The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1868-06-05
LETTERS FROM tbs WALNUT-NO. 9
Heavy Rsins---yniprOVement of the COun
try---New settlers Pouring in.

our last issue, but was unavoidably crowded
out. 1t Is none the less interesting for the
dclay.l
Two weeks ago there was what the
farmers call soaking rain," and there
have been occasional light showers
since; but on the morning of the 10th
inst. a cloud rose from the southwest,
land the rains descended and the floods
came" yes, land the winds blew and
beat upon that house" where your cor
respondent was stopping, land it fell
not, though it was not founded upon
a rock )" but substantial log cabin is Il
good place to stay in storm, for the
wind doesn't shake it, and don't know
that there is any instance OH record of
a log cabin being struck by lightning,
or blown down by high winds, (torna-
dees don't grow i'll this State) or shaken
to pieces by earthquakes-wh ich re-
minds me that the great commissions
which shocked all the northern part of
the State a little overa year ago did not
reach this county. Well, that rain / was
speaking of continued for twenty-four
AiOhAo iii6 IL w az w
TO sec the change it wrought.
Zone might have half believed he heard
The leaves and blossoms growing"
without any great effort of the imagin-
alton. But the farmers only say "Wa-al
l guess there's no danger of q drouth
now; and if brevity is the soul of ell
oquence rs well as OF wit, they have
greatly the advantage of us scribbliug
iGlcrs, whose happiness as we'll as
whose task it is to amuse their leisure
moments with our desultory talk.
! And such an amount Of work as they
are doing this spring does ones heart
good to see-tle numberlcss acres of
prairies that will be broken, the or
chards and hedges that are being set
out, and the long lines Of substantial
fence that are being built-all arc so
different from the gloom and depression
that pervaded the county last year on
account of the heavy loss of cattle in
the spring. and show an enterprise that
is sure of its reward. While much of
this activity is to be attributed TO the
arrival of new settlers, of means and
energy, who have been, since last au-
tumn, constantly settling in this county,
the older settlers are now making inn
proVements which would have been
lmpractlcable 1T so recent Il period as
two years ago. People who come to Kan
sas now, taking advantage of railroad
transportation as far as Lawrence. To-
peka or junction City, and find the
country i'll state of tranquil prosper
ity, can have little idea OF the difficult
les and dangers encountered by the pi-
| oneers the dangers by flood and field -
of the obstacles in the shape of Border
ruffians, wild Indians, and bushwhack-
ers they have overcome; of the trouble
they have had for lack of protection
from the incursions of thieving Indians,
and want of adequate postal arrange
| ments of the Encouragement and ill.,
| security caused by the war, which came
home TO Kansas soldiers; but q differ
ent order of things prevails now. CheI-
sea. Eldorado, and the Whitewater set
Elements are no longer the Outposts of
! civilization. The settlements now ex-
tend down the main Walnut for
forty miles or more, while Wichita, at
the mouth of the Little Arkansas, is a
military post, one company being al
ready located there, while two compa-
MES of cavalry are soon to 20 down !:
50 that there need be no apprchensions
Of danger from the '.Osagcs, Wichitas,
Wakoes, ToWagabies, Iron-eyes," or any
other of that long list of tribes that bor-
der men are SO foi: OF going over.
Col. w. w. III. Lawrence passed down
few days ago with quite an outfit,
consisting of covered wagon drawn
by four horses, single top-buggy, and
another tWo-horse vehicle, which at a
little distance suggested the idea of
hearse but passing along the road just
before sunset my attention was drawn
first by the smoke of a camp fire issuing
from the edge Of a beautiful grove near
the creek, and then by the apparition of
two sundowns; and coming nearer /
saw that the sundowns concealed the
fair faces OF two ladies, who, OH house
hold cares intent, were lowering about
the fire, while two gentlemen rose from
seats near it: and at a small table neatly
spread-in camp style-sat Col. Law
renee and another gentleman, evidently
enjoying their supper as only travellers
can. The horses were contentedly gr;t-
Zins near, while the wagons were drawn
UP at a little distance-ior the hearse-
like vehicle proved TO be nothing more
dismal than peddler's- wagon, while
on the top was suspended a canary
birds cage-the shadows lay soft and
cool around the little party, while to the
east tho prairie showed only faIfeSt sun
light; altogether the scene was quite
romantic, and tempted me to wish that
the spring might last forever, and that
life might be one long picnic. The fam
sion, but going down to Wichita to
keep a hotel" having left Topeka for
that purpose. / learn that Ledfick has
sold out his interest In the rancho there
to Durfee, and will hereafter devote his
attention to '.haBdling stock" Mr..
Mead has sent his five wagon loads of
robes and fGrs to market.
DIR. White, at Eidorado, is receiving
additions 10 his already fine stock of
goods. Col. Carr is preparing to start
for Galesburg, Illinois. and a summer
trip thence to the seaside. Emerson
passed down to make arrangements for
putting in mill at the mouth of the
Whitewater. Dir. New horter, of Chel- |
sea, has gone to Kansas City with sew
eral teams, for his mill. Dir. Sneethan.
of Pittsburg, Pcnnsy lvania, is expected
to arrive soon, with number of other
families, TO occupy his land on West
branch, and it seems that there is de-
maDd for more land" for other new
corners. a Mr.. Young, of Normal,
Illinois, is now looking for location
for a nursery which is certainly need