New-York tribune., 1867-09-05
NEW PUBLICATIONS..
RICHARDsoN,s BEYONp THE MISSISSIPPI

f nearly t wears are recorded i'm this entertaining
volume Mr. Richardson does not belong TO the ci"S9
of drowsy tourists who 90 from Dan to beIsheoa an"
exolan that all is barren; on the contrary ~ -
always wide awake, always full OF spiinb anu
ac;tv al,vavs detecting the brightest spots III the
landscape and the cheerfullest aspects oil chaiccr
plwavs tolerant genial alert, and apprchehslNe Hc
60 ,vitbont mistake an American of the Americans
al;obtinc in the natural grandeur of the mountains
and the prarics the woods and waters OF ms halNe
land as well as in the spirit OF ITS people ana tne
aim of its institutions. Freedom he loves WIN the
passion of a devotee the resources OF the country
awaken in him glowing enthusiasm; and the maIch
of empire toward the coasts of the Paclc INSPIRE MN
withthe most brilliant visions of her future ues'lhS'
Mr. Richardson's style is without the shghtes' Trace
~ san,lostio fornality lie writes with the fresh
ness of personal experience, always animated "''%
often sparsIing. never at a loss for words though
somot,,nes deficient in orderly arrangement and too
mueh- inclined to sudden and rambling excursions
If be is occasionally betrayed into spasm OF gush-
ING rhetoric it must be pardoned to one whose INA
oinatou is stimulated by early poetic memories ana
nv the presence of lOvelmess and su0hlnlty I'D 'ho
scenery Of the West g..
His hook will be read with general interest for IT'S
nfluent and VIVID descriptions the pleasant no" Vi
ITS narrative its profusOn OF anecdotes mot always
To be sure of the freshest, and the variety ol lo
NATION with which il abOunds OF the character ana
capabilities of the spacious territory between 'ne
Great River and the Great Ocean. MI Richardson
WAS in Kansas during part of the eventiul struggle
which preceded the war of the Rebellion, and the
numerous details which he gives of that gloomy
reriod POSSESS historical value as well as the III
terest Of piouant narrative The following sketch
gives uId picture of the CONDITION OF inc se'uoiS
OIL the contested ground
In May 1885, went tour through johnson county my
from Which d3inS I[eGnE c rto Missouri Reports
ss to tIc Oucn ard character OF the dicuUes We're as
o. S'IT,'it I @ VeTv pleasant fellow said his eulo
Fist although you must not believe more 'han Hal" NC
3Fxaetly" replied the philosopher; hut rhich half =
On my route the ahoriiye htte Village oi lupI IL
contested Of three OF four wretched shanties with te
trade except in whisky by The SASS bntlecS. m
tYy aud magnificent plan printed with streets, ave
%isii yonug Immigrant, caIpetsaCk in hand approach
ing the shanteS asked farmer ny ' tae r9"uSi0''
..can YOU direct i n! me- TO Johnson OI!
"WIefc inquired the stranger whose eye slowly and
TAe n ht 6eiGf pc {GS ySp yonnr man went away sor
o"fi i fng h lad 5 ac,t possessions. He had made
small investment In the town upon tne assuSnce tat ~
contained thirtytmCc houses with thry more III plo @
gres property rising and prospects bright lie p2id JESS
Tor his knowledge than most victims ana 'eiTaSer M
listened the Ot the chaIme charm nc never
Jsf nv trip rnaraudnc Free state band visited
ascttcr at midnight and inquired his politics Suppos-
Inc them 10 he MissOurians he declared himself pre-
eui;c that ne was free Soiler they tied the animal
Ia q tree where lie found il with note pinned 10 tn1
e at ninety days when he could tel the truth forc9h!
Another unfortunate fellow, Just arrived was stOIIeu uS
s%cTed: s% Tsdp'" O""u WIZ D''',''''N
His int@rocntors being Mssouriaus, robbed him Of his
watch and money and departed Before noon ne en-
cOntered another company VINO hade TIE saihe lHq9'
but he promptly replied:
,,l,ol dlv q
FTce state men took his horse and departed Just at
night, while ourneyng on foot he WAS was mel 10y q tru I'M
prty asked the Old question. Inc DeWllueicd UaN
@what are yo,,r politics' 1t makes difference tC
me agree with you perfectly"
He not further moested ,.. -
In field beside my road two men were pHuhuhe corn
Near them, hands in pockets. lounged third tl an,
Taunt eyes sloodshC nose req nad n@ %vg m ape @ ro
.'whar are yer from, stralgeT,l"
"Oid Kaintuck reckon tharll be a smart fight right
eoon: and like 10 know wlar every man nails irOin
"Did the fight begin the other night at your neiSh e
bc who wa, Si SoSG ep 2n& as %aea I Op psE * Of dd thieves
They didn't care anything about poi'lcS ""neu ou
mary time. They knew better have got twelve
MP In my house SIX stops thar and if they come
near we will XIII every mothers son Of Of thcn & by -!
them here VIII sell them next year and hire poor white
men. II they won't let me have Dack servants VIII
aiterward learned that the marauders did visit this
proved the meekest OF nonTessants, begging them to
tparc his life, and little Of his whisky. ..,
found Oathe. the county seat, under military guard
and public sentiment throughout the county universal
against the robbers, who, under political preteXts, were
pnndering promiscuously Before many weeks the cit-
fens efiectnaly suppressed them.
the evening soughlodidns in little white cottage, to
find IL occupied by DrawDy Indian He answered my
"umphi what nm wantl"
"Maut TO stop over night. WhereF
HIS long, bony finger pointed down the road, ana lie
"um-gOOd vOman-big house"
-nile-twO half"
several times upon Its door an anxious voice from within
"who's thar Z"
"a stranger. Can you keep me tonight"
"Are you al0neT
"An alone"
pair of eyes peered through the crack to reconnocr
then a whole head visible and the door slowly
Come in stranger. Sorry to keep you waiting bit
thars many gangs prowng the country that We have
The only room Of the little cabin contained three beds
all hlled with slunOerers DespaHnGK asked : Could
they accommodate me for the nghtY The prairie patr
arch. whose unkempt head lOomed up like bundle OF
hay above his long night-shirt. replied:
wish mGngh, but the he's sct II, is vi5as strange zee ar are
amile from here, who always keeps travellers"
To the Widow c--'s rode. and tapped on the door
masculine voice promptly replied;
"HaIloa! who III
:" traveller: can you lodge me y
Eureka, had found it: was placed in the Old house
hen with brood of csickens occupied another.
Breakfast proved the widow "a model Of cookery, ana
her conversation marvel OF lOquaCy. Then went on
my way rejoicing riding toward Lawrence in the society
of drunken Indian who by the slipping OF his saddle
gh three times thrown head foremost on the ground
while his horse at full gaOp, and yet did not break
his worthless neck.
Thursday, June third in the Office OF The Ld,o-
reRee Herald of Freedom when boy came IN with the re-
port:
There has just been fight up town"
This such every day affair that did not look up
from my writing moment afterward another nessen-
ger entered and said:
There's killed"
Even this excited little attention in those times OF yo