cloud is built on his old
hunting ground. Waubonsee is from
Wau-bon-sie (the dawn of day., the name
given to Pottawatome leader who at
tackled the enemy at daybreak.
There is II legend OF an old brave
: within the present limits of Wisconsin
whose squaw annually presented him
with girl. Women are OF little repute
among the Indians, and the heart OF the
chief,ain longed for son and heir. But
tie squaw had all the obstinacy OF hel
sex, and every twclve-month the appear,
ance OF the inevitable girl filled him will
dependency and chagrin On one o
these sad occasions the unhappy brav,
visited little grocery, for settlers were
already encroaching upon his domain.
He was plunged i'll protoundest gloom,
and refused to drink or talk.
\ white loater, knowing his disap,
pointment, congratulated him upon the
0 new arrow added to his domestic quiver
With a look of unutterable disgrst, he
calculated, "She-boy-'gln.' - (she-boy
- again y strobe from the house, and never
p again returned to the scene OF his broker
hopes. And when tlourishing tow
sprang up around the little grocery i
was named by common consent Sheboy
gan.
Topeka is an Indian word signityins
''potatoeS" Satirists translated it ''smal
potatoes. tn Interpretation which the
Topeka philologists Indignantly rejected
''JIM LANE.
Repcatedlv the United States Marsha
from Lecompton, with an armed posse a
his heels, galloped into Lawrence with
= warrant for Lanes arrest. But the Law
renee people were miracles OF heroic re
cience The first person asked woul
perhaps reply he ''nes er heard of an.
such man" Another would report hin
..gone down South" a third saw hin
an hour ago, but thought he was nov
over upon the reservation. Then
Young man with revolver at his sid
would step up and demand sravely:
Halo, Marshal, looking fer Jir
5 Lane ;"
"Ies; where is he -
.! '.,Just left town. | saw him start fU
d Iowa ten minutes ago with a twelve
" FOUNDER under his arm"
y Amid the derisive laughter which fol
~ lowed. the angry officer and his pos-
would ride homeward Before the
were fairly out of sight Lane would com
strolling leisurely up Massachusetts stree
wearing the old black bear-skin ovcrcoa
which enveloped him winter and sun
:, myr. and asking ii anybody had heard
's' Gentleman from Lecompton lnqulring tC
him
en, LYNCH LAW IN TIE EARLY KANSAS DAY
'Hu 'ra In Lawrence. when the assessor aske
T5Y hty one man tor a list of his property, mo
he. he. began TO gather, and he departed al
81 rupt!y Upon his arrival in Topeka |
heard party OF young men step into a
lci- l,I adjacent store and inquire:
Can you lend Us a rope 2"
te; te9 .'tor what purpose ~
N, There is a bogus assessor in tow,
and we are going TO hang him."
on The officer absconded again, in VIII
'nI rat Choate used to call "'territic and tumuI
ma N. uous haste" fully convinced that Il
ns fn post Of safety was private station. \
:. further tax efforts were made
nT' TOWN LOT sPECULATIONS.
= Tho nantomina of actuaI life hpoe